Dresden/Selvage Finish

>> Thursday, May 13, 2010

This little project needs a name. Any suggestions?

I started playing with the selvage string blocks a while ago. I sewed the blocks together and placed the large white square in the middle. I cut out a back and basted it and then it sat in the WIP pile for a while. I wanted to finish it but I couldn't figure out what to do with the big gaping white space in the center. At first I thought I would use my new-found free-motion quilting skills to do something. Flowers in different colors? Sort of like these? I liked the idea, but I wasn't sold on it, so I let the project drape over my ironing board for months.

Stephanie had been showing her neat work with dresden plates, but they intimidated me. Finally, Elizabeth wrote a tutorial for SMS' April quilting month and I decided to plunge in. I went to my scrap box and picked out a rainbow of fabric, trying to use ones whose selvages were already in the blocks. Deciding which fabrics to use was tough but I love the choices I made, as the dresden plate includes lots of fabrics I love. 

And it turns out dresden plates are pretty easy (at least once you read the directions carefully and sew the wide ends of the fabric together to create the point; it doesn't work so well with the narrow ends -- I know, because I tried). I need to work on my precision-circle cutting as well as my stitching down of the dresden plate, but I think it's a keeper.

The back was from my stash and I love the way it looks, with the circles popping out from afar. As you can see, I quilting in a spiral in the white dresden plate center and then did straight lines to make a grid on the selvage blocks. I even added tabs, based on this tutorial from Modify Tradition (a great newish blog, if you haven't seen it). For the binding, I opted for the solid dark aqua, which is very bright. I mostly love it, but occasionally I think, "wow, brightness." I'm not totally sure what I'm going to do with this. I thought about giving it to my mom for mother's day, but I wasn't sure a) if she'd like it and b) if I wanted to let go of it yet since it marks the fabric I used in 2009. (And since I didn't, I'm very delinquent on a mother's day gift. Sorry, Mom. I owe you one, and if you want this, I will give it to you. Let me know...)

And coming soon....

SMS Giveaway Day: Monday May 17 
~ I'll be giving away something or maybe 2 somethings ~

12 comments:

~Michelle~ May 13, 2010 at 1:05 PM  

Rainbow Flower?

That quilt is gorgeous! Love :)

Do you want more selvages? I could send you some :)

Anonymous May 13, 2010 at 2:49 PM  

Love! So colorful and cheerful. Can't tell the size of it, but looks like it might make an awesome wall-hanging, especially against a wall that is in any part of the blue or yellow families of color. Or, again depends on the size, but used as a tablecloth - but not straight, instead rotated 90 degrees so that the corners of the quilt hang off the straight edges of the table. Could be used on a coffee table or dresser to the same effect.

Yet another beautiful piece.

--Amy

Anonymous May 13, 2010 at 10:17 PM  

I love the look of selvage quilts, and the combination with the dresden plate is wonderful. As for a name, what about A Plate of Leftovers?

Abby and Stephanie May 14, 2010 at 6:10 AM  

WOWZER!!! Selvedges and dresdens. What a fantastic combination. I love it.

Selvage Quilter May 15, 2010 at 8:13 AM  

What a beautiful selvage quilt! Aren't they fun?
I know what you mean about reading the directions (for the dresden plate). Haha,I do that as a last resort and it always helps.
Great quilt!

Micki May 16, 2010 at 2:08 PM  

What a gorgeous quilt...really does remind me of spring.
Micki

Phoebe May 19, 2010 at 12:45 AM  

holy wow that thing is fantastic!!

Kristen May 19, 2010 at 4:23 PM  

I love this!! Such a great way to use your selvages. I wish I had that many!! ;)

shelia May 31, 2010 at 9:18 PM  

oh gosh... love love love!!!!

Ulla July 1, 2010 at 12:44 PM  

Great little quilt. Selvedges and Dresden plate are bot on my list now!

pratima July 1, 2010 at 3:34 PM  

So beautiful! Love the way you sorrounded the flower with the selevdges. Graphic and pretty!

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