As a quilter I ponder many design ideas on projects. Some projects it’s the first time by. Other projects get halted and then wind up in a plastic bag smothered in my WIP cabinet. This quilt has gone on a five year journey to completion. It’s sad, inspiring, and real all at the same time.
Moda Blush Quilt
My love of charm packs were at an all time high in 2012. People may have noted it as an obsession, but that’s all hear say. For the IMQG first overnight retreat I grabbed the Moda Blush charm pack and yardage in my stash along with Kona white to make a creation. Seven to eight simple squares were started and another five or so improv blocks. Improv is a loose term, they were measured and tried to keep it symmetrical.
Post retreat the blocks and yardage were stuffed into my WIP cabinet in a plastic bag. I had so much hope for that project as I wrote the above blog post. Five years later, it was pulled from the cabinet and given new life. It could breathe again.
The improv blocks were stripped back down to the charm block and the solid. Rather than continue with a design that didn’t make sense, I wanted to go back to the simple blocks. Simple will get the project finished rather than sitting in a cabinet.
Simple can help you finish a project faster.
During the winter IMQG retreat this year I took the blocks and created the quilt top. From the yardage I was able to piece a backing as well.
Post retreat the project went back into that plastic bag. This time it sat near my sewing space. Part of my first quarter goals for 2017 is taking the time to finish some projects. Rather than have this project taunt me, I grabbed the starch and started pressing. Lots of starch to get these seams to lay flat.
Some franken-batting was created to use up some scraps. The challenge from my IMQG peeps was to try another FMQ at home. This was the project that accepted the challenge. After some spray basting it was ready to quilt.
Rather than quilt at night when I’m tired, I went in fresh on a Sunday morning. It was invigorating to try this new to me technique so early in the morning. Challenge myself to break out of my go to straight line quilting. Guess what? FMQ went faster and was fun.
FMQ was fun.
After being washed and dried, I truly admire this project. It has new life, it’s been rejuvenated with the help of a seam ripper. Stuffed in a plastic bag doesn’t have to mean the end of a project. Look at it now with all the crinkled goodness.
Pieced back with enough left over for binding.
What project do you have just sitting around? Could you break it down to something more simple?
This quilt is now available on Etsy and ready for a new home. is going to a new home. Someone is going to love it.