Holly Bazaar Test Drive

Journal cover

This is what I was in the middle of when I decided to make my latest baby quilt. Every year as we approach September I start thinking about what I can make for the Holly Bazaar at our church which lands around the first week of November. I'm always finishing things for it at the last minute regardless of how early I start, but I do like to feel that I have some measure of control by starting things a few months out.











Anyway, quite a while back I saw this tutorial that Wanda had posted for making quilted journal covers so I went out and bought a few little notebooks and waited for the inspiration to hit. She uses a lot of large Kaffe prints and batiks and I wanted to try it with the leftover batiks from my Neighbour's Fence quilts. So, as I was busy cutting blocks for my Flying Geese I decided to switch over and try making one of these (does it sound like I have a hard time focusing?).

I have to say that I am quite pleased with my first effort. It did include using a fusible batting, which I wasn't too keen on as I don't have much luck with them, but I did okay. Sometimes Wanda machine quilts them and sometimes she doesn't but I like the look of the quilted ones and I was still a little paranoid about the batting moving around so I quilted mine too. I started quilting in the seams but prefer the look of the thread cutting through the fabric and the randomness of the stitching rows. I had picked up a really lovely varegated green/blue/beige thread when I thought I might actually machine quilt Neighbour's Fence myself (not!) so I used that and it was perfect.

This is the full cover, front and back.















The books are spiral bound and about 6" x 8"; I'm going to check the dollar store for a less expensive one - I think these were about $8 each. Regardless, they feel really nice in your hand. I mentioned that I was making these to the gals that organize the bazaar and they suggested making a few that would fit a bible, so I think I'll try a few of those as well, maybe in more traditional prints. Oh, the options!...M.