Between projects and with little drive to sew, I decided to audition fabrics for Arkansas Crossroads quilts: two with matching Frida Kahlo prints and one with Japanese fabric for Sashiko stitching, an embroidery style I have been meaning to learn.
From a Frida Kahlo fat quarter bundle, I created a kit for the first quilt. My plan is to sew the top, then sandwich and free motion it tomorrow, but as usual I know that may be too lofty for one day.
The original vision entailed using pink and songbird Riley Blake solids, but I chose to use the hot pink with the softer shades of the Japanese fabric bundle.
Auditioning fabric for a scrappy quilt may sound counterintuitive, but I like to “plan” my scrappy quilts to some extent, making sure the color scheme and prints have a pattern, whether they contrast or blend, or both.
Since I gave my pup Iolande the quilt I used when lounging in the living room, I’m going to keep two of the quilts for myself. I am either going to gift one of the Frida quilts or post it in my store or on social media to see if sells. That definitely will probably be the one I free motion quilt tomorrow; the ones I keep will be Sashiko embroidered, and they will be my first attempt and likely have imperfections.
Sometimes I need to be selfish and sew for myself, something useful and practical. I didn’t have the motivation to finish my prepped projects for the store, sewing myself a bag or sling seemed equally daunting, but I know that quilting will bring me the joy and inspiration I need to resume those unfinished projects. Already, I feel super excited about my first quilt planned for tomorrow!
Eduspiration 