I have a few projects that I am working on, but yesterday I decided to start another project anyway. I needed something to sew! I have 3 4 projects in various stages of completeness:
- A quilt that is almost done but waiting on some final details and coordination with my clients (hopefully I can finish it this weekend?!)
- The Cocoa Leaf Medallion Quilt which I will take to my client’s home today (Friday) to get the center medallion arrangement just right, and
- I need to wait a week before ordering fabric for a lap sized project that I will start in February so the fabric doesn’t come and sit on my doorstep when I am out of town over next weekend.
- Oh, and I just figured out the quilt design and fabrics for a good friend who is expecting her first baby in June, but I have plenty of time there (and I need to order the pattern and fabric).
That left me with lots of energy… but nothing to sew!
Digging around in my stash, I came across about 48 inches of Michael Miller Giraffe Love. It is such a sweet and fun print, that I knew right away I was going to use it for the backing of a quilt. So diving right in to the backwards approach, next I picked out my binding fabric (the stripe print on the right). Knowing that the quilt is going to be limited by the size of the backing fabric, I pre-cut (5) 2.5-inch wide strips for binding. Great. Now what?
Backing and Binding
I went back to my stash to find fun coordinating colors and fabrics and chose the 6 prints used for the background of the star blocks below. The blocks finish out at 10 inches square. I needed just over a yard of fabric for the central stars in the quilt, and I did not have enough Kona White or Kona Snow yardage on hand. After a quick visit to my LQS, I came home with a white on white print to use for the stars (it turns out they sold the last of their Kona White on Wednesday!). In an hour I had all my fabric pre-cut and ready for block assembly.
Seeing Stars – 6 of 16 Blocks
2 hours of piecing later, and I have 6 blocks. Only 10 more to go and I can assemble a fun and quick 40-inch by 40-inch square quilt top. I might add a quick border around the edge of the quilt top after piecing it together to help me preserve the star points, but I will need to audition fabrics to see if there is anything I like for a border once the quilt top is assembled.
Do you ever get antsy and dive right in to another project knowing that in a day or two you will have plenty of other work to keep you busy?
Linking up to What I Did This Week and Oh Scrap! (buttons to the right).
I totally do hear ya. I get antsy when I am between projects, too. Love that you started with some backing fabric and used that to influence what you would piece for the top. I have done a few projects in that order and I think it’s a fun approach. Love your star blocks! The giraffes are adorable!
Looks like it’s going to be a sweet little quilt. Quick projects are always nice! Also, I saw you finished your racetrack quilt, looks fantastic!
I love your giraffe material! That is going to be a very cute quilt 🙂
Beth
Yes, I most definitely do! I hate that antsy feeling of “gotta sew, gotta sew”…….not sure why I can’t enjoy the down time. I love that you approached this project backwards and I really like that giraffe print!. The stars look so good!
Ooh, I love this! And how cool to go about the process backwards. I can’t wait to see this finished. I think it would make a great baby quilt!
I’m the other way around. I’m in the middle of must do’s and I’m getting antsy to start a for me wish to do project! Love the giraffes and the colour palette, lemon and grey seems very soothing but very cool too!
Antsy? Oh, yes. That’s when my quilter’s ADD kicks in. It’s always so much fun to start a new project.
Your giraffe quilt is looking great, and – bonus – you’ll have a ready-to-go baby quilt next time you need one on short notice for a gift. Great choice of fabrics to go with the giraffe print. I love the stripe you’ve chosen for the binding. Do you have enough of that for a narrow border as well?
Ohh that is going to be super cute. I love the giraffe print and the stars are darling!!!!
This blog post is right up my alley! I do the same thing. I committed to myself that I would try very, very, very hard to only sew up the quilts for the children in my family and work on one other quilt before deciding what else I want to make this year. It’s been very hard to stay with that, with all these amazing quilts I’m seeing on social media.
I really love the colors of this quilt for a baby quilt too. The backing and binding are fantastic, and I love reverse/white star blocks. You are tempting to go make a quilt right now, actually! LOL
I totally do that too – That’s why I never have only one project going at a time! That baby quilt is going to be precious!!
This is going to be super cute! I have never worked backwards before so that is definitely interesting! When it comes to getting antsy… well I think I am the Queen of that as I have literally WAY TOO MANY WIPs at the current time and ALL at various stages. I am slowly getting them down though, one by one! Can’t help it, I love shiny and new yet I admire old and traditional… I get distracted easily by new ideas! (Oh hey a Squirrel! hehe)
I normally see such simple quilts that I can finish one before I feel the need to start another one. But I am learning that I feel antsy when a project drags on longer than normal. (Even when I am still totally in love with it.) This will be a super cute quilt. I love the fabrics, and even quilted one for my niece with that giraffe.
That giraffe fabric is awesome! I’ve been thinking of jumping into a small project, but the medallion quilt needs to be finished already! I’m keep telling myself the sooner I finish it the sooner I can work on quiltcon stuff!
I dive into new projects all the time! Sometimes I find that I end up being more productive if I have a bit of a “palette cleanser” before going back to what I was working on. I love the color scheme of your new quilt- so cute!
Love the giraffe fabric. So great when those things come together without a plan. I will be excited to see this one finished.
I love your technique – going in backwards is just the kind of thing that I do. I can plan a whole quilt around one piece of fabric too. The giraffe fabric is awesome and your design for the top is equally awesome – colours are gorgeous too. Love it.
Pauline
perry94022 at hotmail dot com
Yes, I often get antsy.
I like the backwards approach. I need to do that with the Marimekko fabric I found in my cupboard of shame.
These stars are so graphic and striking! Great choice of design 🙂
Looking good. I like when the back correspondent with the front. You worked it out nicely.
Great idea starting with the backing and coordinating your colors on the front. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!
That giraffe fabric is just too cute! Love the design you settled on for the top – the resulting quilt will be cherished.
Kathy T. in Tampa
Love the giraffe fabric and what you have done with it.
I love black, white, and yellow together, but the best part is those giraffes! Love them!
Love your stars but I am in love with those giraffes!!!!!!! I have a thing for them, LOL. Yes to your question do you ever start something new knowing you had lots of other work ahead, geesh too many times!!
Love how this is coming together backwards, and the fabrics are all working so beautifully together.