The Carp Fair Raffle Quilt

I have been meaning to post about this quilt since the spring but for some reason it keeps getting lost in the ether.

Remember last spring/summer Betty and I were helping our friend Jean work through the details of what the Carp Fair was going to do for their annual quilt block competition? Well, the fair was held in late September, as usual, and by all accounts was a raring success - the best attendance ever. We didn't make it this year but I did help Jean with pulling together all of last year's blocks into this year's raffle quilt.

It was an interesting process because I tend not to make sampler quilts, but I was up for the challenge.

There were 25 blocks so I landed on placing them all on point creating a little more interest. I needed more blue for the border but was working on assembly a good six month after we'd bought the fabrics for the blocks. Fortunately, was able to pick more up at the same shop.

This was Betty's block.

And this was mine. Until I saw these pics again I'd forgotten that I'd use the narrow grey sashing and dark blue cornerstones to set the blocks.

I think that this was the only block to include a bit of applique.

And this beehive block was a lovely homage to the blue bee print included in the fabric package. Sweet. I think that those bees were included in everyone's block.

Roberta generously donated her time to quilt it, along with the backing, and she nailed it with rows and rows of beautiful feathers, a lovely nod to this handmade tradition.

It looked equally nice on the check that we used for the backing which had a nice agricultural feel to it. 

Jean was thrilled. Red, black and white are the fair's colours so many of the previous raffle quilts were made using this palette but she wanted something a little different and this fit the bill nicely. 

In the spring Jean took it to a few agricultural/seed shows as a way to sell tickets and generate interest in the fair, and it looked beautiful when it was hung. This pic makes it look square but it isn't - I made the top and bottom borders deeper than those on the sides.

She  asked if I could also make a lap quilt using the same fabrics to accompany the fair quilt in the hopes of encouraging folks to sit for a bit and quilt a few stitches.

I landed on the 54-40 or Fight pattern. Roberta has long had a beautiful version of this quilt on a wall in her quilting studio and it has always appealed to me. 

It was a great pattern to work on and I would definitely make it again.

Jean is not a quilter so I drafted a suggested quilting pattern and sent her ideas for items to include in a sewing kit that could travel with the quilt, which she really appreciated. Last I heard, there weren't as many takers as they would have liked; I'll have to check and see where things ended up with it.

These two quilts were a big project and consumed a fair bit of last fall/early winter, but I was happy to help a friend out....M

Thankful

Happy Thanksgiving to my Canadian friends! We have so much to be thankful for, including the ability to enjoy time in our stashes and create to our hearts' desires. Also thankful for Jane's beautiful hand crafted card in this pic.

We enjoyed our family feast last evening - turkey with all the trimmings - so I am looking forward to enjoying leftovers for dinner tonight. Love leftovers.

Before then I'll be playing with hand stitching the bindings for the Holly Bazaar Christmas stockings, and maybe even a table runner or two. Have a wonderful weekend....M

And The Second One is Finished, Too

The binding is now finished on Brown Stars as well and it turned out beautifully. I thought that I loved it before the binding was added but that gingham just took everything to another level.

I've said it before but I think that it bears repeating - that cinnamon pansy fabric combined with the gingham just made this quilt. Those pansies were stretched to the very limit as I had only a small piece so it required getting as creative as possible with how to use it.

I was flying by the seat of my pants with this one so I was very generous with it when I made the first block.

But you can see where just those tiny cornerstones in the star centre work well too.

It came through in lots of ways and that variety works so well to make the quilt cohesive. The scrappy creams worked nicely too.

Roberta quilted it with rows and rows of feathers that give it such a wonderful traditional feel.

And that backing - just wonderful. It reminds me of Italian glass.

I won't lie - this one is going to be hard to let go of. But it's not about me. Time to remember why I made it, package it up and send it off for someone to use in their healing journey....M

 

Never Underestimate a Quilt

As I was sewing down the binding for Kaleidoscope I got to thinking about how much I like this quilt and how much I really didn't care for many of the fabrics that I started with. They fell into the 'use it up' category and I just felt that I was trying a little too hard to make things work.

But as the fabric pull got under way the colours and patterns needed to bring the so-so fabrics to life evolved. The addition of the green and white polka dot and the light aqua really took it up a notch.

And as each block started to emerge and the colours were distributed across the flimsy, it really started to shine.

The end result is just lovely.

That beautiful 'grunge-ish' backing scattered with daisies that Roberta provided was the finishing touch, bringing everything together oh so nicely. I liked it so much that it's what I used for my binding.

Her generous offer to quilt this as her contribution to the cause meant that we would be shipping a finished quilt instead of a flimsy and the playful panto ties in so nicely with the floral backing. 

So, all that is needed when it lands in the Quilts for Survivors studio is for a label to be attached, the quilt to be smudged and parceled up with a note and sent off to its forever home. I hope it brings joy to the recipient; I know it has brought much joy to me....M