A Giant Granny Square Quilt - traditionally known as a Trip Around the World Quilt - is what has been keeping me busy this week. Inspired by the work of talented quilter and knitter Jan Burgwinkle (www.bemused.typepad.com and Instagram - Jan Burgwinkle) who is hand piecing a Trip Around the World Quilt.
A Trip Around the World Quilt has long been on my quilt bucket list, however I am not ready to start another hand piecing project just yet, and so I decided to tackle this quilt by machine. There is no quick and easy way to piece this quilt by machine - I couldn't figure out a strip piecing technique that would work with this on-point layout. Instead I started with the center square then added squares radiating from the center out, until the entire quilt was laid out on the floor in squares and setting triangles for the edges.
I then picked up the squares in diagonal rows - with each pile/row of squares carefully placed as I wanted to keep the fussy cut bunnies hopping clockwise around the center of the quilt. What could go possibly wrong? Sewing rows of squares is not difficult but sewing squares and rows in the correct order calls for another level of concentration. But nothing a seam ripper can't fix.
Choosing fabrics was hard! Not only was I looking for sufficient contrast between the rounds of squares but also a variety of fabric designs - dots, florals, text prints etc. Fussy cutting two rounds added interest as well as strong contrast and structure to the quilt. Many fabrics were auditioned and many more fabric squares were cut in addition to those that made it into the quilt. More scraps for my scrap bin!
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QUILT STATS
925 squares each measuring 2" x 2" (finished)
1 center square plus 22 of rounds of squares, plus setting triangles.
Quilt Top measures 63.5 inches x 63.5 inches.
Fabrics include:
- Cotton + Steel ~ Ghost Bunny from the Black & White collection 2015.
- Cotton + Steel ~ Squared from the Black & White collection 2015.
- Cotton + Steel ~ Navy Enamel Flowers - Picnic by Melody Miller.
- Cotton + Steel ~ Mini Flowers in Coconut (Pink) and Icing (Green) - Cookie Book by Kim Kight.
- Text in Yellow - Lighthearted by Ayumi Mills.
- Blue Bouquet and Red Bouquet and Green Wreath from the Backyard Roses collection by Nadra Ridgeway
- Brown Flower ~ Retro 30's Child Smile Spring 2016 by Lecien
- Just a Speck in Mango by Jen Kingwell
- Strawberry on Green - Briar Rose by Heather Ross
- Butterflies in Yellow - Tiger Lily by Heather Ross
I really enjoyed the task of choosing the right fabrics for this quilt and I am thrilled with how it turned out. Having 900+ two and a half inch squares of fabric squares laid out on the floor was a challenge for everyone in our home but that won't put me off making another Giant Granny Square Quilt!
Thank you for stopping by,
Rita
RELEVANT LINKS:
A Great Granny Square Quilt 2014
Trip Around the World Mini Quilt 2010
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