Botanics Colorwave Quilt - A Finished Project

Hello again!  I want to share another finished quilt with you today!  Over the last several weeks, I've been on a piecing streak and have several quilt tops I'll be finishing as quickly as I can.  I have signed up for a craft bazaar at the beginning of November, so I want to get as much done for that as possible.  So, even though it may look like I'm popping these quilts out...I've been working on these for months now.  I'm just going to finish them at once.  ^_^

The first was so fun to make.  I used 2 charm packs: Botanics by Carolyn Friedlander and Bella Solids Black.  Half-square triangles have such potential, and it was really fun to explore all the options with this gorgeous fabric.

I finally decided to lay out the blocks by color to make a striking design that draws the eye across the quilt.  I'm thrilled with the result.

I quilted along the vertical and diagonal seams with straight lines.  It was a fun change, since I usually free-motion everything.  I may do some more straight-line quilting on another quilt soon.

 I found this darling black with arrows and grey plaid to finish it off.

The finished quilt is 33" x 41"...a nice size for a crib, playmat, or even cuddling a sweet baby.  Honestly, this one would be awesome on the wall too.

I've listed it on Etsy here: Modern Baby Quilt

New Life for an Old Quilt

 Happy Wednesday!  Today I want to share a project I just finished.  A sweet friend asked me to repair and finish her aunt's quilt.  She figured that her aunt started this quilt top approximately 45 years ago, hand cutting and stitching while her husband, my friend's uncle was in the hospital.

Years later, after Aunt Dot passed, my friend attempted to continue it and added some stars to the top but was never able to finish it completely.

This is top as I received it.  You can see that there weren't any specific, clear, outer lines, so my job was going to be to find a way to use the fabric in the top, without adding in new fabrics for the stars, and make it a useable quilt.

My first step was to make a plan.  I found the largest "square" portion within the top.  I straight cut along the black lines, then relocated all of the stars that were removed.

Originally, I used a border to block off the center and give some straight edges.  We chose this red with white dots as a tribute to Aunt Dot's name.  Plus, it plays nicely off the reds in the stars and really brightens the entire quilt.  

I then used the stars (and half-stars) that were removed to create a fun border.  It was perfect really.  There were just the right amount of stars and half-stars.  I then added this gorgeous yellow with tiny red flowers fabric from Oasis by 3 Sisters.  It worked so well with the yellow florals in the stars.

I quilted it with a meandering loop that will hold everything together nicely without detracting from the fabrics and design.  The loops really give it a lovely texture.

I bound it with the solid green I had originally intended for the inner border.  I so glad I saved it for the binding.  It's a soft touch that frames it without adding too much pattern or brightness.

Have you ever restored an old quilt?  I'd love to hear your stories and tips!  Thanks for stopping by!