#2 Quilt top for February 2026................

This top ended up at 48" x 72", much better than the 42" x 60" that it was before adding extra columns and rows.  This Wishwell Weather Report fabric is hard to photograph, the darkest fabrics a little darker than they look in person. This cell phone photo is better than the Canon camera photo.

I looked through my larger yardage pieces and it looks like I'll have enough of these 2 for the backing.  The one on the left is more apricot color than it looks here.

I put my Kaffe medallion center back up on the design wall and got the 4" parts department box out to play with the next border.

I had a left over strip of the binding fabric from Purple Rosy but I think it may be too dark.  I added some hourglass blocks to the left of the strip.  More playing needed.

I took several photos of the 2 current cacti blooms and they all seemed slightly blurry, more of a soft impressionist look.  There is another bud on the champagne color that should open soon.

One more day to finish............

All eight of the diamonds for the top edge are designed.  All blocks of 2 triangles are sewn.  Now I need to sew these into two rows and attach to the quilt top for a finish.  I think I can do that today.

These are the leftover triangles, facing right and facing left. There are 34 of one and 43 of the other.  They will probably go into a ziploc bag for now.  I will search through the yardage I have left and see what I can do for a backing for this one.

We had another 61 degree day.  I was able to open windows on the south side of the house while the sun was shining and let in some warm fresh air. 

Progress..............

I designed and sewed the 2 side columns for this quilt (that I wanted to make larger).  Here they are ready to sew onto the small top.

Next I have sewn the 2 side columns on and returned it to the design wall, lower so I can design the 2 rows above it.  I had to pin up the bottom so the heat can get into the room.  Even though it got to 61 yesterday, it still goes down into the 30s at night.

The first 2 diamonds are designed and each pair of triangles are sewn together.  I won't sew these together until the whole top is designed and then I can sew it as 2 rows.

I also got a backing pieced for the flannel quilt top.  I cut one full length and then took the remaining 34" of fabric and cut it into two 17" strips and sewed them end to end.  Then this side panel was sewn to the full panel.  It is a heavier super soft flannel.

 

It's a quilt top......................

The last 3 seams were sewn yesterday and it's a finished quilt top, including the staystitching around the perimeter.  It is 64" x 72".  I really didn't think I was going to like it very much, but after it is sewn, yes, I do like it.  This is a bonus quilt, one not planned to be made.  It used 2.5" and 4.5" strips cut around 2009 and 26 sixteen patch blocks from the batik orphan block box.  That's a win!

Now I need to get back to cutting half rectangle triangles and get another quilt top finished.  Also on the agenda is basting a baby quilt to be quilted on my Pfaff.

They are predicting 60 degrees for Chicago but Weatherbug on my phone says 57 for us out in the boonies (60 miles west of Chicago).

Sewing long rows...............

These are the 2 new blocks I made yesterday, actually 2 of each of them.  I didn't take a photo of the final layout.

I had 3 sewing sessions and this photo is after the rows were webbed in one direction.

This shows a portion of the top after some seams the other direction were sewn.  There are three more long seams to sew.

Finally a couple of my cactus plants are setting buds for a new blooming season.  I love this white with pink edging.  I have another like this that has one bud on it too.  Also one champagne color has 2 buds.

I walked by the kitchen window at just the right time to see the pink/blue sky.  A minute later it was almost gone.

In honor of Valentine's Day I'm reposting my favorite red quilt, finished in 2019.  This one is a keeper.  I never show it to anyone when they are here to choose a quilt.
 

Some changes................

I decided to shorten the length by one row and took out the blues and brighter greens. That made it an even number of blocks across but not lengthwise....so I changed the layout to a zig zag.  Now the length is only 8" longer than the width, an awkward rectangular shape, but since this is a bonus quilt and will be gifted, it's going to stay this way.  I still need to make 3 more 16 patch blocks to finish the layout.

I first searched my box of 2.5" batik strips and was surprised there were hardly any brown strips in there.

This is the total yield of anything remotely resembling brown.

Next I searched the box of quarter yard or less pieces of batik.

This is the collection I will choose four from and make 2 blocks from each combination of 2 fabrics.  

It got up to 45 yesterday and today is predicted to be 50.  This is such a relief after the long cold spell we had.

 

First finish for February 2026.............

Purple Rosy is finished and I am so happy with the binding and backing as well as the top.  It is 65" x 82" and has Hobbs 80/20 batting.  It was quilted by Robin Diaz.

All of the fabrics are from the Kaffe Fassett Collective, the trio of designers.

The photo above was taken with my Canon camera and this photo was taken with my cellphone.  I think this one is truer color, but something halfway between is probably the closest true color.

This backing fabric has a lavender background.

I cut batting for these two quilts, the next to be quilted.  The top one in flannel and was started last year.

I used these 3 fabrics for the back of this quilt.  They are all leftovers from previous backings.

I will work on the back of the flannel quilt today.

I wanted to try the barn raising layout with the double 4 patch blocks.  I can't say I think this is pretty, other than pretty bright.  It will be okay for a quilt to gift.

I am trying the 16 patches as a border.  I will be short 3 blocks if I use them like this.  Since the center is an even number of blocks both ways I could do the layout where 4 squares make a diamond design, like I did on the purple/green one.