More Stash Busting

While I was at quilt retreat in April, I worked on a quilt top from Karen Neary's new book, Quilting Beauties Come in All Shapes and Sizes.

The pattern I chose was called Thistles in the Heather. You can see Karen's version here.

I came home from retreat and fell to an infection that kept me from my sewing room for about 6 weeks (knitting was just easier). This week, I have been trying to sew a bit every day. I managed to finish the top of my version.

My personal challenge was to try to complete the top without buying any additional fabric. I recently realized that the fabric manufacturers are constantly making new lovely fabrics, so using up beautiful fabrics from my current stash will open up room for new lovelies.

While I was working on it at retreat, I wasn't sure the fabrics were working together, but now that it is finished and I can see it in natural light, I quite like the result. Want to see?

I used some of my beloved purples, along with some turquoise and green. All of the fabric was in my stash of batiks that I have been "saving" (hoarding). I think it looks tropical, and will brighten things up next winter. I left off the corner points because I had about 2 inches of the light purple from the outer arches left. This exercise may have taught me to buy larger pieces of fewer fabrics.

I have some different light purple that I think will work for the binding. Now I need to dive into the stash and find a backing. Perhaps I can manage to get this one quilted sooner than my Maritime Beauty, that took me 2 years!

Meanwhile, we have a new foster cat. Meet Mowgli.

He is a lovely 6 month old Fawn Tabby. I told them at the shelter that if he spends much time in the sunroom, he may come back as an Orange Tabby. He is very sweet, though he has an adolescent appetite.