Circulation

Well, I decided to finish the quilt top that I pulled out last week after 3 or so years.  2?  I can’t remember!  Regardless, it’s been a while.  This quilt was originally begun as a row robin swap.  The bee was set up so that we each made an entire row for the other people in the swap each month.  It was quite a bit to tackle at the time and there were no parameters set about style, fabrics, or design.  So I actually feel quite blessed that I received the lovely rows that I did.

I started my quilt out by making a row for myself with a white background and navy, green and blue fabrics.  Though it is far from perfect, this was my first attempt at a double wedding ring pattern.  It is done by applique and I followed the pattern from Eleanor  Burns “Egg Money Quilts” Book.  I think what I made they actually had designed as a table runner!

an arty shot that I did back then. 😉

When I did the measurements this weekend, it turned out that with the sashing fabric I planned on using that 4 rows was perfect!  Too bad I figured that out after I started work on a fifth row.  Ahh well…something for another project. 😉  And I did use it to make my pieced circle tutorial too! (Which is coming tomorrow hopefully…it’s very picture heavy and that takes a long time to edit).

So here it is! Isn’t it fun how the circles go from largest to smallest from top to bottom?  I did not consciously plan that.  I was looking more at the use of negative space and the business of the rows for balance.  But it just so happens that also ended up meaning that the circles fell into a pattern of gradating sizes as well!  Woohoo!

I used a couple of fabrics from an Anna Griffin line that works really well with the colors of the rows.

The blue and white circle fabric is actually what I am going to use for the whole back as well.  I had enough and it works…so I’m not going to make my life overly complicated by piecing a back together from bits and pieces.  Sometimes simple is nice. 😉  (or just a good excuse for laziness!)

With the sashing and the borders, I believe that this quilt is a twin size.  But it’s certainly large enough to snuggle with.  And it will be going to an unnamed relative (just in case she reads this!) who needs a quilt from me.  It’s been my intention for over a year to get one to her.

Here is a close-up on the lovely row that sweet Tacha/Hanies (now of the FatQuarterly!) made for me.  Her row is probably my favorite of the four.  I wish I could claim that I made it…but even better…I get to keep it!  At least for a couple more months.  And then it should be in the hands of its new owner.

I’m not completely sure how I will quilt this yet.  But I do know that I want to use the long arm machine at our local store and try something out.  Maybe some free-form circular quilting.  I’ll have two quilts to take in…let’s see many more I can accumulate!