Quilt # 1

Instead of talking about the most recent quilt I completed, I thought I should first discuss the first quilt project I completed this year.

Meet Girly Green Garden, my first rag quilt of 2011....She is the start of a long string of rag quilts this year ( my thread and fuzz filled rug is proof). So get ready more rag quilt stories to come.

Why: I made this rag quilt so we would have something girly if a pink bundle of joy had arrived in April. At the time I had nothing girly, and as it turns out I didn't need any! Sorry girly green garden you have been shelved.

The fabric: I loved the paisley prints and the pot-a-dots; I especially liked them together. The green plaid and light green solids matched the green room it was made for perfectly. All together the fabrics formed a really soft palette that I adored.... and still do. The back is made of solid light green fabric ( different than the front) this is why the ragged edges appear mostly green.

How it was made. I made this quilt to fit a crib mattress 36" x 54" or 8 squares wide and 12 squares long. 3.25 meters of fabric was used for the top. I bought 5 fabrics @ .3 meters and 4 fabrics @ .25m (fat quarter). 2.3 meters of fabric was used for the back. **There was some leftover fabric.. stay tuned for the next quilt description and you will see what I did with it all.

I strayed from the rag quilt pattern I had and made all my squares the same size.

I cut everything first ( 6" top and bottom squares and 4.25" batting squares) then quilted all my squares with X's, then arranged, pinned, sewed the rows together, snipped, washed, dried and TaaDaaa it was DONE. I sewed on a 3/4" seam allowance instead of a 1". I like the way it ragged much better.

This quilt was easy to do. I was able to do it in numerous small sessions and stop and start often without having to think a lot. It turned out ok and I worked on it with a very pregnant brain and often late at night.

The name: For some reason I did not give it a proper name. Maybe this is because it sits in my closet not assigned to a room in this house or to anyone. Maybe it will get a new name when it finds an owner. In the meantime it is definitely girly, it is certainly laced with lots of green and it seems perfect for sitting on while having a cup of tea in an english garden.