I’ve turned to my modest stack of layer cakes, aka 10” squares to get them used up and into quilts. This one is a stack of 14 bought from Connecting Threads several years ago. Inside were 16 squares! This is a Rashida Coleman Hale line supplemented with a few solids.
The impetus for making this quilt is twofold: first, way back in April I made a mental note of the block Yvonne Quilting Jetgirl made for a charity quilt block drive she is a part of, and two, I needed something mindless, fast and satisfying to sew after all the work, mental and sewing, put into the release of my latest pattern, Diamond Baby.
Probably the turquoises drew me, or maybe this just happened to be the top one on the stack of six as to why I started with this 'short stack' layer cake. When I saw that there were 16, I immediately thought, perfect, a four by four quilt. Then I realized the blocks only finished at 8”, so that would be a pretty small comfort quilt (my intended reason for making it). I could easily supplement from my scraps and stash to get four more for a four by five with a border? Easy! And fun!
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| If you count, you’ll see 21 little stacks... |
I organized all the parts, as you can see, and started sewing, placing them randomly on my design wall. Towards the last half dozen of chain-sewn blocks, I realized I had 21, not 20. What the heck? In my exuberance to find fabrics that toned in with the 16 original, I guess I’d cut five not four. Well this could be a five by five quilt, so no big deal, as this meant I got to play more in my stash. Furthermore, it wouldn’t need a border, because it would end up at 40” square. So, in the end, I added a total of nine fabrics from my scraps boxes and drawers.
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| Flimsy complete —love! |
Betcha can’t tell which are the original 16!
I found the perfect back in my yardage, but only had one metre. It had been bought as adding to my stash of turquoise fabrics, not as a future backing.
It was just so perfect, and this meant I could use it ALL up, so I added in a 3” strip of the cream and beige check left over from
Arabian Nights that I’d used for a square on the front. The turquoise fabric is a little wonky, probably end of bolt? or maybe the print was skewed?
The binding!! I was squealing in my head when I had the flimsy together and was already thinking ahead to the back and binding, because I remembered that I had already cut four 2.25” strips for
Circadian Rhythm (and promptly forgot at the time that I had done so, and ended up binding it with another fabric; and also, how come my brain works so well to remember said binding, cut back in March, but when I made that quilt, within a week—PQ—my brain was a sieve), and best of all? It’s a Rashida Coleman Hale, the same turquoise that was a square in this pack! You can see it on the left in the photo below.
I pieced it on my 1947 Featherweight (I’m thinking of selling my 1951 though I prefer her beautiful scrolled side plate) with Isacord and quilted it on Avril with that same Isacord, and then bound it on my Bernina (because walking foot) again with the Isacord.
When I was quilting, I already had a bobbin ¾ full of the light blue rayon I’ve really been happy with lately, so I happily threaded my machine and off I went, just tickety-boo, wonderful tension and flowing over the quilt top, ahh, like watching fish in a tank.
And then, THIS CLOSE to the end, the bobbin ran out!
What are the chances?! I grabbed a bobbin of a light grey and finished off the 20-odd stitches needed for that last swoop under the black square.
I have a recipient in mind for this quilt, but need to check if the colours are okay first, adn then I’ll update this post.
Why name the quilt Zephyr? Well, it’s the name of the line by Rashida, but by definition, zephyr is the west wind or a gentle breeze, but also and most interestingly, it can mean various soft light fabrics, yarns or garments!
Quilt Stats:Size: 40” square
Fabric: a 16-piece layer cake and scraps
Batting: Soft Loft 100% polyester
Backing: Then and Now by Bonnie Benn Stratton for Northcott
Quilted: on Avril, 22 467 stitches
Threads: pieced on my 1947 Featherweight; quilted with Isacord 100% polyester; Fufu rayon in the bobbin.
Working at using up our stash is a very good thing and then you get a really pretty little quilt for a double win.
ReplyDeleteLove how this quilt "grew" and how wonderful to have used scraps and stash to get it to the finish! Well done!
ReplyDeleteyour color palette is so pretty - those squares were calling to be made. That was a fun block to make
ReplyDeleteI love how such a simple block can make a beautiful quilt design! Those are pretty colors, too. I bet the recipient will love it!
ReplyDeleteSuch an easy block made quite lovely by the fabric. Memory is such a strange thing, isn't it? We have Washoe Zephyr winds here in northern Nevada. Great job.
ReplyDeleteOh, I love that you used the mini square in a square block for this and there is no way I could pick out the fabrics you added from your stash. The binding couldn't be more perfect, so maybe you forgot where you put the binding earlier this year just for this use. You were *so close* to getting all the quilting from the single bobbin, weren't you?! Over all, what a delight and treat. I hope this quilt suits the recipient you have in mind.
ReplyDeleteEasy block, and great fabrics make for a beautiful quilt!
ReplyDeleteSo pretty! And I have no idea which fabrics are which, because they blend in so well. I have been participating in the same block collection as Yvonne. They have all been so fun to make. Each collection round has been easy and satisfying, and they use different parts of a fabric stash. And the best is that they cost nothing (except postage), so I feel like they make good use of fabrics that are just lying around waiting to be used up. I like that you went ahead and made a whole quilt. I'm sure whoever you are going to give this to will love the serenity of it.
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