David's Plaids Finished

David's Plaids

Plaid Scrap Block

Original Design

54" x 62"

Close-up

David's Plaids, completed June 27, is for co-worker David H., who retired on July 1.  David is known for wearing plaid shirts, so I chose Plaid Scrap Block for the design, incorporating a red plaid and denim.  (David also wears denim shirts.)  David is quiet and keeps to himself.  I found no personal items on display at his desk.  So I had co-worker Samantha act as a spy to find out some trivia about David that I could incorporate into the quilt.  By a miracle, one day David opened up to her and told his life story.  Samantha reported back to me and provided lots of inspirational ideas. 

The winners:  David went to school with George Lucas, of Star Wars and American Graffiti fame, in Modesto, CA, and David enjoyed cruising around Modesto as a teenager.  To reflect the American Graffiti feel I found some fabric with old cars, 50's diners and drive-ins and used it in the alternating blocks.

For more photos and details of the making of the quilt, please read on.

Sketches of plaid-related blocks

Chose Plaid Scrap Block for easy construction

Note:  I thought the block's title was Dad's Plaids, and named the quilt David's Plaids  Near the completion of the quilt, I realized the block was actually Plaid Scrap Block, but I kept the quilt's title.

EQ Sketch

Design notes

Size of Plaid Scrap Blocks based on available amount of theme fabric

Red plaid rectangle, attached denim pieces using a technique a la Square Magic Quilts by Michelle J. Linder

Four-patch block

Elements of Scrap Plaid Block:  four-patch, two diamonds, plain square

Finished block

Plaid Scrap Blocks laid out on design wall

Theme fabric - Cut into squares the same size as Scrap Plaid Blocks

Blocks laid out on design wall

Blocks sewn together

Border added - Quilt top complete

I used a pillowcase technique to join the batting, backing and quilt top.  I closed the opening with topstitching, continuing all the way around the quilt to disguise the closure.  The quilt was tied with embroidery floss.

Finished Quilt

David loves his quilt.  He asked how I knew he liked cars.  I told him I had a spy.  I learned from Samantha later that David collects model cars and that the quilt's colors are perfect for the room where they are displayed.  Who knew?

Enjoy retirement, David!