Car quilt

finished quilt

I have to tell you about when I gifted this quilt.  It's for my grandson, The King, and I took it when I was going to babysit.  When I got there, he was napping and DD was about to leave, so I showed it to her before he was up.  His sister, The Princess, looked at it and said, "That was so sweet of you!  He loves cars!"  This from a three year old!!!  She didn't ask about one for her - just said how much he'd love it.  I was totally impressed.

I finished this quilt while I was waiting for Cherry Trees block 25 to be posted.  The pattern is from Patchwork and Stitching (from Australia), Vol. 12, No. 6 and first I have to make a correction to the materials list in magazine if anyone else decides to make it.  The blue behind the cars says 1/3 yard and I wish I'd read the directions before I bought the fabrics.  First, take that blue and cut two 10 1/2" strips.  Since 1/3 yard is only 12", it just doesn't work.  I got five background pieces from the strip and found another blue in my stash for the sixth.  

I did this on the machine, thinking it would be finished faster, but I really prefer my finished product when I do it by hand.  I used a method I think I saw demonstrated by Eleanor Burns on her old show.  I stitched a light weight fusible interfacing to the car shapes, glue facing the right side of the fabric, stitched around them, slashed the interfacing, and then turned right side out.  I think fusible interfacing is softer and more flexible than two sided products and I have a finished edge.  The picture is stitched and trimmed but not turned. 

fabric right side

I cut out the section of fusible where the windows go and literally had to sleep on it to figure a way to fuse the edges of the windows.  I used Wonder Under Light (but will have raw edges) and here it is again before the pieces were turned ---

fabric wrong side

I cut out the inside of the windows and then pressed the cars in place and stitched around the edges.  The ladder on the fire truck was a challenge but it's intended to be a drag-around quilt for a two year old and used up so I didn't stress over it.

Oh - middle car on the right?  The checkered one in the pictures?  It's a cab - get it?  Checkered cab???