Biblioasis

Biblio was the name that kept coming to me, for obvious reasons, as I worked on this quilt. Then I remembered the name of a really good bookstore in Windsor, independent of course, and it just kept coming back to me, so that is what I have named my quilt, but the perfect name, Biblioasis, is the store's.

Of course I had to photograph it in my very own Kingsville Public Library, resting on a book trolley, not currently in use! The statue in the background is of Jack Miner, aka Wild Goose Jack, an avid bird conservationist who lived on land just north of the town. Yes, that is a Canada goose beside him.

I thought that corner was à propos because if you look closely, you'll see a 'HOLDS' sign, an area I frequent!

Biblioasis is the perfect description of how a lot of books make me feel as I read, and the best ones make me live in their oasis even when I'm not reading. In my head I'm seeing the characters, not necessarily in scenes from the book, though that definitely happens too, as I go about my day. And, when I'm reading?I'm oblivious to my surroundings, unaware of turning pages, as I fall into the oasis of the book's world. Tucked up in a chair, or in bed, while eating lunch or having tea, this quilt will keep me snuggly as I 'travel'.

I quilted a spiral partially surrounded by petals, some of which are petal-shaped, others of which are feather-shaped. I filled in oddly shaped gaps with more swirls and loops and echoes.

An outside shot hanging from the deck:

I tried to get Zora to pose in front of the quilt, but since I had no treat, she was not cooperating.

The backing set me back (ha) nearly a full day. Why, you wonder? Because I could not decide! After nearly going with a pretty involved pieced backing, I was pretty sure on a cream/beige/grey floral, and even ironed the entire 3.5 metres. However, a certain blush-on-cream Robyn Pandolph floral also was calling, so I hung it on the longarm rail beside the ironed cream/beige/grey floral, and went to bed. 

And yet...

This particular deep aquamarine plaid also kept coming back, even after I had re-shelved it, so out it came, and I decided to go for it. It has cream and a robin's egg blue in the plaid which worked with the colours on the front.

It was not quite enough, but if I pieced it crosswise instead of lengthwise as I prefer, it made the best use of what I had. I lined up the plaid when I added in the chunk on the left, had the brilliant idea to use some of the books fat quarter that I had eliminated for the blocks, and was able to line up the plaid lines pretty closely in both directions on the smaller chunk framed by the books strips.

Three other fat quarters from the 16-FQ pack remained, two of which made the binding. This meant lots of joins, but carefully laying out the finished binding on the quilt front, and pinning it with a pin or two on each side meant I avoided having any joins at the corners. I simply alternated the fabric strips, and because one is beige on white, the other light brown on cream, the flow is smooth. 

One is layers of open books, and the other is back-to-back little books standing upright, pages flared

That shot also shows both labels: cloth, with all the information, and satin, tucked into the binding. Unplanned, but perfect, is the inclusion of my quilted in initials which I always do in a lower corner. It also gives a close-up of the book titles (twelve in all) fabric!

I just love it! When I get quilts made that have 'percolated' on the shelf for so long, it always makes me wonder why I waited so long! I think it's many reasons: quilt requests, quilt needs, online quilt activities, my own designs, being unsure of what pattern to actually use for purchased fabric, (that one is all-too-often), hesitancy due to a new technique or ruler, and so on. 

Quilt Stats:

Size: 48" x 64"

Pattern: Meadowland by Then Came June

Fabric:  Bookish by Sharon Holland for Art Gallery Fabrics; background is Watercolors by Diane Phalen for Maywood Studio

Batting: Warm and Natural 100% cotton

Backing: Farmers Market by Kelly Mueller of The Wooden Bear for Red Rooster Fabrics 

Quilted: on Avril, 83 622 stitches

Threads: pieced on my Bernina with Aurifil cotton #2600; quilted with King Tut 40 wt 100% cotton by Superior Threads

Linking up

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