Fleet Week quilt

This is a graduation quilt for our oldest son. Why is it so hard to make a quilt for guys? Chambray Union is gorgeous and adds a bit of texture. Something I think my son would love. I used the free Ship-Shape pattern by Alice Kennedy for Timeless Treasures. I'm naming this one Fleet Week. As a US Coast Guard family we got to experience many Fleet Weeks. NYC in 1995-96 and New Orleans 2012 are the most memorable ones for me. We were lucky enough to be stationed on Governor's Island, which is just a ferry ride away from Manhattan. Our building is gone now, but it would be nice to go back and visit the island again someday. It was one of my favorites! 

His favorite shape is a triangle. It must be true since he tied this triangular rock up during a beach vacation and dragged it back to the car! He loves sailing too. So, a nautical quilt was an easy choice. 

I wanted to use a RK Chambray Union, Parson Gray World Tour linen/cotton, and a mix of whites for the sails. Except for three sails. I saved those for his school color, garnet. I pre washed all of the fabrics since I was using linen. Here's a close up of the smaller block below. I had a really hard time getting good pictures of this quilt! Especially after it was quilted.

I think this was the most difficult quilt I've ever made! The chambray is gorgeous and light weight which is what I wanted. But I didn't realize how it would shift around. And fray! I was calling it chamfray the whole time. In the end it was still worth using it.

I used Seven Wonders Wind on the back with a couple of rows of half square rectangles on the back. I love using little bits of fabric that are significant to who I am going to give it too. This time it was plaids, travel, mice, greens, books, keyboard, and even a little steampunk.

I stitched semi-straight lines all across for the quilting. Not an easy task for the chambray! The first half went ok and then I tried more basting spray, more pins, and eventually lots of hand basting with dissolvable thread!! Did I mention this is the most difficult quilt I've ever made?

All that basting & machine quilting was worth it in the end. The light fabric & polyester batting give it a wonderful drape and texture!

Finished off with garnet binding of course! Cotton Couture is a wonderful weight for binding. It's so easy to work with. Almost like a voile.