Quilt Unveiled....finally

The quilt measures about 72x60 inches

A close up of the leaf appliqué block.

The organic line quilting.

The shirting backing reminded me of our sleeping bags growing up. 

I am finally able to show you this quilt. I made it for my niece, Allison, and her finance, Jason, who are getting married in August. The bridal shower is today. This quilt took me many, many hours and much thought. I like all of my quilts to say something about the receiver. In this case, Allison and Jason. Both are outdoor people. They will be camping in the jungle for part of their honeymoon! So I decided on an earthy quilt for them to snuggle under on those cold nights and to picnic on top of during the summer. 


The leaf blocks were taken from a quilting book by Elizabeth Hartman called The Practical Guide to Patchwork. In the book the instructions say to iron-on the leaves and then machine appliqué over them. I just can't reconcile iron-on appliqué and soft quilty love for some reason. So....I spent many, many, many hours hand appliquéing the leaves onto the blocks. 


After making quite a few blocks, I decided it needed something more than the quilt in the book had, so I added the patchwork blocks. I wanted the quilt to be large enough for a picnic and for two to snuggle under on cold winter nights. I chose to use batik fabrics for two reasons. The first is practical: they don't fray so much when hand appliquéing. The second is that both Allison and Jason spent time overseas during college. They both have a love of all things international. Allison also likes purple. I find this color challenging when looking at fabric to be used by men and women. Batiks solved this dilemma. I guess that's really THREE reasons.


I always wait to choose my backing fabric until the top is finished. In this case I found this fabric that just screamed 'sleeping bag' to me. At first I was skeptical that it would work for this quilt but the more I thought about it, the more perfect it seemed. What says 'outdoors' more than sleeping bags?


Finally, the quilting. I pondered this for a long time, too. I bet most people don't realize how much thought goes into a quilt! I love the organic line quilting because it reminds me of the journey of each persons life. Married couples embark on very special journeys that take them places they never imagined. I prayed for Allison and Jason while quilting. I prayed that their journey will be one of fruitful living. I know they both have a passion for Our Lord and I pray that they use that passion for His Glory. I know they will.