Inspiration can attack at any moment...

So this story starts a few months back when I noticed “Terms of Endearment” was on television. It was a lazy Sunday afternoon, kids were playing, husband was doing something that did not involve me, and I had nothing to do. I was flipping channels (which isn’t a lot since we have the most basic stations and not real cable) and I saw the movie was on. Now, as a member of the female sex I am kind of obligated to watch (I feel the same way about “Steel Magnolias”) and of course cry when she said good bye to her boys and get frustrated when the nurse won’t give her the DAMN SHOT!!!  I have watched this movie a handful of times and for the first time I noticed the quilt that is on Debra Winger’s character’s bed as she lay in the hospital dying.

The more I looked at it the more I liked it. Not the colors as I am not a fan of peach, but the design was cute. It might have been the wine I was consuming, but I decided to recreate the block and quilt. I am referring to it as my death quilt, although my husband wants me to find a new name soon.

I started by searching all over the internet for what this block was called and found nothing. No templates or anything. I tried to find you tube clips to take a closer look at the quilt (I don’t own the movie) and got very small snippets. I was forced to draw the block out on freezer paper as well as I could remember. Twelve 15 1/2 inch blocks were drawn individually on freezer paper. I thought it would be a headache, but it was actually very satisfying.

I also made posts using freezer paper. They are so cute I think I will make an entire quilt with just these!

With my template carefully marked I cut out each piece and ironed it to the back of the fabric. Then cut around each piece adding 1/4″. I did two blocks at a time so I didn’t get too confused.

I had a lot of Y seams, 144 to be exact. I think I am a master of that now!

I finally had the perfect project to use a stack of fat quarters a friend of mine gave me for my birthday. I also used fat quarters that I acquired during the last Shop Hop. I was going for contrast and fun. Most of the prints were geometric or floral, some where geometric floral:) Here is one block.

Here is the result. I love how the posts and sashing turned out.

I am going to add another border of kona snow around it, but I think that will be it. In the movie, the quilt was tied with blue yarn. I think I will go with a stipple, it just feels right.

I will leave you with this. I started quilting “The Color and the Shape”. It is my second attempt at free-motion and I am pretty pleased. I had some tension issues, but overall it was a good experience.