Miles and Miles of Thread

Sometimes, I just make to make.  I have to.  I'm the type of person who always needs a project.  It's a blessing and a curse.  This quilt was one of those projects.  No destination, no parameters, no recipient, no rules.  Just something to do.  And I think it's one of my best technically and aesthetically.  I'm a proud peacock!

I would pick this project up from time to time between commissions and whatnot so it's been in progress for quite some time.  Sometimes, I find it so helpful to snap a photo of something, walk away, study the photo, and see how I feel about my design decisions.  Maybe it's just me but it's like seeing it through new eyes...through my phone.  ;)  Since this piece took a while, I accumulated many photos during the process. 

Randomly enough, the patterned fabrics came from one booth at the Flea Market a few months back.  They presented themselves to me together.  I thought they complimented each other quite well.  Pulled some coordinating solids and just started building.  One-inch strips galore.  That'll make you go a little cuckoo. 

I probably spend too much time just staring at my work, trying to figure out what to do next.  If I'm going to cut something up, I want to be sure that it's the right decision!  Over-thinker extraordinaire over here.

I tried a different method for basting this time around.  At the old house, I had a great space in the kitchen for taping and pinning quilts but I just don't have that same type of floor space here.  Since this is a small-ish quilt, I decided to just lay it over my work table and smooth it out as I pinned.  It had potential to be a catastrophe but it ended up being the most consistent basting I've ever done! 

Then there was the quilting.  I quilted the hell out of this thing.  All eyeballed.  Half-inch strips in V-formation over and over again.  I went through SO much thread.  I freaking love how the quilting shows up on the backside.  It was a labor of love.

After all of that, I opted for simple, pre-made, white bias tape that I added with my machine.  One of these days I'll hand stitch on my binding.  Once it was complete, I took a deep breath, tossed it in the washer, and hoped with all of my might that it would come out a success.  It washed up divinely.  That crinkling is perfection!

I foresee this being a great baby blanket, a toddler blanket (filled with colorful roads for the creative car-obsessed kid), a lap quilt, a couch blanket, a bed accent, or whatever one can dream up.  It's currently homeless and is dying to be used....just sayin'.