BACK IN THE PINK!

I thought I was finished with pink, but no, there is still more of it laying around and apparently girl babies are still being born, and they still like pink.  I like to throw in other colors like the red, and aqua; so it isn't ALL pink.  Oh, there is a little orange too.  

I cut 4 1/2" triangles to put together.  This is going to be a simple top, but stunning with the color!  Using up some of my black and white Dr. Seuss.  I wanted one side of the squares to all be the same.   Sewing triangles together is so easy and quick.  This top went together fast.  

 I end up with a pile of triangles sewn together.  I didn't count before this point.  I get to anxious to start sewing after some cutting, and cutting is a little boring, I want to sew and see what the squares look like.   I had cut triangles of each of the colors I was using, and it was a big pile, but NEVER do I have enough cut the first round.  

After pressing all the little flags open, I did count.  I was going for 10 rows of 10, 100 (I can do some math), only 40 more to go, so more cutting, sewing, pressing.  I pressed toward the color, away from the white.

After some random placements, I decided to arrange the darkest triangles to make a "J", for the baby's name I rotated a few a different direction to make the "J" look right.  I thought it was a cute idea, until I showed my husband, and he didn't see the 'J' in there.  Really?  To me it is so obvious.  So, I emailed a picture to some quilter friends, and they saw the "J", so I decided I was originally asking the wrong audience.  

I hate when this happens!  I can never get the pieces back up there just the way I originally had them placed!  Even looking at a picture.

I ended up adding a border of 4 1/2" squares of the pinks, to make the quilt larger.  Just the triangles wasn't large enough, and this was just right for a baby.  

Momentarily, I had hope that I wouldn't have to piece a back, that a yard of fabric would just STRETCH across the back, but no.  I had to piece, because I added that square border.  I used more of the pink squares and threw them in there for the back.  When I showed my husband (I must stop doing that) he said the squares made a cross, which was not my intention, and Ok,  they did resemble a cross a little bit, I will admit.    

I used Matilda cotton/ wool blend batting and Aurifil thread (pink!) for the straight line quilting.  I did outline the 'J' with quilting, and you can see it on the back, except I didn't take a picture of that, so I have no proof, you'll just have to take my word for it.    

Finding the Right Quilting Thread

I LOVE this Dr. Seuss by Robert Kaufman line!  I didn't know when I  bought so MANY yards what I would be making or who would be receiving!  Luckily, my niece had a baby boy not too long ago, recipient picked!  I try to make the baby quilts simple, so they are quick and will be used.  

I hope this baby doesn't go color blind from the brightness - I know the back was freaking me out.  I have enough left of everything for 2 more quilts.  I didn't really want that much fabric, but it all ended up in the 'cart'.  At the time, much of the fabric was backordered, so the packages just kept coming.  I'd get one, and think, that has to be all!  And then a few days later I would get more.  

I LOVE thread.  I have thread galore, I always want som'more!  I love the thread store!  But will I have the right color for quilting this top?  Sometimes just the right shade isn't there, and with my stash (this isn't all of it), I can't believe I don't have the one I need.   I tend to buy the same colors over and over, and not much of the color ways I don't work with much.  

Looking for the right shade of blue.  

I did a whimsical quilting pattern, Like Dr. Seuss, really simple, and all over the place.  The lines did not have reason, except to me, on the horizontal; on the vertical I followed a more straight forward approach. 

I cut this stripe on the bias for the binding.  First time I ever cut on the bias.  Ever.  It worked fine, and I had enough for the bias cutting.  And now, the quilt is packed, shipped and will be delivered to the baby boy.  

What I've worked on this week.....

I had a fabric that I thought I wanted to use as a focal that I pulled from my stash.  Moving from one room to another offered a chance to see fabric I haven't seen for awhile, and wanted to use, use, use.  And, I just need to start another top, because I have NONE which need to be quilted.  If I just quilted from here to the end of June, I might catch up. So,  I perused the internet looking for a pattern or an idea to go with this focal fabric, the focal became less the focal and just more one of the fabrics.  I wanted to use it as a focal, because I have A LOT of it, but some will linger for another project around the bend.  The focal WAS going to be the fabric on the top sqaure, outer border.  All the other fabrics just WENT with it well.  

I wasn't sure what I was going to do with these fabrics, but I was on a quest to put them in something.  Something right now.  So, I came across a picture of a pattern after click click clicking all over the place.  No directions, no measurements, just here I am, please copy me.  Turns out it was a quilt done by Elizabeth Hartman of Oh, Fransson!; of which I'm a fan of her style.  Naturally, it would be something I was attracted too, and it looked like a quicky.  It could have been a quicky, except for the running out of sashing and the follow up search for more.

 
These blocks are just square in a square or a simple log cabin style.  I paired bold prints for the outer borders with shot cottons from Kaffe Fassett collection for the middle round.  After I was going on Friday, and realized I would not have enough in 1 yard of sashing fabric; I was off on a 3 hour 3 quilt shop hunt for the Kona shade, hoping I would not have to order on line or piece together scraps.  Success at the 3rd shop!  I bought extra.  And that handy dandy Kona reference card was a savior.  I wanted this top done this night!  And it was, except for one bit of sashing along the top.

The tricky part was making sure all the partial squares went the right way after cutting.  I used IVY from Kona Cottons for the sashing.  The sashing for each 4 block square is 1 1/2 " and the sashing around each square is 2".  The other tricky part was that I used some fat quarters for the outer borders, and damn those fat quarters; I had to add some fabrics after the initial pull of fabrics.  I try to buy at least 1/2 yards, but sometimes there are fat quarters just calling your name to them.  

I still have to decide if I want an outer border.  It's large enough for a couch quilt as is, but for a bed it will need another border.  I love the way this top turned out!  I added the blue at the last minute, and I think this added a little sparkle.  I don't think the top is bland or dark, it is the wonderful fall colors I enjoy.  P.S. You can see a preview of my new wood floor and green walls in these photos.  Will have to blog on the new room as soon as the second new window is installed and I can complete my move without having to worry about cleaning everything before the window install and after.