I told you there was a package of fun stuff that arrived yesterday and showed some of it but here’s some other goodies that were in there. I was perusing EQuilter for some ideas for fabric for one of the Komen fundraiser quilts I need to get going on in the not too distant future. I usually use some of the fund raiser fabrics for at least one item but none of them were speaking to me. But I found this panel which I thought was so cute and since the fundraiser auction is at a women’s golf outing, I usually try to do at least one quilted thing that is “girly”.
I’ll be cutting them apart and using them for something. I need to check out the stash to see what fabrics I might put with them.
I was searching “panel prints” and saw this one – I love bird print fabrics the more realistic looking ones.
This the colors are so pretty on and I love that it’s printed to look continuous. Now I could be lazy and say those are white window sashing panes and leave them as is but I think I may cut them apart and put a different fabric in as window sashing. It will make a nice little wallhanging – since it’s a smaller panel than most. I got two of them – I can envision one finished to look like a window but then expanded around so it looks like part of a room — curtains, a clock or picture on a wall next to it, perhaps a chair or stool below — it has great possibilities.
And I’m also in need of a couple of baby quilts. More panels – you just can’t beat the vibrant colors on them and they are a great way to practice free motion quilting. The baby quilts I make I hope will be used and washed and thrown on the floor. I’ve discovered that friends I make quilts for are more likely to use ones that are made from a panel than if I’ve totally hand appliqued one — they save those put away somewhere and they never get loved and cuddled. It’s up to them of course if they decide to keep them as a “keepsake” but seriously – it’s just fabric – use it! So that’s why on some quilts, depending on who they are going to, I start with a panel and maybe add blocks to it or borders or maybe not (and I just can’t resist some of those panels!). They are great to have around when a last-minute donation quilt is needed.
But this particular one reminds me why I also dislike panels…
It looks like that bird’s is flying so fast it’s bowing out the left side of the quilt. I tossed in the washer thinking maybe it just got pulled out of shape when it was wound on the bolt but just a few minutes ago when I put it in the dryer – it looked like it may be a bit better but I think the printing is wrong. I will be very disappointed if that’s the case. The colors in the photos on this blog post are actually more vibrant than they show but sun was streaming in the window right next to this design wall. The artwork is so cute on this one but I think it may remain seriously out of whack.
This one – same designer / fabric manufacturer – is better – just the top corners look a bit stretched and that should probably work itself out in the wash. However when I just put this one in the dryer (as long as I’m whining about panels why not just list all my peeves about them) why don’t they allow – oh goodness – live on the edge, an inch more of fabric between the panels. LOL I could see this one was cut on those little dotted lines they print between panels but why is there such a pittance of fabric between them – you can maybe see on this one there’s probably not even half an inch of white fabric around the “frame” of the image. When I was putting it in the dryer — it has raveled along the edges so it has raveled into that frame area. That’s very annoying. So maybe when I go looking at panels again I’ll remember why I get annoyed with them or remember to only buy them if I can see them in person to see if things look straight, etc. I should also go find the ones hidden in the stash since I know there are some others in there I could play with.
One last one I got – Mr. McGregor’s garden – the graphics and colors once again grabbed me. I can see this as a quilt with veggies appliqued all around the outside and a big rabbit applique in the center with these square blocks around it.
Now to get busy and see what I can get up to today. A few errands to run and then maybe some sewing time.
Justquiltin with Denise Russart 