Today’s finish leaves me slightly astounded. If you have been reading my posts for any length of time, you know I am not one for finishing a QAL in a timely fashion. This is clearly evidenced by the quilt top I made for the Mosaic Mystery QAL back in 2019 which still awaits completion. The quilt top is so pretty too! The poor thing deserves to be finished. Well, this year I have been trying to change all of this. I decided to start finishing up the projects that have languished. Additionally, I have been working really diligently to use up the fabric on hand (of which there is a large supply).
Further illustrating my point is the stack of fabric I had selected for the next QAL I was going to join. This photo was taken in August 2020. I went so far as to cut most of the pieces and stitch up a large number of half square triangles before I realized I just wasn’t into it. Not sure what happened but I didn’t like where it was headed. Then the pieces sat in a project bag until SAHRR 2023 began. Not knowing exactly how this round robin would work out, I promised myself to use as many of these cut up pieces as possible. It worked out well and I was able to utilize every HST I had made! Of the pieces I had cut for the Morewood Mystery, remaining are a large stack of six inch squares cut in the orange and green batik and an even larger stack of 2″ x 6″ rectangles of the polka dot fabric. These three together should work in some design for another quilt so they are bundled together for future use. Overall, I am super pleased with how many bits were used for the round robin.
Here is a shot of the entire quilt. It is quite joyful to me. This quilt is so colorful and a maybe a bit on the crazy side with the variety of pieces and types of blocks included in it.
There are loads of different quilting motifs used on the quilt. My only plan was to treat each border or section uniquely. I haven’t done lots of free motion quilting lately. In an effort to finish some projects, I have relied on quicker straight line quilting.
To ensure a reasonable level of success, I have been practicing a bit. Also, I have been doodling on a large whiteboard I keep in the sewing room for this. (Do you have one? It is a great way to practice the designs before actually sewing. Doodle, erase and doodle some more!) Above you can see some daisies, stippling and my interpretation of ribbon or ribbon candy on the right.
My favorite motif I used is a flower which I quilted on the center of each square in a square block. Those were super fun and once I got going they were not difficult at all. I did a fair amount of stitching in the ditch as well. Not every bit of the quilt has been quilted down which leaves it nice and soft.
For the backing I used a width of this red print leftover from my shop. I have quite a bit of this – maybe another five yards. It is likely you’ll see this on the back of a few more quilts. Because the quilt ended up being 48″ wide, I had to add a narrow stripe of white to each side. I also have about three more yards of the polka dot fabric (leftover from the shop) and used some of it to bind the quilt.
I did not have a quilt holder available because Ray has been down with a virus all week. Instead, I used the front porch here.
This shot is in a wooded area in our front yard. I like taking outdoor shots when it is a bit overcast. The colors are so accurate here.
This round robin was so much fun and way out of my norm. The fact that I didn’t know what was coming next and no sizes were dictated to me was a stretch. Working this way taught me a lot. While I don’t want to pick apart my finished quilt and decide what I don’t like about it, there are a few takeaways that I hope to remember next time. Learning from each project is a good thing though. Isn’t that how we continue to make progress?
Thank you Gail for dreaming up this event back during the days of lockdown and loneliness. I am super happy I joined in this year and am already crossing my fingers you will host it again next year! (Please???)
Linking up with the final link party (tomorrow) over at Quilting Gail’s as well as Oh Scrap!. I hope you will check out the other SAHRR finishes. It is incredible to see the variety of interpretations of this event. Really amazing.
There is still plenty of time to purchase your ticket to the Color Mixer event coming up on March 30th! If you want to read more about this virtual class, the details are here.
I love it!! Beautiful fabrics and colors. No surprise that it reminds me of water so it would make a good beach quilt. Except you’d have to put it on the sand and that would be sad . . . :o)
It is quite summery looking – I don’t mind getting the quilts dirty but this one isn’t all that big so maybe not great for the beach. Hope all is well Kathleen!
