Two Quilt Finishes

Thanks to friends who were willing to be quilt-holders while we we at last Saturday's Central Florida MQG Sew-In, I have pictures of two finished quilts.

My selvedges quilt finished at 59" X 72". I designed the block, and each one finishes at 13" X 13" with a plain white 4-1/2" square center.

I actually completed this quilt in early August, with the intention of using it on August 12 to show big stitch quilting for a "Big Stitch Quilting" program I was supposed to present to Central Florida MQGers. However, my cardio-vascular doc changed all that and decided I instead needed a left leg angiogram that day! 

So, this unnamed selvedges quilt is ready to share when that program is rescheduled, likely at next February's meeting.

I used different Aurifil thread colors to ruler quilt curves across the selvages, and a straight ruler to quilt lines along the outside edges of the quilt.

After machine quilting, I added big stitch hand stitching to each white square, changing thread colors for each of the four concentric circles. 

Pat Sloan designed this selvedge print that I chose for backing fabric. Though the print color isn't as bright as the quilt front, the idea of a selvedge print backing was too perfect to pass up. 

I'm thinking to create a tutorial for this. Would anyone be interested? 

My second quilt to share is "Cascade" from Victoria Findlay-Wolfe's book "Modern Quilt Magic."

I purchased her acrylic curved braid template to cut all the prints from my stash. My quilt finished at 87" X 95", somewhat larger than the instructions for a full-sized quilt.

The quilting barely shows up, which is why I didn't quilt this heavily. Why waste my time quilting a design that can't readily be seen among all those busy prints? I used a curved ruler to ruler quilt across the entire quilt top, and used three different colors of YLI variegated threads - aqua, yellow, and orange. Then, in selected blocks I added free motion quilted bubbles. 

Maybe you can see the quilting a little better from the back. Fabric is "Lava Lamps." 

The best part of this quilt, I think, is the binding. I used the No Tails Binding method to put several different prints along the edges, coordinating the colors to the quilt. As you can see here, five different prints are in action. 

I've continued to immerse myself in audiobooks to keep myself distracted. (I shouldn't confess to still crying every single day over missing Hogan, but I do.)

I listen to a book when I'm cutting out projects, piecing, and quilting, and while walking for exercise. By the way, I'm happy to report that my legs are again capable of power-walking a mile in 15 minutes. So an hour-long outdoor walk of four miles - about 8K steps - impressed my doc, and I'm getting the vitamin D that I need!

Having previously read books by Ruth Ware (The Woman in Cabin Ten; In a Dark, Dark Wood; and The Lying Game), I knew I'd be in for another treat with "The Death of Mrs. Westaway." I wasn't wrong.

Hal (Harriet) lives in Brighton (UK), and has been eeking out a living reading tarot cards from a booth on the pier. She receives a letter, informing her of an inheritance, and uses it as an opportunity to escape from threats from a loan shark. She travels to Trepassen House in Cornwall where she connects with a past, including uncles, she knows nothing about. It's time for Hal to uncover family secrets her deceased mother never shared. Where does Hal fit in?

Linda's score: 4.8/5.0

This story begins innocently with two couples at a dinner party. They are next door neighbors. The evening turns to disbelief when Marco and Anne Conti return home (next door) to find their six month old daughter missing. The entire book transpires during the course of several days, as Detective Rasbach works to uncover the truth of a kidnapping, and the reader is kept suspecting different characters as "the bad guy." I never quite decided for sure which couple is "the couple next door." This was an excellent who-done-it that will leave you surprised.

Linda's score: 4.8/5.0


I'm packing up to go on a six-day quilt retreat, and am well-supplied with cut-out projects for dozens of happy sewing hours. And being with friends. It should be a good, therapeutic time away. Linda