March Monthly Mini (and other things)

Before I get to my March Mini,  I should show you what else I've been working on.

I finally finished my 2015 Summer Sampler from Temecula Quilt Company. Finished the top, that is. I still haven't figured out how I'm going to quilt it.

I had a lot of fun making this, especially interpreting and drafting out some of the blocks from the original inspiration quilt. (did you notice I actually performed a tiny bit of applique?!) You can read a little about my process here.

The background blue is Evelyn's Homestead, by Betsy Chutchian.

I also finished a give-away quilt, which I just now found a home for.

 Very simple quilting, by machine

This will now go to my client's husband, who has terminal cancer. I will deliver it her tomorrow, probably in some parking lot, we'll both go home and shower, and she'll launder the quilt before giving it to her husband.

OK, now for my March Montly Mini, made from fabrics gleaned from an old quilt top

After quilting and trimming, it was looking like this. I realized too late, it really needed a border, as a thin little blue binding wasn't going to do it any justice. So I figured out and installed an extra wide butted binding, made to look like a border.

The binding/border extended the size of the quilt, so I made sure to fill it in with perfectly fitting strips of batting. Unconventional I'm sure, but it worked. 

I hand quilted in the ditch between all the logs, then across each block. I'm really happy I got to show off these wonderful, quirky fabrics!

This was the last of this versatile print (what do you call this? its not really a toile.. ) which you've seen on the backs of other small quilts of mine, and at least one large one. Too bad the picture is blurry, but you get the idea. Label to appear soon, I promise!




This is one of those "shaded" shots, to better show the effect of the quilting.

I would dearly love to wash and dry this little beauty, but I already know those reds are real bleeders. I know because I pre-soaked them in (Retayne?) thoroughly washed them, then gave them another good soak with a little white vinegar, rinsed again, then blotted them out to dry. I thought they were good to go until I put my hot iron over one of the blocks, and it bled into my ironing board cover. Like, a LOT.

So, I'm afraid to wash it. And I'm wondering if there's a way to get the crinkly look without actually washing. Cold water? I might do an experiment with some scraps and see.

Meanwhile, don't forget to check out Wendy's blog to see all the other mini quilts for this month!

love,
Sandy