Colorwash Quilt

 This quilt is the result of the sew-along initiated by Terry Rowland of @trowstudios. Using scraps to make improvised 3.5" blocks and then sew the blocks into a colorwash design. I dug into my scrap bins and started making blocks.

After making about 10 blocks a day it took me a little bit over a month to make all the 320 blocks needed for my quilt, in all colors I had available in my scrap bins.

This is the resulting colorwash quilt. The colors go (almost) seamlessly over from one part of the quilt to the other. The quilt measures 48" x 60" and is my favorite make so far. Who would think that a bunch of scrap fabrics could result in this beauty?!

The quilt was taken out for a photo shoot on a windy Novermber day. No problems for my quilt holder to hang onto it.

As you can see there is no snow yet where I live. Actually it is very warm for being late November. The colorful quilt really brightens up the surroundings.

The backing fabric is an interesting one. For the binding I used a striped fabric in black and white.

I used cotton Hobbs batting with scrim binder for the quilt sandwich.

Using all kinds of fabrics for the blocks can result in surprises, like this ODD block. I love it!

The quilting was done with Aurifil thread 50wt, shaded light grey in color #4060 and white #2021 in the bobbin in an organic style.

Striped binding for the win!

No, my scrap bins didn't shrink much in volume after completing this quilt... 

Keep on quilting!

 

A Herd of Horses

I see a herd of horses in the distance...

In these troubled times with social isolation and people being stuck indoors it is great to have a hobby that keeps your mind on other issues.

I dug out a charity quilt "kit" from a box and decided to make an improv quilt top. The fabric I had was two different horse panels and a few matching fabrics in "denim" colors. My vision was cowboys in well-used jeans taking care of the horses.

I cut up the panels in different sizes and added strips of fabrics around them in an improv log cabin style.

White strips of background fabric was added, and some pinwheels appeared.

Making this quilt in an improv style made it essential to work heavily on quilt math. That really kept me sane with all the troublesome news and information flying around.

The quilt top was steadily growing.

I added some rust red fabric in the lower right corner for extra interest.

The herd of horses relaxing on my deck.

During a walk in my neighborhood I discovered this newly constructed playground that would be perfect as a quilt holder, a big spider web!

But, first, after the quilting was done with straight lines with the walking foot, the quilt had to be displayed on my porch wall. Finished size is 51" x 63".

A border of grey checkered flannel was added for extra size, and a brown checkered flannel for backing. That gives a cozy feeling, and maybe the quilt can double as a horse blanket?!

A detail shot of the quilting.

Finally a close-up of the quilt on the "spider web". Even the colors of the quilt match the surroundings!


This is my sixth charity quilt for the year, and number 50 all time for the children's ward at the hospital.

2016 Aurifil March Block

Christa Watson from Christa Quilts is this month's Aurifil Designer of the month. The above block is my version of her Improv Star.

The improv piece is made of lots of scrap pieces. I obviously have a lot of blue fabrics!

This was a completely different block from last month's block with a lot of tiny 1 1/2" HSTs and a lot of seams that had to be matched. Improv piecing is fun, and I really have to do more of it!

Let 2016 be a blue year!

Keep on quilting!