Two-Color Quilt

I've been working on a mental list (I'm not a paper-and-pen list-writer) of quilts that I wanted to complete by particular dates. Several are QuiltCon entries.

So, having recently completed those to-dos, I was time to decide whether or not to enter the MQG's American Patchwork and Quilting Two-Color Challenge. All QuiltCon entries are due November 30.

Maintaining my resolve to NOT purchase fabric in 2018, I limited myself to choosing fabrics on hand. I have a decent stash to work with, but don't have enough yardage of any particular pieces to make a large quilt.

I narrowed the two colors to orange ("Always add orange," right?) and white (I bought a 10-yard bolt of white earlier this year, and it's more than half gone), and proceeded to do a little designing. You'd think that I'd open EQ8 to design, but I had an idea in my head, and didn't have a clue how to go about using EQ8 to implement it! I am more familiar with Pages software, the Mac equivalent of Microsoft Word, so that's what I used to design this.

Having recently purchased all five widths of Clover Bias Tape makers, I thought to use all the sizes in a design. Of course, after cutting out fabrics, and putting them on my design wall, I moved around around strips and bias tapes to end up with this. It's about 36" X 48". I wasn't able to use the widest bias tape - 2" wide - because I couldn't get it to lay flat around a circle. 

The background is pieced, of course. Circles and bias tape are machine appliquéd on top using a straight stitch and Mettler Transfil Monofilament (invisible) thread. After appliquéing, I cut away the excess layers on the back, including the background behind the bias tape.

Fabrics are a Kaufman print, "Spot On Wide" that perfectly matches white and burnt orange Painter's Palette Solids. Batting is Quilter's Dream Select Cotton. 

I'm big stitch hand quilting with DMC #8 perle cotton. But because I had only white DMC on hand, that's all I've been able to quilt so far. After checking at three local stores for DMC burnt orange (color 946), I had to place an online order (123Stitch.com) that will arrive Tuesday. 

These circle templates have been invaluable for marking circles for quilting. I use a Hera marker to make the marked crease. 

Not sure yet if I'll quilt the bias tape. If I do, I'm thinking about stitching little "x's" on them. 

This is such relaxing handwork as I'm listening to audiobooks. Recent finishes were: The Wife by Meg Wolitzer, and The Witch of Willow Hall by Hester Fox. Out of 5 stars, I'd give each of them 3.

I'm also reading a print book (not while I quilt though!) The Paris Wife, by Paula McLain, a story about Ernest Hemingway, and his wife.

Bet you can tell I've been doing my favorite happy things. Linda