Warning: There's pink in this quilt too

Not sure why there's been so much pink in my quilting life lately. At least this one isn't a baby quilt. It's an old UFO. Four applique blocks have been finished for 10 years now. The plan had been to do six, but I decided that after 10 years of no progress, another block was probably not going to happen.

For seven years, I've kept this magazine with the blocks because I liked this pieced sashing.

But it didn't work. The scale was too big and it was too busy for the applique. But the print fabric looked good. Even my husband agreed.

I had only a yard of the border fabric. Also years old so no hope of getting more. Not that I would have. I prefer the results of making do, which pushes you creatively. I extended the sashing into the border to jazz things up a bit. And the border width was determined by the amount of fabric available.

For awhile I considered adding the sashing fabric around the edge either as part of the top or as very wide binding, but it was too much.

Instead I'm going with regular size binding in a not-quite pink shade. My husband suggested the fabric, and it is the perfect choice. You can see it on the right in the picture above. I'm surprised sometimes by how helpful he can be and how willing he is to give his opinion.

Below is a picture of the whole quilt. The colors are more accurate in the picture above. We are into that time of year where it is perpetually gray skies, and it will be awhile before I can get a better shot.

55 x 55 inches. 
Applique from the book 'Prairie Flower' by Barbara Brackman.

Now, I need to find my next project.

Now for the setting

The four finished Prairie Flower blocks together.

I finally finished my Prairie Flower block. Four done. I keep thinking it would be better to do the original six I'd planned, but I'm afraid that would mean years and years would go by before I got to thinking about settings again.



Just can't get away from half-square triangles.

 Along with the fabric from the blocks, I saved this April 2007 American Patchwork & Quilting magazine for the setting idea in it. Actually, the sashing idea. I'm not going to applique a border. It really would take years for me to finish it then!

The A Word

I am determined to finish my version of the mystery quilt. At least to the top stage. If I take it off the wall while I decide on borders, I might not go back to it. I needed to let the options sit for a bit so I picked up the Prairie Flowers UFO and was pleasantly surprised to find that half of the above block was already appliqued. I wonder when I did that? I swear I haven't touched this project in years except to move it out of my way.



Colors not so great in this picture.

I started this in 2004. I remember my friend Lynn and I were going to do a block a month, but only for six months, using Barbara Brackman's book. Right after that I ended up moving across country. I did one or two of the blocks while waiting to be reunited with the contents of my sewing room.


Seems like this one is missing something.

When I finish the fourth block, I think might work on a setting rather than attempt the other two blocks. Although I do have one more cut out. ...

 

I can feel some freezer paper behind a few of the leaves in this block.
My applique techniques leave a lot to be desired!