Border Options

Does anyone else start thinking about their borders well before the quilt interior is fully sewn together? The blocks are made, but they are not together and my mind is racing with border ideas. This quilt has moved to the front of the line (over the Granny Square Quilt - whose borders have still not been decided!) because of an urgent need.

The quilt is called In a Flash, and it is from the Quick as a Wink 3-Yard Quilts booklet. I have enlarged the quilt to the Twin size (instructions are included in booklet), but am changing the borders. 

The quilt is needed quickly because it will be part of a fundraiser for a 23 year old friend of Jack's granddaughter who has just been diagnosed with stage 4 Hodgkin's Lymphoma. I have been asked to use the Hodgkin's color (purple) and Lexi's favorite color (blue). Here are the original three fabrics I chose. 

I chose the pattern, not only because it can be made quickly, but because I see this as a very simplistic symbol of the path Lexi's is on right now. Let me try to explain...

The purple fabric has arcs in it and I have made sure that they are all in the proper orientation in the quilt. The arcs remind me of rainbows, and rainbows remind me of good things - kind of like the calm after a storm.  

This purple fabric is used for the big blocks and are a focal point (as is her disease right now), but they are surrounded by the light fabric. 

To me, the light fabric is her support system - her friends, family, and medical caretakers. We are there to help her and to protect her as much as possible. 

The final fabric includes a variety of shade of Lexi's favorite color - blue; but it also includes purple and a very light color similar to the lightest fabric. 

Can you see the flowers in the fabric? They make me smile! This fabric has it all - her happy color, her disease, and her support system. 

The pattern itself reminds me of a stepping stone or path. The disease is "in your face" right now, just like the big purple blocks. The blue and light fabric chain blocks represent Lexi's path to navigate through this terrible time, but they never stop or give up. They continue upwards and onwards and they include her support group to help her every step of the way. 

I am thinking of adding a fourth fabric - a fabric that will frame the blocks and "stop" the disease. 

The rest of the borders are still in the pondering stage. After the dark frame, I'm thinking of a small border of the purple (the disease), another small border of light (friends, family, etc.), and end with it being all about Lexi - the blue fabric. 

I'll share pictures of what I decide. 

This quilt will be auctioned off, which means that Lexi will not have it. But, I have enough fabric that I am planning to make a duplicate, only smaller to give to Lexi. Hopefully she can take it with her to treatments or just sit with it and know that she is surrounded by love.

A New Project To Share

So much for posting more frequently! :-( 

Honestly, I've not just been sitting around eating bon bons and twiddling my thumbs; but since I haven't been sharing anything here, it certainly feels like that's the case.

In the past two weeks, I have completed a couple of secret sewing project for Tammy Silvers that I can't show yet, but I can show snippets. The first quilt is a Christmas quilt, and it is adorable. 

Take a look at this block The quilt is fun and easy to put together and I think I am going to use the pattern to make a wall hanging and table runner. I may even make a few placemats to go along with it. It really is that adorable!

I completed another secret project for Tammy and it involves a lot (320!) flying geese units. 

Yikes! That was a lot of trimming! I used a Studio 180 Wing Clipper to trim everything, so that made it much easier and faster. 

I've made some samples for upcoming classes, but I haven't taken pictures yet. Maybe this week...

I recently taught a Granny Squares Quilt class that was fun. I made the original sample I use for class back in 2014 and it was made using very traditional/30's reproduction fabrics. (I made a second version of this quilt in late 2014 that is very different, but it was made using a specific fabric that is no longer available. Check that out HERE.) 

While I still like the original quilt (and second version), I decided I wanted an updated and larger version so I headed to my stash and pulled out an older Alison Glass Sun Prints 2.5" strip pack. I found a fabric that I liked for the background and made up some blocks and step-out samples. 

I needed to add a couple of fabrics to end up with the required number of blocks, so I pulled two from my stash that I felt blended well. I am happy with the choice. 

I sewed and trimmed 48 blocks and decided to put them up on the design wall right away, instead of putting them away and work on something "more pressing." That's just one of the many ways I end up with a bunch of UFOs and I was determined that would not happen with this quilt.

Here are the blocks, with no sashing added yet. I wanted to get an idea of the layout and be sure no two adjacent blocks had the same fabric. Until I put this on the wall, I didn't realize how many yellow fabrics I used in making the blocks.  hahaha

I have started to sew in the vertical sashing strips and then sew rows together. After that, I'll add the horizontal sashing and decide about a border. I have a fabric I am considering, but I'm not sure about it and won't be until that top is complete. 

I have projects on which I should be sewing, but I needed a break from "required" work and this is perfect! I am looking forward to seeing this updated version of a very traditional pattern. :-)