SAHRR#2 - Aquamarine

The name of this quilt just popped into my head when I was writing down details in my longarm notebook. Upon checking that I did indeed have the colour link correct, I learned that the colours of this gem vary from lighter blue to deeper blue-green, but they all evoke the colours of the sea and sky, which is right up my alley or should I say beach! It's the birthstone for March, and the gemstone brings calmness, clarity, and serenity. It belongs to the mineral beryl. (Note to self for a good name for another blue and green quilt!)

The border is a perfect match; you’d think I planned the colours in the quilt from it! It’s actually a piece I bought many years ago in Alberta for a quilt back when my aunt took me to a quilt shop near Barrhead, which I just found out today is still there, and which my cousin‘s partner frequents! I had about 1.5 metre left, most of which was only half the width of the fabric but I was able to get four 1.5" borders and three of the 4.5 strips I needed for the binding. A few extra joins of half-width of fabric strips easily made enough for the binding with about a fat quarter now left. 

Straightforward ditch stitching, and a meander in eight of the nine blocks, saw this quilted up in no time. The heart got a little bit of special treatment with them back-and-forth lines that always make me think of water (this was before the name came to me), and a bit of ruler quilting to echo the bottom of the heart.

I used (franked-batted)  two different brands of polyester batting which are held nicely together with the meander quilting which gives a nice texture.

Here is the back, which used up all three of these fabric chunks. I do have an eight-inch wide strip of the navy left, which I plan to use for lining makeup bags. That fabric was pretty expensive when I bought it, and so cool: raised rubbery(?) shiny metallic flowers on it but it was disappointing because when you iron it, the colour fades or lifts right off and you’re left with a rubbery colourless daisy. 

I stitched my initials in the bottom corner. At first, I wasn’t sure about the light lime green thread, but since this is a comfort quilt aimed for a young person, I thought, go for it, as they will love it. And wow, do I ever! I am surprised how well it looks on the various creams, greys, and whites backgrounds.

The middle fabric on the back is a Slytherin chunk left from a cushion I made for Brady a few years ago.

This will most likely go to the Windsor Sexual Assault Centre, destined for a child/youth. I give them at least one each year. 

Quilt Stats:

Size: 40.5" square

Pattern: my own design, various traditional and non-traditional blocks according to SAHRR prompts
Fabric: stash and scraps; the sashing is Connecting Threads; the border and binding is designed by Susan Winget for Benartex

Batting: Pellon 93% cotton with 7% polypropylene scrim and Fairfield 100% polyester

Backing: Harry Potter for Camelot Fabrics, Blank Textiles and Cranston Printworks

Quilted: on Avril, 26 699 stitches

Threads: pieced with various, much of it on my 1951 Featherweight; quilted with Exquisite polyester; Bottom Line in the bobbin

Next up is the throw quilt for my new pattern, Winter Blues. I have a backing ready to go so I may get in another finish by April's end. I also finished Glowing Hearts, my wallhanging for the same pattern. It's been a productive week!

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