Arabian Nights

I first put this collection of fabrics (minus the tan and gold leaf fabric) together probably a year or two ago when I was either combining fabrics for a totebag for someone or my Etsy shop, or combining fabrics for a a Project Quilting prompt. I am glad to have found a design that lets them shine.

This is a third option in my latest pattern release, Lyra. 

When I pulled these fabrics together as a group, it was the black striped floral one that started things.

I was intrigued by the lavender and red combination in the floral stripe, so I investigated my stash and found a Benartex lavender and an unknown magenta batik in my stash. I’ve had the check ivory/tan forever, and so when I needed five fabrics to make another Lyra version, I dug through my stash and found this perfect goldish tan leaf print. It has a bit of a Moroccan flair, I think; hence its name.

I used photos of its construction during the QAL to show various steps. Here’s a good one of that gorgeous magenta, used in the kite-shaped star points.

For the backing, I went to the backing vault, and didn’t find anything that clicked, so I looked in my kaleidoscope stash and found a perfect Jinny Beyer RJR print. One metre. Almost enough. So then I went to my purples scrap drawers, and when I couldn’t find the right tone there, checked in my scraps fabric box and found ⅓ yard by width of fabric of this Jennifer Sampou piece. All I needed was 3 ½”.

Oh, interesting: when inputting the Quilt Stats below, I copied and pasted those from Artemis because several details are the same. Little did I realize I used another Jinny Beyer print for that quilt’s back!🤯

I am pretty pleased that I was able to centre the quilt top from top to bottom on this striped backing. There was about an inch from each selvage at the point where the stripes began, and lo and behold, the quilt fit perfectly between the narrow pink/purple/pink stripes! Because I used a polyester batting, I could easily see that stripe through it as well as the wrong side of the fabric, so I carefully aligned the quilt top raw edge along that stripe, pinning as I worked my way across the quilt top. The bottom edge is pretty much bang on too. It was meant to be! Am I sorry that a beautiful Jinny Beyer fabric ends up on the back of a quilt? Not one iota. It’s used up. And that’s my modus operandi for the past few years now.

You may recall that a conversation Rose and I had over email sparked the development of the Artemis quilt design. Well, reading her post on her two Lyra quilts sparked the quilting design for Arabian Nights. She called this “lacklustre” but to me, it is perfect as it brings to mind rays that emanate from stars. I used Essential 100% cotton in ‘fawn’, which blended beautifully with the various fabrics. A fair amount of rolling back a forth ensued, especially for the ‘v’ shapes on the sides, but it is worth it. I really like the design it made in the centre square.

When it came to the binding, I had the perfect Northcott tiny gold dots on black, but not very much of it. I roughly measured and caluclated and thought that it might just do it… well it did not: 27” short. Into the black plastic drawers and fabric scrapbox I went and came up with another Northcott that works relatively well, so it is along the bottom.

Within the Lyra quilt pattern are the instructions to make all three versions, the original, Arabian Nights, and Artemis.

Remember to link up your Lyra quilt in the parade post . The linkup will be open until Monday, June 22.

Quilt Stats:

Size: 40.5" square

Pattern: Lyra by me! SandraJaneQuilts

Fabric: black floral stripe is Hi-Fashion Fabrics, unknown batik, Lilacs in Bloom by Jackie Robinson for Benartex Designer Fabrics, Autums’s Charm Style by Hoffman International Fabrics, ivory/tan check is David Textiles

Batting: 100% polyester by Soft Loft (they’re Canadian!)

Backing: English Garden by Jinny Beyer for RJR Fashion Fabrics and Paisley Collection by Jennifer Sampour for Robert Kaufman

Quilted: on Avril, 27 230 stitches

Threads: pieced on my Bernina with Gütermann; quilted with Essential 100% cotton #21159; Bottom Line by Superior Threads in the bobbin.

Linking up

Songbird Designs

Quilty Girl

From Bolt to Beauty

Quilting & Learning: What a Combo