YES!
And it means another little quilt is finished!

If I could write a story about this side of the quilt, it would include words like ‘experimental’, ‘organic’, and ‘serendipitous’. What originally was planned to be a vertical stripped-pieced backing, morphed into throwing caution to the wind to, for the first time, assemble and sew the strips using a curved piecing technique. It all happened peacefully and calmly – two words not usually associated with my personality. As with so many of my quilt projects, most of the fabrics are remnants from garment sewing long ago – and really, the only uniting factor between the back and front are the fabrics and colors. It’s enough for me.

This side of the quilt would include words like ‘unsew’ and ‘reconfigure’. All the pieces were dismantled from a stack of 8 inch square blocks that over the years I ‘fell out of like’ with. I kept the triangle units and thought of them as flocks of birds in flight across a darkened sky. For the first time ever I took value into consideration as I laid them out on my floor – taking black and white photos with my camera to aid me in the process. Adding the tiny pinwheels was a last minute addition and I included them in the border as well. The golden yellow fabric in the pinwheels were the oldest fabrics I used and came from my mother’s stash. It felt like the perfect ending to piecing together this little quilt’s story.

When it came to connecting the two sides, a chapter would have to be devoted to my first attempt at using the ‘big-stitch’ quilting technique with 4 different variegated pearl cotton color waves. Big-stitch quilting can be as intricate as traditional quilting is. With this project leaning more modern, I chose an all random straight line stitching- as simple as I could keep it.

This quilt’s story would ‘wrap up’ with how I, again for the first time, bound the quilt with a single fold bias binding, cut from one fat quarter (18”x22”) of batik fabric. THAT was scary, but there was enough to go around! (No pun intended, but it works.) Batiks are generally a tighter weave and wear well, and the quilt at best will only get light use.

If quilt is used, it will tell its story displayed on a wall or draped over the back of a chair. It’s not perfect – it’s a bit wonky, too, but I’m happy to be a part of its story.

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So, since the list of unfinished projects is getting shorter, is it too early in the year to be planning a project for Christmas?

The Mr. and I are subscribed to a YouTube channel called White Cottage Company, the host of which recommended a fabric store in Ohio called Zincks. Of course, I had to check it out, and I’m glad I did. I purchased this Michael Miller fabric (quality with a capital Q!) called “Circuit-Tree”. Our youngest son, who knows ALOT about circuits will be the recipient of something ‘Christmas’ made from this fabric.

I have some time to sort out and plan what will become of this fabric. It’s a challenge with the world around our house painted in yellows, pinks, and purples these days. But it’s a new project – small enough to interject (not unlike the proverbial ‘carrot at the end of the stick’) amongst the not-finished-yet projects that are presently getting a second look and a second chance at FINALLY getting finished. I’m not one to deny myself a reward, when I believe I’ve earned one and working on a small project, for me, is just that.

So, on this rainy Monday, I’ll do my due diligence and plug into Pinterest for a bit. It might surprise them that I’m looking at Christmas-themed projects. There goes their algorithms!

Thanks for stopping by!

You are loved!