This is just SUCH a cheerful quilt Bernie! Like you I am using fabric from my stash, and have successfully used UP two pieces. Also like you, I knew I had a bunch of triangles in a big baggie saved that I thought I’d used for pinwheels and boy am I glad I do crazy things like that because the cut-off triangles from Brady’s football quilt are all going into the pinwheel round. I’m behind because of being away, but aim to have it done this week! Love the shot in the green forest, reminds me of our Alberta acreage. I agree, and I’m a first-time participant too, that this really is a fun challenge, and challenge it is!
I figured you were playing a game of catch-up Sandra. But vacations are way more fun than quilting! Hope you are going to share your progress so far.
We really love our trees. The property up here is really different from ours in California. So much fun to reacclimate and learn to garden in this climate. We have been here nearly a year now!!
Very pretty joyful quilt. Good for you on the practice and doing of the free motion quilting. You did a commendable job! You should be pleased!
Beth S.
I am pleased! Thanks Beth. It has been a long while since I have FMQ’d a quilt. This was lots of fun (just like it is supposed to be!)
Wow! What a beautiful way to use a previous started project! I love how you quilted it!
Thank you Terry. It was a fun challenge – both the round robin event and my hope to use up the previous quilt pieces.
It challenges us all I think and you are a finisher! đź‘Źđź‘Źđź‘Ź hurra!
I am here stiching the last things to get the top done…..it is like a marathon, reaching the finish border….
Not looking right or left.
And, yes… I think we all learn a lot, about our fabrics we can use, about thinking out of our normal sewing habits. You did a super super quilt!!
And your fotos are great and show the wonderful colours. Quilting is matching and you could be very proud. By the way, my last eMail come back and dont reach you. 🤔
Hi Eva – I wonder which email didn’t reach me? I feel like you have been commenting regularly on the blog posts.
Anyway, thank you for your encouragement! You have been so nice with cheering me on during this QAL. I hope you had fun with it. Will Wendy be sharing your quilt top with us??
Hi Bernie,
Ok, I have to explain better. I send a more privat chat to your eMail adress. Because this here is open and not all my things I have to tell or share are for everybody. So I thought it will be nice to habe an eMail conversation outside the blog. And this comes back, could not been delivered.
Yes, sure… cheering you .. I feel the same motivation when chatting with Wendy.
It is „new landscape“ for me…. There are more or less the same ladies in the different blogs, commenting … and it is all new for me and interesting. Next SAHRR I will be better prepared and knowing better how it works. For this time I go out of the box as far as I never gone!
And … yes… it will be at Wendys blog! You really did a super quilt and super fotos. There is more time to finish but for now, it will be only the top from myside by now. For the back, quilting and binding I need longer. i quilt by hand and will have a nice summer porch project on my knees!
Wow, for getting your lovely bright quilt completed (quilted and bound – yippee!) MIne is a flimsy.
Hey Laura – I am sure you will get yours finished up soon. I was really enjoying it and felt a drive to complete it. This is not always the case with me though!
This is a such fun bright quilt! How great that you could use up all those previously cut pieces. I have been trying to use more of my stash. Your FMQing looks great.
Hi Cindy – Thank you! I was amazed that not one HST remained. That was really something!
Good luck using the fabric you have on hand. I am absolutely determined to keep at it. It feels good to use it and not add to it. 🙂
Congrats!!! The finished quilt is wonderful. Love your colors and placement in the rounds. You should celebrate – maybe with chocolate, wine, or both.
Mmmm, I like the way you think Kay! Celebrating the finish with chocolate (I am not a big wine drinker). Yum!
I have to admit at, at one stage of this quilt, I really did not like it. But now that it’s finished I think it’s great. The bright colors make it a happy quilt. Glad you stuck with it and got to use up some fabric.
Thank you Marsha. It is a wild one, that’s for sure!
Oh, congratulations on a fun and beautiful finish. That is amazing that you were able to use up all the previously pieced HST units, and I love that you took the time to treat each border with a different free motion quilting motif and still finished in plenty of time. I love the final photo where the tree is holding up the quilt for you. I hope that Ray feels better soon, and that you don’t come down with whatever he has, too.
