Ice Cream Soda blocks are DONE!
Someone sound the trumpets! I can hardly believe that I’ve come this far at last. It is the biggest, bestest milestone in the process of making my first, completely hand sewn quilt - - -
All 68 full-sized Ice Cream Soda blocks are complete!!!!
And not just that, but I’ve also attached all the joining pieces to my blocks. Those are the little solid aqua diamonds and triangles. Couldn't you just swim in this pile?
Each block is made of fabrics specially cut and placed just so for pretty, sparkly star effects. It was quite a delightful journey! If you’d like to watch me swirl over each and every one, check out my Instagram video.
Once nestled together, they look like this, with the pale aqua joining shapes forming echo stars in between the main blocks. The Ice Cream Soda quilt design is not my creation, but that of the fantastic Jodie Godfrey from Tales of Cloth. I think it’s become one of the most popular English paper piecing projects of our day. It’s easy enough for a newbie, but loved by all.
Next step: Join blocks to form rows. I’m on it! I’m relishing the chance to get up close and personal with each block again.
And, yes, I totally have favorites. Shhhhh, don’t tell them.
Stitch by stitch, color on color, shape by shape by shape, a patchwork quilt comes into being slowly. This one, entirely sewn by hand, offered seemingly endless quiet moments for contemplation and rest. But four and a half years later, an end did come. A period was set. Now it is finished, my version of the famous Ice Cream Soda quilt in blues, aqua, teal and purple, cream and black and gray.