Wednesday, March 30, 2016

Allietare Completed




     Those of you who have followed my blog know that I was less than thrilled with the 2014 Bonnie Hunter mystery, Grand Illusion.  When the fabric recommendations came out in November for the 2015 mystery, I did like the color choices and had them in my stash.  I also had a lovely piece of red I had picked up at an estate sale that I wanted to use for a border.  Because of my disappointment with Grand Illusion, I chose to only make one-fourth of the blocks until I could see what was going to emerge.  Just let me say this; I love, love, love Allietare.  Some days I regret not making the full size, but the 9 block version made a small cuddle quilt that measures 55" X 55".  Someday, when I finish all of the quilts in my UFO stack and the ones still in my head, I will make another Allietare.


      Here is the back with an extra block as the label. This fabric was in the sale room at my LQS and was being passed over by other quilters because it is an ombré, but I thought it made a great backing. What do you think?


      I can't believe I'm saying this, but I really enjoyed quilting this.  It was small enough to avoid feeling overwhelming, so I used some quilt stencils to mark the blocks, then did a free motion design in the scallops.  I have one of those long scallop rulers, so that part was simplified.  I chalked the scallops onto the border before starting the quilting there, so I had reference points.  The binding was cut on the bias, machine stitched to the front and hand stitched to the back.  I used the usual method of 2-1/2 ", folded in half.  I was afraid it wouldn't ease around the curves, but it did just fine.  
     Thanks, Bonnie, for a lovely, challenging quilt.  I'm looking forward to this years mystery.
Until then, I will
Keep on Stitchin'
Judy


Monday, March 28, 2016

RSC 2016

     My purple top for the Rainbow Scrap Challenge is pieced, but not quilted yet.  I hope to do that today.  This is the "charity quilt of the month".  The background is Kona Silver, but looks tan in this picture.  You'll have to use your imagination.
     I didn't have many purple scraps, so used this pattern to maximize them.  It was quick and easy.  The reason for the yellow ducks is that we are given an optional accent color each month and March was yellow.  Our charity project this year is the local Baby Grace program, which provides disposable diapers to needy families, but asked our guild to help with quilts.  I am trying to make boy themed quilts as we were told that they are always short of them.  Lots of people like to make girly quilts.  

I am making a Father's Choice block each month, which will live with me in a final quilt.  I am now waiting for the April color.
I'm doing all of the Father's Choice blocks from my Civil War Stash, but the crib size charity quilts are coming from scrap stash.   I will attempt to link this post to the RSC blog which is SoScrappy. superscrappy.blogspot.com

Hope this works for you.  
Judy