13 March 2007

Quilty stuff

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It has been a busy three days. Saturday was a meeting of Quilty Friends. I spent the whole four hours building a backing for Banana-fana. I can't believe it but I have used a total of 16 yards of fabric on this quilt. I used 7 yards of the yellow and 6 yards of the leaf fabric on the back plus other pieces and hunks. What a great stash buster! It is now ready to go the LAer this coming Saturday.

Last night was a meeting of the Material Girls. I spent the time hand stitching a binding down on 'Frances', the quilt in the image. This is a quilt you haven't seen. I don't believe I've said anything about this quilt yet. It started when my friend, Grimey, found some quilt blocks at a garage sale and gave them to me. I can't remember how many there were but they were the sorriest looking blocks I've ever seen. They measured approximately (loosely) 12" and were fans that were curved pieced to the background reminiscent of a drunkard's path block with it's quarter circle. These blocks were fraying and misshapen and couldn't be used in their current state. I hand washed them and then took them apart. Why? Because the fabric was all feedsacks! I cut the wedges down, remade the fans and then appliquéd them onto a muslin background. The setting for 'Frances' is the snake in the hollow setting. The newest fabric in this quilt is the brown used in the corner of the fans. That fabric is an early 1980's fabric. I had enough of the fabric left over to make the piano key border. My LAer is putting it up on the company website.

Oh! and before I forget I want to thank a special person for the RAK of taupes I got in snail mail yesterday. Now I need to come up with a pattern to make with all the taupes I've been collecting lately.

15 comments:

  1. The quilt is pretty, I like the various colors against the white. I know I would never attempt to make that pattern because it looks difficult. I do mostly the simplest stuff. :D

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  2. Frances is so pretty. Well worth the effort to undo each block and redo it. It is a great setting.

    I am so glad you are close to finishing the Banana-fana quilt. You have talked about it, but you haven't shown it to us yet. I look forward to seeing it.

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  3. Neat fans! Love the new photo - boy are your eyes blue! (Now I am singing, "And don't it make your brown eyes blue...")

    I am using my taupes in a circular floral applique - I think...

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  4. This is lovely. Must have been a labour of love to remake all those blocks, but worth it I think. Like the simple quilting on the fans - great contrast :)

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  5. I can tell from here that those fan blocks are so happy to have found a home - they look great.

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  6. Love your fan quilt, Paula! :D

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  7. What a great find. The quilt looks wonderful. It is a very special quilt indeed. How many blocks in all did you get? It makes you wonder who was the person who started the quilt, and what happened to them.

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  8. That is really pretty! What a wonderful find! And I'm glad you were able to fix the blocks and make this beautiful quilt from them:o)

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  9. Nice job on the quilt! Welcome to the stashbuster webring!

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  10. The new quilt it is so very beautiful!!! Compliments :)))

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  11. I love hearing stories like that! You rescued those blocks and made them into a beautiful quilt. Way to go!

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  12. Frances is stunning. I did a similar thing one time, taking apart and reassembling antique fan blocks after washing... it was a lot of work but well worth the effort, as you stated. I'm eager to see the banana stash-buster, it must be huge!

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  13. Love those fans, Paula. Very, very pretty quilt.

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  14. The person who made the fans in the first place should be proud of you! What a work to undo everything, but the result is really worth it.
    I love taupe fabric as well and I use them all the time. I have even redecorated my bedroom in these colours!

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  15. I wanted to leave a comment about your books but for some reason the Commnents link was missing.

    You have quite a lovely selection of books. I'm anxious to hear abour Design! by Steven Aimone.

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