Thursday, May 31, 2012

Small Blessings


Pattern:  Australian Patchwork & Quilting Volume 10 #2

Date:  2007

Inspiration / Reason:  When I saw this pattern in 2005, I instantly thought of a good friend and decided to make it for their next baby.  It was done (mostly) in time for their son who arrived late in 2008.

Special Fabrics / Best Buys:  I won some of the fabric at a quilt show.  I also won a gift certificate to a quilt shop.  That took care of the back.  When a friend found out I was doing this quilt, she gave me all her scraps from when she made the same quilt!  I also received $30 in gift certificates when I participated in a clothing drive.  That helped quite a bit.

Lessons Learned:  As this was my first quilt,  everything was a lesson.  Little Bits of Comfort taught me everything I needed to know as I needed to know it.  

Everything can feel right in theory, but be wrong when it goes together.  Several colours meant for the quilt did not fit once the rest was cut.  last minute adjustments were necessary which meant I have "orphan blocks"  - pieces cut but not used.  I think I should keep a record of these pieces so they are not forgotten.

Thoughts:  I could also add to lessons learned:  friendship.  I had great help all along the way.  Some people for fabric, LBCQ for instruction.  Another friend loaned me her sewing machine for the whole summer.  I borrowed a lot of supplies from another friend for the duration of the quilt.  I think that God's hand has been in this quilt.  Too many things happened for it not to be:  Free and gifted fabric, coupons and other things just all add up to divine influence.  I just wonder:  why?

Wednesday, May 30, 2012

God's Promise: The Rainbow Effect


This quilt is made up of 121 4½ inch blocks, one 1½" black border and one 5" border.

Each block is made up of (4) 4½ x 1½ strips for a finished block size of 4".  This is a total of 484 strips.  Strips are put together within the block from dark to light.

You will need the following quantities of blocks:

1-  Black or very dark violet block
2-  Dark Purple Blue
3-  Purple
4-  Lighter purple
5-  Light purple with blue tones
6-  Medium/Dark Blue
7-  Blue
8-  Light Blue
9-  Medium greeny-blues
10- Dark Green with blue tones
11- Dark Green with yellow tones
10- Medium Green with yellow tones
9-  Light yellowy greens (army tones)
8-  Light yellows (perhaps with a little green)
7-  Strong yellows
6-  Golds
5-  Orange
4-  Pumpkin
3-  Reds w/ orange tones
2-  Deep reds
1-  Burgundy

Sew your strips together dark to light, four strip to one block.  I found it necessary to lay all the blocks out so I could arrange and rearrange until I was happy with how they looked.

Cut your black strips:  2 at 44½, 2 at 46½ and attach.

I used two different batiques for my outer borders to mimic the rainbow and I mitred them to continue the diagonal feel of the quilt.

Since this is the first time I've ever mitred a corner, I'm not going to try to tell you how to do that.  This is the video I used to learn the technique.  After that all that's left is to quilt and bind the quilt as you see fit.


Best Buys:  My Aunt chose the backing fabric, a cute purple wavy stripe with a gold tinge.  It was on sale at Fabricland for $5/meter!  The rest of the fabric was gifted to me.  Yay for shoeboxes full of scraps!

Lessons Learned / To Learn:  My edges are wavy and I'm not sure why.  I'd love to figure out what went wrong so I can avoid this for the future.  I haven't decided if I am going to wash this quilt.  I'm planning to hang it.