Monday, July 2, 2007

Canada Day Quilt


I am starting to see the July 4th Independence Day quilts show up on American bloggers' pages. I decided to make my own Canadian patriotic quilt to commemorate Canada Day. Our flag is red and white and so Mary's Easy Double 4 Patch pattern seemed to fit the bill. I started this quilt last night and finished it off today.
I cut Mary's pattern down to 48 1/2" square.
If you want to make Mary's quilt in the same size as mine (5 blocks x 5 blocks), the following are the number and size of each strip to cut.
For 12 four patch units: Cut 3 strips - 4 1/2" wide from colour A and 3 strips - 4 1/2" wide from colour B.
For 13 sixteen patch units: Cut 7 strips - 2 1/2" wide from colour A and 7 strips - 2 1/2" wide from colour B. (You will need to cut one strip of each colour in half.)
For the border: Cut 5 strips 4 1/2" wide.
For the binding: Cut 5 strips 2 1/2" wide.
Also, tonight on our news cast there was a story about some Canadian grandmothers who made a quilt that has been signed by some very famous Canadians. This quilt was made to raise awareness and funds to support African grandmothers who are raising their grandchildren who were orphaned by Aids in Africa. It is a great story and worth a look: http://www.greatcanadianquilt.com/index.html
Building a Better World... One Square at a Time.

17 comments:

  1. Wow, that was fast! I hope to get my green double four patch quilted in the next few weeks. I'll finish the binding on my patriotic quilt when I get home and then it will go to Quilts of Valor.

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  2. Very nice Canada Day quilt. Thanks for the instructions. I saw the newscast tonight about the Canada quilt for HIV/AIDS in Africa. It was a good story, lovely quilt. I saw Stephen Lewis speak at the last BCNU conventions in Vancouver. He was amazing to listen to - and very dedicated to Africa and the children there. A very inspirational speaker.

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  3. Great quilt - you sure are fast! I love red and white together.

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  4. Oh my goodness, Norma, you were really fast with that top!!! Love it! And thanks so much for sharing your dimensions and cutting sizes with us. :D

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  5. This is perfect for Canada Day! Hurray for strip piecing for those 4 patches and 16 patches. Two color quilts are so striking, aren't they? I have a pattern for something 2-color that I would like to do posted above the pressing/cutting table for inspiration---old clipping from an online spot.

    Does it go in the frame next?

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  6. Nice Canada Day quilt. I'm working on a red/tan/blue one myself!

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  7. Red and white quilts are so crisp looking and this one makes a perfect Canada Day quilt.

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  8. very canadian! love the color combo-very striking

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  9. What a grgeous red and white quilt. So simple, yet so stunning.

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  10. I love it - a perfect quilt for Canada Day!

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  11. very nice quilt for yourself Norma-way to speedily piece this top!
    Can't wait to see how you quilt it.

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  12. That looks great - so dramatic. Red and white or blue and white always make wonderful quilts, I think. And so fast!

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  13. I Love red! Great looking quilt, Norma!

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  14. This is a great quilt Norma. I should make a doll quilt like that. I liked your circles on your customer quilt too. It does look like a lot of work, but hopefully it was worth the effort for you too. How do you tie off the threads? Do you leave them long, and then use a needle to hide them?

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  15. Nice! Someday (on my list of things to make) I want to do some irish chains - but I like the diagonal effect of this too. :)

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  16. A great quilt and perfect for our birthday!

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