Wednesday, March 7, 2007

Flimsies 6 and 19

Since I'm going to be cutting scraps and making string blocks for awhile I probably won't have anything new and exciting to show you for the next 2-3 weeks. I still want to post, so I thought this might be a good time to show you some of my flimsies waiting for quilting.

Flimsy #6 is what's left from a round robin that I participated in over15 years ago. The Rose of Sharon center was my entry in the guild's yearly block contest. Just days before I was to hand it in it got buried under a few fabrics on my cutting table - and I accidentally cut into the edge with my rotary cutter. It was supposed to be a finished 12" block, and I sliced about 1/2" too far in towards the center. I couldn't enter it in the contest so I threw it in the drawer. I pulled it out a couple years later to be the center of the first round robin I ever participated in.


I loved my center block, but months later when the finished top was revealed to me I gazed upon it with horror. I loved what had been done up until a certain point, but the last three borders went from bad to worse. I stuffed it in a drawer for several years.


When I joined Stashbusters for the first time on January 1, 2002 I ruthlessly began culling my UFO's. That's when I took a good look at this flimsy, decided I liked it well enough to salvage it, so I ripped off the last three borders. Out went the terrible screaming hot pink polka dot that was the outer border. Off came the brown border with a "nest" in one corner constructed from a crazy log cabin block that was stuffed so full of polyfill that it weighed down the entire corner. Off went the border just outside the rabbits - the border on muslin with three dimensional seed packets including pictures, etc. of marijuana plants. What you see is what was left - which I like a lot. I love the rabbits running through the briar patch - see the thorns on the brambles made from bugle beads?

Flimsy #19 is from a pattern called "My House" by the little quilts ladies. I bought the pattern and a kit for this quilt years and years ago at the Stitchin' Post in Sisters, Oregon. I made the top several years later, then added it to my "to be quilted pile where it has sat ever since.


These are two of the flimsies I hope to quilt in the next few weeks, as I think they both work well for the upcoming seasons. I already have the binding made for the second one. Neither should take all that long to quilt, so I hope I can show these to you as two finished projects by the end of March.

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Gratitudes:

1. Frogs singing everywhere in the evening
2. Dinner with our kids
3. A sound Hand and Foot win for the girls - we trounced the guys!
4. Spring pajama weather
5. A very confused, blooming Thanksgiving cactus

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12 comments:

ForestJane said...

*giggles*

Why on earth would someone put borders like that on a round robin? You're making me glad I've never participated in one... lol

Fiona said...

Boy do I wish you'd taken a photo before stripping those borders off - it sounds hilarious though your face must have been a picture when you received it. As it is now, both the flimsies look adorable - perfect for spring.

Melanie said...

You're giving me spring fever!!! I love the sawtooth border on the second quilt...You're almost ready for a new season.

Sweet P said...

Beautiful flimsies. The bunnies are adorable, but I really My House. Good luck on getting them quilted and bound!

Susan said...

Well, you have given me yet another idea......... I will never be able to keep up with you but I do enjoy the journey with you.

That rabbit quilt is so springlike and we need something like that this time of year.

McIrish Annie said...

Wow round robins can be really scary!! What are people thinking??!! Glad you could salvage that one. love the bunnies!

Angie said...

Both of those are adorable! Love the bunnies, and I have the Little Quilts pattern but haven't made it yet. Every time I see it made up, tho, I think I MUST make that! :D

Judy said...

My what horros those borders must have been! Reminds me to never do a round robin...whic I already had promised myself!

Looks good patti, can't wait to see the finshed products!

Libby said...

Great choces for springtime finishes - you'll enjoy having them for the season.

Jenni said...

Marijuana leaves?? Are you sure you don't have a 'before' photo?

Mary Johnson said...

I thought I recognized that one as a Little Quilts pattern - very cute and I love the Grandmother's choice blocks. Can't wait to see what you do with those.

Marlublu said...

Oh my, I know the feeling about getting something a little weird from a swap. I once got a Sunbonnet Sue wearing black everything. She looked like she was in mourning so I tossed it.LOL!I just love that rabbit border it's perfect for the season. That little house quilt is very cute. I really like that.