Tu-Na Quilts: These Boots Are Made for Riding

On my post last week, I told you that I opened my mouth at my quilting group meeting and out came the words, “Who would like to help me make some boots?” That was December 17th and then I promptly left for two weeks to spend Christmas in North Dakota.

The colors on my boot fabric became the focus fabric for the additional boot and toe pieces for other boot blocks. I cut little snippets of this fabric and Jean distributed them to interested members while I was away. I asked that backgrounds be white on white or solid white and to use a solid black heel.

My plan was to make a quilt or two for our group’s Old Fashioned Country Hoedown and quilt auction on January 29th. There wasn’t much time but I knew if I had help I could get it done.

The pattern is Hoppin’ Boots and is available from Cactus Quilt Shop in Tucson, AZ. The pattern is $8.50 and they would gladly mail anyone a pattern (postage is extra). Give them a call at 520-498-4698.

And help I got!! Luckily, two gals stepped forward and took the boot blocks, finished the tops, and machine sewed on the binding after the quilting.

Jean sewed all the friendship stars and Pam sewed this first quilt together.

Here’s a pic of it at the Hoedown. I’m preparing to do my job which was to write up a ticket of sale and present to the winning bidder. The quilt finished at 54″ x 60″.

The lucky winner of this quilt texted me a picture of it.

Here’s a close up of the two boots I made. It was custom quilted by Naomi on our group’s longarm

Excitement was growing in our group over this quilt project and the upcoming Hoedown fundraiser. Many members wanted to make boots so we offered another version of it. This time, to keep the blocks cohesive in the quilt, Jean cut the background and heel pieces from the same fabrics and distributed the little kits to our interested members. In the meantime, Pam found the perfect border fabric in her stash and members used it as a focus fabric when selecting colors for their boots.

The boots piled in.

I made these beauties. The backgrounds are identical but sure don’t look like it on the pictures.

We received enough boot blocks to make this quilt larger. Jean sewed the blocks together to make the top and pieced a lovely back. Sadly, no one took a picture of the back. Trust me, it was perfectly lovely.

We used this fabric for the back along with four extra boot blocks.

To add interest and use up more blocks sewn by our members, Jean pieced the back with a row of 4 boots and then sewed on the binding once it was quilted.

I made this beauty which was sewn on the back. I was lucky to find a fat quarter of this bird fabric. The bird looks very much like a meadowlark which happens to be the state bird of North Dakota. However, North Dakota doesn’t have cacti like that.

The quilt was beautiful! It finished 50″ x 70″. Two of our members, Flo and Sheila, quilted it on the group’s longarm.

My three boots stand proudly on the top row. This is the only picture anyone got of this quilt and no one took a picture of the back. This quilt is headed across the country but then I’ll tell you more about that in a future Hoedown post.

The boots kept coming

and coming.

I knew we were having a Country Store at the Hoedown which needed things to sell. Placemats seemed like the perfect item.

This picture comes closest to the background used for this second round of blocks.

So I sewed the extra boots into placemats by adding a friendship star to represent the spur. The makers generously gave extra fabric so stars could be added.

I made friendship stars and sewed two of the boot blocks into a small table runner.

Just 9 days before our auction, I went to our quilt meeting armed with those finished tops and asked for help in quilting and binding them.

Every item was picked up by members and all but a couple were returned in a week all nicely done.

When Jean and I saw this lovely boot block, we decided a set of four of them for placemats was definitely in order.

Jean volunteered to find the maker to get more fabric and then sew three more boots and friendship stars to make a set of four placemats. She then quilted them and sewed on the binding. Sue took over at this point and hand stitched the binding to the back.

However, I failed to tell you earlier on this post or on the last post, I had another block pattern which I called “Bricks” that I also presented and asked for help in making at the same meeting. Yes, we had another quilt project going at the same time. But that story requires a whole separate post.

What I Learned Today:

Some things are priceless; such as working together as a group.
Take pictures early because later could be too late. In other words, don’t put things off because later may not come.
When a group of women put their hearts and hands together they can accomplish a lot!
If four women are working on a quilt layout, one gets four different opinions on how it should look.

Questions: Have you ever been to a quilt auction or worked with a group making a group quilt? Last spring, I approached my committee with this idea but was turned down. “You’ll have a mess.” “Everyone sews differently.” “No one would help and you’d end up doing it yourself.” Needless to say, I had great response when I decided to go ahead on my own and if it turned into a disaster it would be my disaster. Everything went well and I had lots of help!

Thanks for stopping by and do come again.

Karen, Tu-Na Quilts

Linking to:

Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

BOMS Away at Katie Mae Quilts

Let’s Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts

Can I Get a Whoop Whoop? at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Finished or Not Friday at Busy Hands Quilts

19 thoughts on “Tu-Na Quilts: These Boots Are Made for Riding”

piecefulwendy February 5, 2019 at 9:58 pm

Every two years, our quilt group puts on a quilt show. Part of the show is a raffle quilt made by our members, or those who choose to help piece, quilt and bind it. I haven’t helped yet, but I may next time around. Those boots are too cute; I’m having a difficult time choosing my favorite!

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