Improv Crossroads Couch Quilt

I machine pieced this quilt on my Bernina 240.
I quilted this quilt on my Janome QMP-18 long arm.

Finished size: 75" x 75"

(click on photos to enlarge)

+++++++ Finished quilt details: +++++++ 

Front piecing: This pieced top has more than 1,350 separate pieces of fabric. Although some are duplicate patterns, all are bright and colorful (especially the oranges and yellows), as those are my nephew's favorites.

There are two types of blocks that alternate in the quilt to create a modified "Crossroads" pattern.

1) 52 scrappy blocks using the Mile a Minute Piecing and Improv Piecing techniques, which were joined together in groups of 4. 

2) 12 blocks combining gray cotton yardage that I inherited from my mom's stash, with more scrappy piecing added, to create the "X" block.

Borders: The quilt has a narrow inner navy border, is then framed by a scrappy border of extended piano keys, with a final narrow outer plaid border.

Backing: The backing fabric is a wide cotton blender called "Carrot".

I embroidered this quilt's label directly onto the binding, wishing my youngest nephew a happy birthday!

Both the front and the back are quilted with "Daffodil" (So Fine 50 #420) by Superior Threads. 

I machine washed this colorful quilt with dye trapping sheets (I like to use either Color Catchers or Color Grabbers). After washing, the quilt is soft, beautifully wrinkled, and ready to be used and loved.

+++++++ Progress photos: +++++++

Impromptu blocks I made using both the Mile a Minute Piecing and the Improv Piecing methods. I sewed lots and lots of pieces of fabric together to make the 52 blocks I needed!

Arranging the blocks once they were combined into 4-patch units.

Even the corners on the "X" blocks are all scrappies.

Getting ready to join the 13 "4-patch" impromptu blocks with the 12 gray "X" blocks.

I decided on a 5x5 layout, so the quilt is the same length as width.

Piecing together several scrappy fabric strips with navy blocks to make the extended piano key border.

Progression: Initial blocks, then inner border, then extended piano key border, and finally the outer plaid border.

Before I could start quilting, I had to join batting pieces together to accommodate the width of the 75"x75" quilt sandwich.

I chose to create my own "orange peel" pattern by stitching large clamshells from top to bottom, then inverting the pattern and stitching again, this time from bottom back up to top.

Quilting the modified "orange peel" stitching pattern on my Janome QMP18.

Embroidering the binding strips on my Brother PE700 embroidery machine.

Attaching the binding strips using the blind hem foot on my Bernina 240.

The dye trapping sheets removed a lot of blue and orange fabric dye, so there will be no color bleeding in future washings! (I use either Color Catchers or Color Grabbers).

+++++++ Quilt Recipient: +++++++ 
Happy 13th birthday to my youngest nephew! His favorite colors are orange/yellow, so I made sure to accommodate!

+++++++ Quilt Summary: +++++++ 

I machine pieced this quilt on my Bernina 240.

I quilted this quilt on my Janome QMP-18 long arm.

Finished size: 75" x 75"

Front piecing: There are two types of blocks that alternate in the quilt to create a modified "Crossroads" pattern...52 scrappy blocks using the Mile a Minute Piecing and Improv Piecing techniques, which were joined together into "4-patches", and 12 blocks combining gray cotton with more scrappy piecing added, to create "X" blocks.
Border: The quilt has two narrow borders, plus a scrappy border of extended piano keys.

Back: Backing fabric is a wide blender called "Carrot". 

Binding: I machine sewed the binding, and it is made from the same blender fabric as the backing.

Quilting: Edge-to-edge stitching of an orange peel pattern I created by stitching large clamshells from top to bottom, then inverting the pattern and stitching again, this time from bottom back up to top. Both front and back thread is "Daffodil" (So Fine 50 #420).

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