41 years--St Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding

St Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding
My mom made my dress

 

St Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding--39 years

St Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding.
39 years!
 

38 years

St Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding.

with my sisters Janna and Beth

our officiant was my uncle, the Rev John Vander Lugt

37 times around the sun: modern alphabet, top completed (setting directions)

37 times around the sun
82 by 59.5 inches
An Alphabet quilt made with letters from Moda Spell it with Fabric pattern

Note the pink letters? They are Andy and my initials. I made this quilt in commemoration of our 37th anniversary this year.

In January I started two alphabet quilts using the Moda Spell it with fabric pattern, this one with batik scraps and a second still in progress with 30's reproductions.
Here is a link to Moda's free booklet:
https://www.fatquartershop.com/moda-spell-it-with-fabric-quilt-free-pdf-pattern

I made lots of changes in construction. Their directions are for using 2 1/2 inch strips. Because I used scraps and yardage I was able to simplify many of the letters. For example, their Z uses 13 pieces. I made it with 5.
I also like my Q better than theirs!
Their letters are pleasing. I kept the silhouette for most of them, and many were made as written. 

Here are my directions for this modern set. I will later put up directions for the 30's repro set. Right now it is stalled out at the letter S.

Make the letters. They will measure 8 1/2 by 10 1/2 inches, to finish 8 by 10.

Sashing #1  Make 21
Cut 3 inches by 8 1/2 inches. 
Sew onto bottoms of letters A-U
Press towards the sashing

Sashing #2   Make 16
Cut 3 inches by 13 inches
Sew onto right sides of letters except for C, H, M, R, U, V, W, X, Y, Z
Wait with pressing

Sashing #3  Make 4
Cut 3 inches by 10 1/2 inches
Sew onto both sides of the V and the Y
Wait with pressing

Panel for top and bottom row  Make 2
Cut 13 inches by 21 1/2 inches
Sew onto left side of A and below the V & W
Wait with pressing

Lay out in rows as such:
Section A
Panel, A, B, C  press left
D, E, F, G, H    press right
I, J, K, L, M     press left
N, O, P, Q, R    press right

Section B
S, T, U    press left
X,Y, Z    press right
Press this section down

Section C
V, W    press left
panel
Press this section up

Sew B and C together, pressing the joining seam to the left.
It is then sewn to Section A
Press all rows down or up--your choice
All seams will nest.

Borders:
I used 5 inch cut scrap borders. I like my scrap borders to turn corners so I make sure there is enough of what will be on the corners to accommodate this.
Sides: cut two, 5 inches by 73 inches
Top and bottom: cut two 59.5 inches

Setting is my design.
Use at your pleasure.

Backing will be this fabulous Hoffman batik
that has been on my shelves way too long

St Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding. 37 years.

Our second anniversary in quarantine! 
The one on the right is vaccinated.

36 years. St Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding.

St Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding.

35 years

So glad to celebrate 35 years together.

With sadness this year with my mother's death.

St Patrick's Day is a a fine day for a wedding

And, this year we get to celebrate our 34th anniversary for a 37 hour day!
(I traveled from Beijing back to Andy in Chicago today.)

St Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding!

Thirty-three years!

Do we resemble Marten and Oopjen?

St Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding

1984

32 years ago!

Saint Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding

Andy and I celebrate 31 years of marriage!

A bit ahead of the current fashion, our friend, Amelia Griffin, a printmaking student, made letter press invitations with woodcuts of Iowa wildflowers. She made wildflower woodcuts for each of our children's birth announcements too.

thirty years

1984
St Patrick's Day is a fine day for a wedding!

twenty-nine years