On Point - The Evolution of a Quilt

When I spent a few days with my mother, following her knee replacement surgery this past September, I brought along a pad of graph paper, a pencil and an eraser.  This block design is one of the things that came about during that time.

What started out as a little sketch...
Turned into a design with many possibilities...

With dark grey centers and silver sashing

With silver centers and white sashing

With two tone centers and white sashing

With two tone centers and beige background

I made two versions of this WoW-E! quilt, as shown below, which were shared here and here.

WoW-E! quilt in Kona Cotton Solids with dark grey centers and silver sashing

WoW-E! quilt in Northcott Colorworks Solids with black centers and white sashing

Then I made a third version as a custom order.  Made in a larger size and including a mini doll quilt, I shared about it in this post here.

Custom order WoW-E! quilt in larger size using 30 whole blocks

But it was always this photo of the original WoW-E! that fueled my desire to remake this quilt - one more time - using those blocks in an On Point setting.  Incidentally, this photo was a popular Pinterest pin.  The WoW-E! pattern was made available for sale in my now closed Craftsy pattern store.  Unfortunately, that Pinterest pin linked to my Craftsy store.  My Craftsy pattern store was later replaced by my VAT compliant PayHip pattern store here. The pattern is available from my Etsy Shop here.

Now, like most of you, making the same quilt more than once is not something I would normally choose to do.  And having made a quilt with those blocks three times already?  But there was still that desire to see those blocks set on point.  A desire to see this mock up become a real live quilt.

On Point quilt by Sew Fresh Quilts finishes at 57" x 71"

So I approached Fat Quarter Shop and proposed that this quilt could be offered as a quilt kit.  And they accepted the offer, kindly sending me enough fabric to make the quilt.  And then some!  On April 8th I set about cutting into these Kona Cotton Solid fat quarters and yardage to make the 32 whole blocks needed for this layout.  As well as the 14 half blocks and 4 corner blocks.  This was a first for me.  My first quilt with the blocks being set on point.

A pretty pile of half finished whole blocks

Here those blocks are completed.  And laid out on my modest design wall to be arranged and rearranged until I was satisfied with their placement.  Incidentally,  this photo shows another option for making this quilt - one without including the silver sashing and cornerstones.

The final layout of the blocks - without the sashing strips

Here is where all that work and all those hours have culminated in a finished quilt top.  I was getting excited.  And a bit nervous at this point.  Next up will come the quilting.  And the binding.

The completed top with the sashing strips and cornerstones added

For this quilt I managed to do a matched backing, making it appear as though it was a whole cloth for the backing.  I adore the look of those large fuchsia flowers and leaves against the turquoise background.   This is Astraea in Tart from the Elizabeth collection by Tula Pink for Free Spirit Fabrics.  I am very happy with the matched seam on the backing.  That backing is such a bright contrast to those muted tones on the front.  And I think it looks great!

The backing and batting were laid out on my kitchen table and the top was smoothed out and pinned.  First the upper half of the quilt.  And then the lower half, as the quilt was too large to baste the entire quilt in one go, unless I wanted to do so on the kitchen floor.  And of course I didn't want to do that.

Then Aunt Elna came out to play.   Because I loved the look of the serpentine stitch, as was used on the original quilt, it was used again for this On Point quilt.  For some reason I had so much trouble with breaking threads.  I changed the needle and thread repeatedly.  And buried quite a few thread tails. This photo was shared on instagram here.  As I was nearing the finish line!

And then came time for the binding.  With all those precious points along the edges, I knew that my traditional method of machine binding, would likely result in the covering of those points.  You can read more about my thoughts on machine binding methods here.  This time I sewed the binding to the front of my quilt and then stitched in the ditch along the front to catch the binding as it was folded around to the back.  I only tried this method once before.  I was pleasantly surprised with how well it turned out.  But not 100% satisfied.


I normally cut my binding at 2.25" and attach my binding to the back of the quilt and then topstitch from the front, leaving a visible stitch line parallel to the binding on the back of the quilt.  Being as their were so many points at the edge of this quilt, I went with a 2.5" binding width and trimmed my quilt leaving an extra 1/8" of batting and backing along the edges.  I decided to attach the binding to the front and then ditch stitched along the binding from the front to catch the fold over on the back.  This would eliminate the problem of the points being covered by the binding as it was folded to the front and would also result in the final stitch line being in the ditch along the binding, barely visible.

So the front looks great.  But the back?  Not so much.  Turns out I should have stuck with the standard 2.25" binding strips I usually use.  And the label, disappointingly, ended up right where there was a binding joint.  But I am proud of the fact that I tried something different.  And learned from it.

The On Point quilt was the 39th use of my 100 labels ordered from

MyOwnQuiltLabels.

You can design your own labels, too!  Click here!

In spite of the fact that it was incredibly windy, when I completed the quilt on Tuesday, I immediately took her outside for a photo shoot.  Both on the old hay wagon.

And on the iconic well house door.

I tried again the next day.  Still windy.  But I do love this incredible shot of the quilt as it is being blown staight out like a billowing sail on a ship.  Makes me smile!

Gives you a good view of how it would look stretched out on a bed.  Hahaha!
I am offering pdf copies of the On Point pattern in my Etsy Shop here..

Linking up to Finish it up Friday with 

Amanda Jean of Crazy Mom Quilts

Keep On Quilting On!

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Disclosure of Material Connection: Some of the links in my posts are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”