Thank you Yvonne! I am hoping I skip right past this virus that Ray has. Crossing my fingers!
The quilting was fun and reminded me I want to continue to practice so I can improve. I have a quilt top I am working on now that will be a fun one to quilt and I am already thinking of how to approach it. Yay!
Congratulations on finishing this project. I hope you can continue this as you would like. A very interesting Qal. A fun happy quilt, may you enjoy using it.
Thank you Judy! I am not sure if I will keep, gift, or donate the quilt. But I am happy with this finish!
What a wonderful finish, Bernie! It’s such a happy quilt, and it’s just great that you could use up so many little leftover blocks in it. Well done!
Thanks Wendy! Are you finishing yours up? Looking forward to seeing some quilts tomorrow! 🙂
Great job, Bernie! Doesn’t it feel simply motivating to have used all those precut pieces up? And what a lovely finish. It is such a bright and happy piece. Of course, I adore polka dots but the balance of them with the pretty greens and rich blues is just perfect. The cute little friendship stars are just dancing about gaily – someone is going to love being the recipient of this beauty. Nicely done! {{Hugs}} ~smile~ Roseanne
Thank you! I have to say, your quilt was such a fun surprise. I had no idea what you were doing (as you planned!) and love the result. 🙂
Gorgeous finish!
Thank you Karrin. Hope all is well with you!!
Bernie, your SAHRR’23 is fantastic!!! I love the colours you chose!!! And it was super fun to hear that you learned a lot making it! And your quilting … it’s really great!
Thanks for participating and linking to the parade!
I did learn a lot!! I think next year (there will be a SAHRR 2024 won’t there???) I will make more of a plan other than just responding to what the suggested block is. Watching all of the other participants and their processes was very enlightening. Thank you again Gail!!
Your quilt is so colorful and fun! I love how you used so many bright colors.
Thanks Janie – The colors are not my usual choices. Kind of nice to work with something outside my norm. Have a lovely day!
You would never know this was not something you normally do! It is a great quilt and so fun that you were able to use up those triangles. I love all the fun quilting motifs you used too. Sorry to hear Ray is down with a virus. It is a great quilt, so happy and cheerful and a fun finish.
Hi there! Considering I didn’t ever count the HST’s or plan how to use them up, I was really surprised that all of the made it into the quilt. Just a lucky coincidence. The round robin was a lot of fun though and if it happens next year I will join in again!
I love it Bernie. It is a beautiful finish
Thank you Carol!!
Congratulations on working your way through those leftover fabrics and finishing your fabulous SAHRR already!! SEW impressive, Bernie! (If you want to get rid of the rest of that dot fabric, I’d be happy to take it off your hands. I missed out since your sale was during my NO BUY period.)
Thank you Joy. If you are interested in that fabric, shoot me note and I will measure it to see what is left. I would guess a couple of yards?
Thanks, Bernie! If you really don’t need/want that spotty/dotty anymore, measure it and let me know how much there is and what the price would be, please. I would love to adopt it!
I love the blues and greens and the playful elements around the more “stately” center block – beautiful finish Bernie! You have a pretty front porch for your quilt photos.
You should be really pleased with this one! I love your variety in the actual quilting and good job on the free motion. It is always harder than it seems but the doodle board is a good idea. I really love the binding on it as the multicolour really looks cute.
Bernie
Thank you!! As for the doodling, years ago we stopped getting a print newspaper because I disliked all of the paper waste. But when we did get it, I would practice quilt motifs on the newsprint. It worked well enough. This board is so easy now. I found it at a thrift store and it is probably 18″ x 24″. So plenty of room to practice. It has helped me with the muscle memory and also with learning how to move from one space to the next. Take care!
So glad you sewed along, Bernie! Love your colorful finished quilt! Those flowers in the square in a square blocks are beautiful! It has such an overall cozy look to it!
Thank you Emily!! Last night I found out I won the wool batting too. What a treat!! I love wool batting but rarely spring for it due to the cost. Made me so happy!! This was a very fun event!