quilting

First Finishes

First finishes for the new year, a good way to get the year started. I have to admit, though, I picked an easy UFO to finish.

First Finish, a Squirrel!

I really was going to start the year by only tackling my pile of UFOs. Really, I was! But then I saw Curated Quilts request for Minimal Mini Quilts, and thought I would play with that a bit. The colors are given, but any type of fabric can be used. The quilts must be 10″ x 10″ or 16″ x 16″.

Thanks to some quilty friends who sent me some nice bundles of solid fabrics during the IG “Get Your Quilty Wishes Granted” event, I had the colors I needed, so I decided to play a bit.

Here’s my little mini. I likely won’t be submitting it, since it’s not all that great, and it’s just a bit shy of 10″ (I think). It was fun making it, though. The quilting was done with 50 wt Aurifil Dove (#2600). The matchstick quilting took a little time, but I’m happy with the finished look.

First Finishes - Minimal Mini Quilt - piecefulthoughts.com 2018

I found it funny that the little quilt perfectly matches my bedspread. That wasn’t planned, and it doesn’t work too well for a backdrop. However, the bedroom happens to have the brightest, best lighting when snapping pictures late at night.

Note: In case you are wondering why in the world a quilter has a bedspread? It’s a transition piece while I wait for the future renovation of our bedroom. Then it will have a quilt!

UFO Finish of 2018

BigJ and I took a road trip to Thunder Bay, Ontario, a few years ago. While there, we stopped at a cute little quilt shop called Circle of Friends. I picked up a bundle of buttery yellow fabrics that I just couldn’t resist.

Having no idea what I was going to do with the fabric, it languished on the shelf. Then one day, I put this quilt together. The top sat and waited to be quilted. I finally ended up taking it to Connie to work her magic.

First Finishes - Gray/Yellow Large Baby Quilt - piecefulthoughts.com 2018

First Finishes - Quilting Detail - piecefulthoughts.com 2018

The quilt is 42″ x 51″. Using no pattern, I just sketched it out and put it together. It took me so long to finish it that I used up the remainder of the gray fabric, which I discovered when I decided to bind it today. Thankfully I had just enough of one of the yellow fabric to eke out a narrow binding. I do usually set aside binding fabric when making a quilt, so I’m not sure why I didn’t do that this time.

I bought the backing at a different time than I bought the bundle. The buttery yellow in the bundle is a difficult color to match, and I picked up the backing without any scraps from the top with me. It works okay, but the yellows aren’t too close. I was glad I didn’t have to use the backing fabric for the binding.

First Finishes - Backing Fabric and Binding - piecefulthoughts.com 2018

I have no idea where this quilt will go. True to its history, it will just have to sit for a bit until I decide.

Linking up today with Midweek Makers by Susan at Quilt Fabrication, Let’s Bee Social by Lorna at Sew Fresh Quilts, and Wednesday Wait Loss by Jennifer at Inquiring Quilter.

Happy stitching, friends!

Wendy

16 Comments

  • norma

    You’ve made a very good start to the year.
    I love the matchstick quilting and the little bit of colour in the middle. I’d be very pleased if I’d done that…

  • Vicki in MN

    Good for you to finish it up! I think it looks good just laying on your ‘bedspread’! When are you renovating the room? Are you channeling your inner Jayne for your mini, hehe. It’s very cute and you should enter it. I forget do you have a wall for your mini’s? If not you might have to start one;)

  • Louise Hornor

    Two very nice finishes, Wendy! Your mini is super cute and I agree with Barbara: you should submit it! I think it’s so cool that you tackle these interesting challenges.

    The yellow and gray quilt is like bright summer sun pouring through window panes. A lovely and refreshing reminder of warmer days ahead (someday!!) 🙂

  • Sandra Walker

    I’m not wondering why you have a bedspread; I’m wondering why your bedroom has the brightest light at night?!!! snort! I saw the buttery yellow quilt (FAB) on IG and seeing it here, love it even more. My fingers itch to have some custom quilting in those yellow blocks…reminds me of a yellow and grey one in one of Angela’s books!

  • sue7oaks

    That’s such a great little mini, Wendy – definitely throw your hat in the ring! I love the prints in the butter yellow quilt. I found myself drawn to the same colour in recent fabric buying splurges

  • inquiringquilter

    Congratulations on two great finishes! Wow, you blow me away! And that minimal quilt is cute. Me, I’d submit it. Perfection is boring. Thanks for linking to Wednesday Wait Loss.

  • somethingrosemade14

    I love your mini and I’m in agreement that you should submit to Curated Quilts which is one of my favorite publications now. I can see your quilt gracing their pages. I love the essence of it. Leave to Sandra to wonder about your bedroom lights, ha ha. BTW, I know the pain very well of not having the right binding; that’s why I have a binding drawer. And the yellows, I have a bin full of yellows and never seem to have the right shade. I just went through a Citron yellow search. BTW, I have two kits to make gray and yellow quilts.

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