Welcome to my merry month of May blog post, complete with a finished quilt to show you!
This sweet vintage, almost Victorian looking quilt is a big one, finishing at 94x86.5 inches. The top came to me from Nann of
With Strings Attached who had found it in a group of finished quilts at a rummage sale last fall. She subsequently offered it as a giveaway, and graciously donated it to our quilt ministry. It will be heading to our local Christian camp auction over Labor Day weekend. Thank you Nann!
I don't know when the top was pieced, but another member of our quilt ministry said she began her first quilt about 1983 and used the same green leaf print that is found in this one. I will say the creator of this quilt top had some serious piecing skills. This was about the most perfectly stitched quilt top I've ever seen, all seams matching, neatly pressed down, and the outer edge serged. The little Drunkard's Path blocks that make up the entire quilt measure 4 inches square. The flowers and leaves are machine embroidered appliques, also beautifully done.
I dithered for a long time how I was going to quilt this and finally decided an all-over meander of some type would be about the best I could do. So, my go-to leaf and loopy thing predominates in the quilting. Never have been very good at an all-over design and tend to work myself into a corner and need to break thread and start again a lot more than should happen. Oh well, it's finished and ready to go as soon as a label is attached.
This very modern Michael Miller wide back became the reverse side. It turned out to have more pink than purple, but I do like it and it hides the little erratic stitches and some slight tension issues that occurred occasionally.
We will be having kids and several grands here for Memorial Day weekend, and the sewing room floor will be covered wall to wall with sleeping bags and 'tween gear. I doubt any sewing will be accomplished for the rest of the month but it will be a wonderful break from the usual. Warm sunny weather is currently forecast and I suspect there will be fossil hunting and dam building along the creek. Good times!
Til next time, happy stitching and enjoy your Memorial Day weekend!
