Here's a little peak at the current state of affairs on my sewing table. As you can see, it's a bit of a mess. What you can't see, my determination to finish my Autumn Love sampler quilt while it's still Autumn!
In all fairness, my sewing room/projects have been a little bit neglected.
We've had a lot going on the past week or two: Family - including a very cute almost-1-year-old niece - in town (with her mom) who needed some snuggles (okay, I needed some snuggles); an overnight anniversary getaway which was already postponed from when we had the 'rona a month ago; dog sitting for a weekend; some serious time dedicated to soaking up the fall color in the mountains before it all goes away; and - less fun - the beginning of garden clean-up after our first cold snap this weekend. (RIP tomato plants.)
I've been itching to work on some Christmas quilts - some already in the works from years past - but I decided I needed to exercise some discipline and finish the Autumn Love quilt blocks that I pulled out a few weeks ago.
I knew if I put it away again, it wouldn't see the light of day until next fall. So finishing I am!
All of the bocks in this quilt are from Lori Holt's Autumn Love quilt along that can be found on her site. (Check the right side bar for links to all of the blocks.) You do need the Autumn Love templates for the shapes, but the pattern instruction is free.
I made the applique blocks using wool instead of regular cotton. Using wool is SO fun, easy, and very forgiving. I made those blocks a couple of years ago. After pulling them out of hibernation a few weeks back, I decided to make the patchwork star block from the Autumn Love quilt along to go with them. (You can find the Star Block tutorial here.)
You can see the progress I've made so far on putting my blocks together. I'm obviously making a much smaller, partial-version of Lori's original Autumn Love quilt.
Because I'm winging it on my own, I've been more indecisive about sashing and borders...
At first the plan was to make some additional patchwork blocks using Lori's fabric collections to add as extra rows and borders. But as I started playing with them on the design wall, it felt too busy.
Instead I'm playing with darker, more neutral fabrics so that the applique and intricate stars pop and are the real show-offs in this quilt. But I may use some of these square-in-a-square blocks as border cornerstones...
I'm thinking it will end up finishing at about 44" x 44".
I've loved using Lori Holts's latest Prim fabric collection available here and here to finish this project. I've been using the Pebble colored prints/gingham for the sashing and outside borders. Just yesterday I got some of this coordinating Prim blue bias plaid for the backing. It's perfect! I'm leaning aqua for the binding, but will wait until it's quilted to make a decision.
My goal is to get the borders sewn on today and delivered to Melissa of Sew Shabby Quilting by Monday. I'm just going to get over my indecisiveness, pick something and finish. At this point, I'm channeling the mantra is "Done is Better Than Perfect."
(UPDATE: Click here to see the finished quilt!)
Before I sign-off , here's a glimpse of what's been my distraction the past few weeks.
Can you blame me? 😉
Have a great week, friends!
Lori G.
I, too, pulled out my garden today due to the forecast. Unfortunately, I had 19 green Roma tomatoes still on the vine and two green bell peppers waiting to turn red. Found a recipe, though, for a green tomato and leek frittata, as well as a green pasta sauce.
Your Autumn Love quilt is beautiful! I've seen some made by others (including Lori Holt's), but I really like the wool - and the colors - in yours. I just don't know how you always seem to come up with the perfect color combinations. I've spent TWO WEEKS trying to decide how to bind a tiny little table runner that's going on the table where my year-old grandson eats his breakfast and lunch every day, so I want all the colors to be bright and happy for him!
Sunny Milleson
Hello! Thank you for always being so inspirational! I have noticed that when you use material with lines in it - in this post the sashing in check type fabric - your lines are always nice and straight (the lines on the fabric). How do you do that? I try cutting with the line but I find sometimes the fabric is stretched or something and somehow it doesn't always work. Could you do a tutorial on how to make this work? I love using fabric with lines, checks, plaids for sashing but is seems so hard to make those lines straight. Thank you!
The Joyful Quilter
Oh, that glorious distraction, Amy!! I can totally see why you wanted to be out there absorbing the Fall colors, instead of sitting inside sewing. Your nature photos are spectacular!
hopflower
First, congrats on everyone feeling better and being healthy again. What a relief! Second, that woolen detail on your Autumn quilt is quite stunning; I love autumn and it looks like you have a lovely scene out there not too far from you to enjoy. We are still looking at wildfires here in California; how I wish that would end and we would get rain. Perhaps someday!
Lynette Gross
The fall quilt is so pretty! Your combination of wool and cotton, gives me ideas! I love the colors you've chosen, plus the texture of the combinations. ❤️🧡💛 We too, here in central Kansas, are in for a 🥶 chill down with snow and freezing rain. While I'm not ready for that, I am ready to put the garden to bed (hehe garden to bed, garden bed, I made a funny) for the season. But, snow before Halloween! 🎃 I guess I shouldn't be surprised it's still 2020!!
lacefaerie
Your wool appliqué really elevates that quilt! Love it!
Lynette Caulkins
This project is terrific, no wonder you want it to get finished instead of going cold storage again. LOVE what you're doing with it! So sorry you guys had Covid, of course you've been enjoying the beautiful fall outdoors after that!
Gwyn
it sounds like things are getting back to "normal". the quilt is lovely.
Amy
Yes! Slightly 'normal' (at least compared to last Spring) is feeling good.