Polly’s Collage Quilt

A few years ago, my Aunt Polly asked me to make her a quilt. She really liked my traveling quilt / collage quilt and wanted one like that.

This was a traveling quilt I was part of where I started with a block (the New York Beauty Circle of Flying Geese by Better Off Thread. The quilt then went to each of the participants who added part of the quilt. When I got it back, it was still a bit small so I added a column to either side and the bottom row.

At the time, I didn’t really make quilts on commission but she’s special, so I said yes. I’m so glad I did. It was such a fun quilt to make! I started her quilt off with a New York Beauty Circle of Flying Geese by Better Off Thread, too. It is such a stunning quilt block!

The only thing she really asked me to make was a shamrock because we are Irish from my Nana who was a McAuliffe. So that was next. The green I used reminded me of the wicker bedroom furniture she had when we were kids. The block is by trilliumdesign and it’s called Lucky Shamrock.

She also loves the theater and lives near New York City, so the next couple blocks were a given. You can find the Wicked block at Fandom in Stitches. They have a paper pieced Playbill block, too, but I made my own applique block.

Polly is also a world traveler so I searched around for some cool travel related blocks. I found the great wall of China by Quilt Art Designs.

And the Sphinx was by Quilt Art Designs as well.

Polly said one of her favorite places was Angkor Wat so I found a photo and did an applique of its silhouette.

Our family is from Pittsburgh and all big Steeler fans so I had to do a block for them. This block was also from Fandom in Stiches.
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I wanted a globe to add for her travel as well so I printed out a coloring page of a globe and then one of the earth that I liked and adjusted the sizes. Then I cut them out and appliqued them on.

The last couple really special blocks were Gandy, her Guinea Pig. I used this Hamster block by Sew Fresh Quilts.

Doesn’t it look like him?

And leopard print cheaters for my Nana and her mom. This pattern is Geek Glasses by SewWhatSherlock.

She loved a leopard print! Here is Nana with Polly, Terry, Sherry, and Aimee, my mom & my aunts.

Then I laid out my main blocks to come up with placement.

Then I started adding in some other fun blocks to fill in the spaces. This is Singing in the Rain by The Tartan Kiwi.

I love these feathers and have made them a few times now. They are by Quiet Play.

This heart is also by Quiet Play.
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I also found this cool plane, Fly With Me, by Rashida Coleman-Hale for Art Gallery Fabrics from a blog post way back in 2012. Sorry I don’t have a better photo. I forgot to take some of these final blocks.

I also loved this paper boat. One of the stories I remember from Polly’s travels was being in a boat on the Nile in Egypt and the guide wanted them to sing show tunes like Gilligan’s Island and the Brady Bunch. So I wanted some kind of boat and this one is so cute. You can find the free pattern here at Fat Quarter Shop.