TATW

My first finish for 2011!  That does not bode well for the list at the right of this blog.  The year is 25% done and I'm not following suit with my completions.  I'll do better.  That's my mantra. 

This is obviously a Trip Around the World quilt -- about full or slightly larger -- and will be heading to Madison WI tomorrow as a wedding gift.  You may have seen my post earlier this year about challenge quilts.  This was the one for October last year where we had to have the top done by the retreat.  My top was done on time but I've been a bit slothful in the quilting and finishing.

We had to use the three Mark Lapinski fabrics (green, purple -- even though it looks blue, and deep red) and then you could add up to 9 fabrics (I think).  It's so fun to have the big 'reveal' and see the patterns, colors, interpretations.  I was lazy and only took a pix after we had put them all up to admire but you can see how different they were -- and even those that were similar, "felt" different b/c of the fabrics that had been added.

This is Blanche Young's technique which I had been wanting to try and I ended up buying her book from Half.com.  Her instructions are flawless and if you don't miscut, you will have sufficient fabric to make a pretty good size quilt.  I mis-cut and had to beg, borrow, and order fabric but that's another story for another day.  She works in segments of strata rather than in the loops which terrify me when I think of the risk of mis-cutting or not staying straight.  I'm not sure which is faster -- there's a lot of sewing (and for me, pinning) in each quilt b/c of the number of squares.  These blocks finish at 2.5" so they are pretty good size.

I will definitely make another one -- as well as several more from her book.  It's a gem if you like large quilts and scrap quilts. 

And, in the spirit of the Final Four - GO BIG BLUE -- this UK fan is pretty impressed the cats have made it this far! 

Keep piecing, Jan