Thursday, April 9, 2020

More Masks and "Favorite Fabrics" ~~ finished!

Do you know how good it feels to pick up a quilt top, quilt-bind-label it, and call it done? Yes? Great. I'm here to tell you it feels even better when said quilt top has been waiting, patiently, in a basket or bin or (gasp) plastic bag for longer than you care to remember. Oh yes! It's a wonderful thrill. I recommend it highly. My heart still does a little flip when I think of it. 


More on the quilt later. First let's get these masks out of the way. There are 15 in this picture, more or less. Eight will go to a friend who requested them. The rest, I don't know. Maybe I should have a few here in case we need them. Heaven knows, I am done with these things. Could it be more boring? Not for me. I'm kind of ashamed, really. But 50ish are all I can wring out of myself for now. Maybe after Easter if there's still a need I can make more. 


Now back to this finish. At some point I realized that the very pretty pieces of colorful, playful fabrics that I'd purchased at 
Lola Pink in Lafayette were becoming smallish scraps. It occurred to me that together they would make a pretty quilt. So I gathered up pieces Since they were literally scraps, sizes were varied, but showcasing the designs was important. Otherwise, what was the point? 


The sizes were not cooperative but finally I came up with this clean, modern design. The blocks are 3½", 5½" and 7½" each with 2½white strips. Into the waiting bin the top went. And just like that, quilt tops are forgotten. They deserve better, so it's time to get them finished. 


I had this white linen with small navy stripes that was just large enough, so I figured it was meant to be. I should have used those stripes to my advantage, but no, I prefer to make things... challenging.

For no reason at all, I decided to use straight line quilting but to leave out the prints. Then after all that quilting, I realized that the largest blocks were too big to leave un-quilted. I added fleur de lis and lotus flowers to those blocks. It was a good opportunity to play with those two motifs, which I really like.








Quilt Stats


Name:
Favorite Fabrics


Size:
54" X 58"


Fabrics:
Various fabrics from stash


Pattern:
My design


Backing:
Linen from stash


Batting:
100% Cotton


Binding:
fabric from stash


Quilting:
Straight lines w/ motifs in largest blocks


Completed:
2020





Tell me what you think. I really like constructive comments. They help a person to access and grow. So yeah! Comment.

3 comments:

Karen S said...

This was a great way to use so many fabric pieces. I think your design has work very well. Nothing is overwhelming and they all play so well together. Great result.
And I also think you have done fine with the masks. You know they will be very much appreciated.

Kaja said...

All those masks and a finished quilt - that's good going, Mary. I like the way you have used all your little bits of fabric. The grid keeps everything looking coherent, but because all the squares and rectangles are different sizes my eyes kept searching, looking for patterns and repeats. That's what I love in a quilt, something that's not too predictable or easily read.

Mary Marcotte said...

Thanks Karen and Kaja. I like this design and think I'll keep it close at hand for the next time I have happy scraps that will play together. I think it's the clean, neutral background that makes it all work. Like you, Kaja, I love that a quilt can draw me in and hold my attention. Engagement is what we call it in education but it works here, too.