The Measure of a Quilt

As I start to work on the backs of some of my quilts, I am using my tape measure. Its that old adage of measuring twice to cut once. In this case, its measuring twice to ORDER once. 

I am still using an online calculator for such things once I get the numbers. I know you can find apps, but my phone is not smart enough for such things. There are plenty of such sites around, and I use this one from Quilter's Paradise:  
http://www.quiltersparadiseesc.com/Calculators/Backing%20and%20Batting%20Calculator.php

Funny thing, you can measure two ways depending upon how you want your seam to go, either horizontally on the quilt or vertically and have quite the different yardage.

It took me a fair amount of time to find fabric that I thought might work. I ordered a golf course print for the back of my Brother-in-Law's Winter Golfer's quilt. Just to be sure, I ordered the larger amount. I would rather have leftovers than be short. I was surprised how many options there were. I tried to download the photo, however their store was set up not to do that. It should come in about a week. It looked to be a brown background with green numbered holes and some blue spattering as bodies of water. I think it will be nice.

The other back I measured for was my Grandson's Holiday quilt (yet unnamed). Its going to need two different Cardinal fabrics to do the trick. Last time I was in Minnesota, he and I walked a block or two to get to the park swings and could hear Cardinals singing in the trees. We stopped to listen and to see if we could find any. When I write to him, I seem to mention Cardinals, so these fabrics might serve as a subtle connection. 

And as I watched a movie called "Serena", I did more hand quilting on my Table Runner Swap. There are 5 weeks to the shipping deadline and I have to keep going on it. The center is done so now its onto the edges. The movie was one that didn't hold my interest all the way through it. It was a period piece, which I enjoy, having some interesting Depression-era history. I think I expected more from the storyline than it was able to give as historical fiction. People were conflicted in it & did not resolve their issues in healthy ways. Maybe this was an example of how a strong woman caved in to the times she lived in, and how men were evolving as well. Scenery was great. The acting had potential and lovely, exciting moments, but was not enough to distract me from quilting, which was a good thing.