Debbie's Quilt

I got into a crazy mood a while back and started cutting up a lot of my batiks into 2.5" strips. Having a health supply of pre-cut strips readily available would be handy and they might get put to good use.   So I cut .....

..... until I had this!  Gulp!  

(I hate to admit it, but this didn't make much of a dent in my batiks stash.)  Earlier this year I used some of the strips to make a wedding quilt for Stephen and Kailey.  You can read about it here.

I used a few strips and made a big mess.

Last year my sister, Debbie, asked me to make a replacement quilt for the one I'd made for her hope chest back in 1981.  I didn't quilt much then so I'm pretty sure I used broadcloth for the backing.  Maybe that's what held it together all these years.  Polyester never really dies, does it?  I would say my work has evolved quite a bit since then. I've changed a little bit as well!  

I figured since she had made that quilt last for over 35 years she deserve a new one!  Plus, I was happy to have another opportunity to use more of those strips.  Bonnie Hunter's "Strip Twist" pattern would be perfect for this one.  Strip sets made then sub-cut into 144 squares .....

..... then cut again into 288 triangles .....

..... and then sewn back together into 144 squares. Squares with a little different look to them, though.  

Now the fun starts.  Or even more fun, I should say.  Laying them out on the design wall and sewing them into rows. Like this --

The goal is to have it finished by the end of the year so I can give it to her when I'm in St. Louis for a family wedding. I'm pretty sure this one will last for at least another 35 years.