Monday, February 18, 2019

The Blue and the Gray


I have a finish to share today. This lap quilt is a gift for my Dad. I asked him what his favorite colors are, and he said blue and gray. We then talked about his love of history and his knowledge of the Civil War. 


I kept thinking about Ulysses S. Grant as I was stitching the blue and gray fabrics. Did he nap? Surely he must have, and possibly under a quilt in his favorite colors? Naming this one Ulysses' Nap Blankie seemed just a tad undignified, so I settled on General Grant Takes A Nap instead. 


The pattern is called "Buttercream Twist," and is available for free here. All the small accent squares are a fun fabric with math and chemistry scribbles on it. The contrast was great on the scrappy blue fabrics, but a few of the grays were more subtle. I couldn't resist using this neat world map fabric with silver metallic accents, though.


My favorite block is this one with the dragonflies and other insects on it. The quilting is simple wavy lines that alternate direction in each block. Lots of texture without too many hours under the needle.


I had a couple of extra blocks, so I put the ones with the least amount of contrast on the back with a chunk of fabric that has bamboo leaves on it. The quilt ended up about 50"x70" which is a good size for a quick snooze. I'm happy to say that Dad really likes it, and I think Ulysses might have, too.

21 comments:

  1. Very nice, Louise! A great pattern and color scheme for a man's quilt. Thanks for the link to the pattern, I may just whip one of these up!

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  2. your Dad's quilt worked out great... I love the special fabrics you found for it.... great choice of colours too...
    Hugz

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  3. It's beautiful! I love those colors, too! This is a great gift for you Dad.

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  4. What a fantastic gift for you father. I am sure he is going to love these wonderful blue and gray fabrics and spend many naps snuggled under this beauty!

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  5. The simple designs come to life with a good quilt story. And using some great fabrics accents does a good job. Know your Dad is happy napping with this one.

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  6. I was excited to see your post in my inbox, and I knew it was going to be something fun. Love this quilt! The blues and grays are just great in that pattern. I'm sure your dad loves it and will enjoy many naps under it!

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  7. ilo it too! The white against the blue really pops.

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  8. Super finish - I'm SURE he loves it!

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  9. Louise, your dad is a lucky man! His quilt is very handsome!

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  10. That quilt definitely looks perfect for your dad and I love how you picked the colors, fabrics, and name so thoughtfully! What a great pattern, too - I'll have to go check it out.

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  11. What a lovely finish and perfect for a man. Your dad will surely love it.

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  12. I love the name of the quilt. Isn't it funny the thing we think about sometimes when we let our minds wonder? I'm sure your dad will enjoy many naps under this beautiful quilt :)

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  13. Hi Louise! Your Ulysses Nap Blankie made me snort. Hee! Hee! I think the name you settled on is perfect. What a great quilt for your dad! He's lucky to have you and you're lucky to still have him. :)

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  14. I love blue and grey together. It's a great quilt and the name is like the icing on the cake!

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  15. I love the blue and grey - some of my favorite colors. The quilting is just perfect! I really like the simplicity and complexity of this pattern. It is so much fun.

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  16. You always find the perfect pattern! Dad will be wrapped in love and thinking of his sweet and talented daughter.

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  17. Just hopped over to Seans blog to see where you are moored. It looked familiar. I did a long gig in lauderdale and boca for a client years ago. New software systems at some of the larger hotels. Fun times but i don' t miss it!

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  18. Great quilt and thank you so much for the link to the free pattern. You quilt has such a great story behind it... especially enjoyed your thought process in naming your quilt. Do you put the quilt name on your labels? I am terrible at naming quilts. I seldom assign a name to them for that reason.

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  19. Super finish Louise! I bet he's happy to be snuggled under your quilt.

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  20. Your colorway worked out beautifully. Love both names, I bet the general would have gotten a kick out of the first one.

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Please feel free to leave a comment and I'll reply as soon as I can.