Reveal Day!

Finally, I can share my newly finished Paris Flea Market Find quilt! She is quite a beauty, wouldn’t you agree?

This quilt tells a story of how a well-established fabric stash can pay dividends. My good sewing sister and fellow fabric stash expert Sharon and I often talk about future quilts we want to make and wonder how we’ll ever use up all the fabric we have accumulated over the years. At some point way back last fall, Sharon suggested we make Paris Flea Market Find, a pattern by It’s Sew Emma that she had. Each of us would use our respective stashes, of course.  Happily, neither of us bought a single inch of new fabric for our quilts. That is very satisfying, I must say.

We cut our quilts out ahead of the retreat at Needles n Pines. We waited until the April retreat to begin sewing. I shared snippets of our beginnings: a sneak peak at mine is here; a sneak peak at Sharon's is here.

My stash for this quilt was a very nice collection of 3 Sisters fabrics: Paris Flea Market, Sanctuary, and Promenade. Sharon used another 3 Sisters collection called Etchings.

While at retreat, I finished all my blocks and all the sashing strips. I’d not prepared or cut any cornerstones or borders. You can bet I did that ASAP upon my return home and I had the quilt top (flimsy) stitched up straight away.

Having a finished quilt top used to be my goal when making a quilt. Now that I am using the long-arm machine more successfully, I occasionally quilt up these flimsies. A totally  completed quilt?!! Whoa!

I put PFMF on the long arm on May 29 and took it off on May 30. I then spent a bit of time considering binding options, and once again the stash provided precisely what I wanted! See this post for the binding story.

Last evening, I finally stitched down the last of the binding. A quilt begun on April 7 and finished on June 9 - wow, who’d ever thought this was possible? Especially a big, full-size quilt!? Sometimes baby quilts can be that fast, if not faster. This quilt measures out at roughly 78x85 inches. 

More pictures? Why, yes, I think that's appropriate! *grin*

As I took this final picture, I realized that the majority of fabric used in my pillow cases are 3 Sisters - Aviary and Sanctuary. I expect that a few random squares also show up in that front pillow. How wonderful!

Now I owe y'all a few pics of the more recent goings on over here, as well as a long-overdue May collage. Plus, I think a proper picture of Sharon's flimsy is also called for; after all making this quilt was her idea!

Soon, my friends, soon.

Happy Quilting, Friends!

Jayne

Sew Along Update - Week 12

 

Checking in here this morning with another quilt to share! I've made another quilt top!

Repeated quite a number of times here on these updates, I tell you this quilt is absolutely the easiest quilt in the world to make. Of course, we have also been touting the idea of working at your leisure to make your quilt, but if you need a quilt as fast as possible, a simple quilt like Spring Dreams is the quilt for you!

This is my Sanctuary Spring Dreams, made with the luscious 3 Sisters/Moda fabric called Sanctuary. Perhaps you recall the small bit of shopping I did while on retreat? I bought a jelly roll and some carefully selected bits of yardage. The result is the quilt above.

I cannot honestly say that I have never made a quilt within the same month as buying the fabric. I am generally more of the type of quilter who allows the fabric to age for awhile before cutting into it. With this fabric, though, I bought it with Spring Dreams in mind. I could barely contain myself for wanting to start it straight away.

The jelly roll was entirely used for the 9-patch blocks. These are a breeze to make if you don't overthink it. I try to be very casual about the combinations, exerting as little serious planning as possible.

Pictured below are my four Spring Dreams big quilts and the scrappy table topper all made for this sew along. Sanctuary is the one on the far right - it shows up even softer and dreamier hanging there than it does in the previous pictures on the bed. 

All of them please me, and yes, I would make another one in a heartbeat. I am using fabric from my stash with the exception, of course, of Sanctuary. This is a great way to work through those fabrics you love. Get that gorgeous stuff out of the closets or storage bins and make a Spring Dreams of your own!

Remember, I invite you share your quilts on Instagram and use the  #springdreamssewalong - we can see what all the quilts look like there. Another option is to send pictures of your quilts to me through email. I can then use them here for a future update.

Have a great Monday, Dear Readers!

Happy Quilting, Friends!