An Indian summer quilt

Finally finished: 

This quilt has had a very syncopated rhythm. Fits of activity followed by several weeks of being ignored. In the days and weeks after the birth of the baby I would rush to it whenever I could. Just to sew for twenty minutes made those hectic days easier.

I had been planning it in my mind for a long time. I knew I wanted strong simple geometric shapes so that the fabrics could speak for themselves. Baby's blocks fitted the bill perfectly. 

I also knew that it had to be done as quickly as is possible with a technique that is by definition slow. I did not want to still be making it in two years time (I have form). Deciding to make it a runner was part of that decision. A trip to the wonderful V&A quilts exhibition in the spring inspired me to get on with it. 

When it came to the 'how' of making it, I looked at lots of pictures on Flickr, got inspired by a few blogs, most notably Alicia Paulson's, read a few books, and just muddled through my own way using raw edges, zig zag stitch and fusible interlining.

As befits a patchwork, the fabrics are from many different places. Above you can see the selvedge of a limited edition Liberty print done for the V&A show. There are also some Liberty offcuts, some from my stash, a vintage fair, a couple of Japanese on-line treats and a few from my local haberdashery. I also added some trimmings into the mix.

It has turned out just how I hoped: a simple, not too fussy or pretty summer quilt. So pleased I actually finished it!