Friday, February 8, 2019

Hope for spring

Welcome to another weekend, everyone! Congratulations on making it through the week. This one was a nasty one, wasn't it? But we've made it through, so now it's time to look at pretty quilty pictures and maybe-- maybe-- have a gluten free fudgy brownie or two.  Don't forget some milk!

For the quilty pictures, today I want to show a very springy quilt top that I finally finished off.  Ready for something bright and happy to finish off the week? Here we go:


I just now noticed that this quilt is hanging upside down.  Oh well!  It's a little washed out, but I will not be complaining about the sunshine.  This quilt top came from a free quilt along from Sharon Holland and Maureen Cracknell, called the Community Sampler, and you can still find the free patterns on Sharon Holland's website HERE. It took me longer than it should have to finish the top, but I'm really happy with how it turned out. 


It was super nice and sunny when I took these pictures and it felt great. I mean, like there was hope that the cold and rain (and some icky ice we had, too) might actually end some day.  Then, of course, it started raining Thursday.  Sigh.


You can see that I had a favorite yellow fabric that I used in the centers of most of the blocks.  I had a fat quarter of that fabric forever and I never used it because I just loved it so much.  Plus I only had a fat quarter and sometimes that doesn't go very far when you're making a quilt.  It's from a pretty old line called Hartwood by Timeless Treasures, and I was so pleased to finally be able to use it in this quilt.  I have a couple of small squares left, but otherwise I used it all up, which we all know is a win.


I debated forever about the border for this quilt.  Sharon Holland had a great border design, but I just didn't like it for the colors I used in this quilt.  I auditioned several fabrics and different designs, including the greens and yellows in the blocks, but in the end I just finished it off with narrow strips of the blue background.  I also didn't have enough of one blue for all of the setting triangles that formed the background, so I used up a few lighter blues with about the same value.  I think they work pretty well together.  I might use one of the greens for the binding, or maybe the yellow.

Here's a hazard of taking quilty pictures in the spring:


Yep, mud.  The ground out there is very, very wet and the quilt top got dragged on the ground.  I was very sad, but it came right out with a little water. Thank goodness I didn't step on the top!  That would have been a tragedy.


Hope everyone has a really good weekend! Apparently we're going to have another temperature plunge, or maybe a roller coaster of temps.  I can't keep track any more.  All I know for sure is that there is a pan of brownies in the kitchen and someone is going to have to eat them.  Maybe I'll let the hubs have some, but maybe not!

Sharing at Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Finished or Not Friday, and Brag about your Beauties at From Bolt to Beauty.

12 comments:

piecefulwendy said...

A pretty quilt, and very spring-like. That sunshine looks glorious! We are buried to our eyeballs in snow here. The past few days have given us around 15 inches. I am ready for spring, but I stepped out and saw my shadow, so back to the quilt room I go. Haha. Enjoy those brownies!

Home Sewn By Us said...

Hi Mari! Oh those colors are so very much springy. That pale blue and green look so fabulous. I'm glad the mud came right out! Gosh that would have been a tragedy and shame if it didn't. Rollercoaster weather is right - we're near zero today then warm up Sunday so it can snow some more. It is going to end soon though. Right?! Brownies sound delicious to me. Maybe I need to make some! ~smile~ Roseanne

sue s said...

I've got my Community Sampler top done too, but it's in the pile for quilting. Your spring colors are very pretty. I did mine in more southwest colors.

Bernie Kringel said...

BEAUTIFUL!! Love the light, cheery colors Mari. Green or yellow, either one will be perfect for binding it. This is just lovely!!

Alison V. said...

This is such a cute quilt and I know what you mean about a FQ not going very far sometimes! But it is the perfect accent fabric for this quilt and looks great in all of your blocks.

MissPat said...

I always marvel at the fearlessness of quilters who photographed their projects outside. I'm sure I would promptly get mud or dirt all over. It doesn't help that I don't have a good place to hang quilts outside. Good luck with the weather roller coaster.
Pat

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Your quilt is so pretty, Mari! Like your other commenters, I love the bright and springy colors - we must all be needing that right now! The different background blues give the quilt lots of dimension, too.

The Joyful Quilter said...

Oh, NO!!! Mud on your quilt top? SEW glad it came out easily!

scraphappy said...

I hope that the weather is better soon. Love the way your fat quarter really served to tie all your blocks together and showcase the lovely floral. You are brave to take your quilt out in the mud. Hopefully that means that spring is right around the corner.

Kate said...

Very pretty and very sunny! A perfect project for the sad weather we've been having. Congrats on another finished flimsy!

Janice said...

Your treasured fat quarter looks great in this quilt! I'm pretty sure I would have felt the same way about it. That fabric is so full of wonderful saturated color and the design is cute too. :)

helenjean@midgetgemquilts said...

lovely to see a spring time quilt. We just got the tail end of your weather, not your extremes, but I was glad to see the back of it.