Patriotic Park View Quilt Top 2

Last Sunday, I made a quilt top just like this one for the Park View Lutheran Quilting Ministry, but the cross in the center was blue. Today I used the same fabrics, but switched some of them around so that the cross was red. I also switched the blue and red blocks around in a few other places. I think each time I make a quilt top for the PVLQM, I will use this same design, using only 4 different fabrics. Here is the one I sewed together today. The lighter blocks on the bottom half of the quilt, below the cross center, that kind of looks like a double ‘Y’ reminds me of someone raising their arms in praise.

Just like the other one, I laid out the blocks, then took a picture, printed it and taped it to a picture on the wall. I did not pin the pieces to each other, I just stacked the fabrics for each row in the order I needed to sew them, and then double checked to see if I had the right pieces as I went. I brought my ironing board up to my kitchen so I didn’t have to run downstairs to iron the rows before I sewed them to each other. I liked that setup.

I tried some new bobbin thread. I bought a bunch of prewound bobbins from a seller on eBay. Click the picture to see the seller if you are interested. It is actually a fine polyester embroidery thread. There is nothing quilters dislike more, than running out of bobbin thread! I like using a big cone of thread on the top of the machine for that same reason. Like the saying goes, ‘It’s all fun and games until the bobbin runs out!’

The thread worked great without adjustments for tension, and after doing the whole quilt top, I probably only used about 1/3 of the bobbin. (Bobbin cover removed to photograph).

Ta da! Here it is!

I have ironed the top, and now all I have to do is cut some strips for binding, and I can fold it up and put it in the bag to take with me on when I go sew with the Park View ladies!