Friday Finishes

Two finished quilts are heading off to new homes today!

Red Fans, 56" square, 8/2016

Red Fans came to me as mostly finished fans that needed to be squared up.  My Sister probably pieced them in the 70's. After a false start with different background fabrics, it languished. The blocks were brought to quilt group and no one wanted them. Finally my stash was searched, and a single background fabric was found (cream with a blue motif.)

I drew up the fans in EQ7 to draft a background piece and finally cut them out and stitched up the blocks in the same day. Backing fabric (already pieced, the right size) also found in the stash, recycled from a quilt that was un-quilted and finished with a different backing. The finished quilt is going back to my Sister.

Fishy Strips, 44" x 34.5", 8/2016

Fishy Strips came from my collection of batik strings. The sets were made from similar colors, the bodies at an angle and the tailfin horizontal. Cut with a melon die, appliqued with triple zig-zag. Without fusible, the triple zig-zag required a tear-away interfacing to keep from puckering. It has a stronger look than the regular zig-zag stitch (which didn't need interfacing in the sample.) The quilt is being donated to charity.

My Many Trips quilt is well underway. I'm using Bonnie Hunter's technique, using 5 3" strips with 5 consistant colors: indigo, grey, cobalt blue, white with black and teal. This is my "use the good fabrics" quilt, a controlled scrappy quilt for my bed. The strip sets are sewn and some tubes are sewn and sliced for re-assembly.

Another charity string quilt is in the planning/starting phase, Blue Strings Shaded, with 7" strips to be sewn in light, medium and dark mixes. The blue strings seem to multiply faster than others.