Blue Sky Finished Quilt

Happy Summer!

I finished my Blue Sky Quilt this week, and braved the heat and humidity today in order to get a few photos of it. This quilt was part of my 2015 Quarter 2 FAL List, and the first lap sized quilt I've finished in a while.

 

I ended up quilting it with my walking foot, and did wavy lines across the top. I used a polyester fusible batting for the first time (I won it at my local guild a few months ago). It had a much higher loft than I'm used to, so there was a lot more drag from my walking foot than usual. I plan on doing the same quilting on another quilt, but with lower loft batting. Hopefully I have more success next time.

 



I was glad that I was able to use a lot of the larger scraps on the back of the quilt. I like this fabric, from Ty Pennington's Impressions, but it's not really my style. I definitely prefer the brighter, bolder, more saturated colors. I think these colors, and the blue quilter's linen work well for a "man quilt" though.

I used the same fabric on the back as I used for the binding, along with a few scraps. I wanted something darker to go with the masculine feel. The fabric is from Kim Schaefer's Moonshadow. Lately, I've really been leaning towards using darker colors as a neutral, so this was a perfect stash addition.

My brother is currently at home in Colorado, enjoying a few weeks off before starting his second year of medical school. I'll be able to mail it to him in a couple of weeks. It's around 65 by 80 (I think), so it should be a good, large, lap sized quilt for him. I know he doesn't have a lot of free time to lounge on the sofa and watch TV, but hopefully he can use it to keep warm while studying :) I'm impressed by his dedication, he told me he usually spends 60+ hours a week in class and studying, and this is just his first year. I can't believe how much work he puts in, but he's happy and he enjoys it, so that's good to hear.

I hope everyone in the US is enjoying the first day of summer. I am so happy we have air conditioning. It is too hot to do anything outside, so I have plenty of time to stay in and quilt.

This week I'm linking with Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story, Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation, and Crazy Mom Quilts because I finally have a finished quilt to share!!

Alison Glass Mini Quilt Swap

Happy Sunday!

This year, I have participated in a few instagram mini quilt swaps. The latest, the Alison Glass mini quilt swap, is just wrapping up. I love Alison Glass' fabrics, and this was a great opportunity to use up some scraps from my Triangle Transparency quilt, and expand my stash a little bit.

My partner said she really liked Alison Glass' Sun Prints, especially Mercury. Her mosaic had some wonky log cabins in it, and a string quilt, so I decided to make a mini wonky string quilt for her:

The top came together very quickly, and was a lot of fun to make. I used freezer paper as my foundation, and tried to make it a little wonky. Next time, I'll try to make it a little wonkier.

 

I quilted it with my walking foot, I didn't really have a plan, just some zig-zags and echo quilting until I filled the entire space.

 



I backed the quilt with Mercury, my partner's favorite fabric.

This swap was a lot of fun, and I'm looking forward to receiving my package. I have one swap left, finishing next month, and I think I'll take a break after that. I have really enjoyed making mini quilts, and it has given me the opportunity to try new things, but I'm ready to do more sewing for me :)

Have you participated in any online swaps? What was your experience like?

This is another finish from my 2015 FAL list for the 2nd Quarter. I have two more finishes to share before the end of the month. I just need to get photos!