Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Category Archives: Peacock

Stash Report Week #20

Didn’t buy anything when I passed through the quilt shop Saturday, so nothing new purchased. Had I not sat down and quickly made the Peacock quilt top, there would have been nothing used either. I’ve been slowly working on my nephew’s quilt. Finished the 4th block and started the 5th last night.

Fabric Added this Week: 0 yards
Fabric Added to Date: 132.5 yards

Fabric Used this Week: 3.75 yards
Fabric Used to Date: 42.622 yards

Net Stash: +89.878 yards

Peacocks

Yesterday I was in the mood to sew — and preferably on something new. So, I pulled out the peacock fabric and the pink and purple which came in over the last two weeks and made this lap quilt top from the BQ2 pattern.

If you need a fast quilt this is it. Large blocks, just a few seams. I started to track the time I spent on it, but since I kept getting distracted, I lost track. I know it would have taken me less time if I didn’t have a directional print. I sewed 3 seams wrong — at least to keep all the peacocks on their feet.

This top measures approximately 54 x 72.

Now the tough part. Figuring out how to quilt it.

Fabric Before the Pattern

Judy over at Patchwork Times asked which comes first — the pattern or the fabric. For me, I think it depends. Since I tend to do ‘scrappy’ quilts, it’s probably the pattern most often, but occasionally it’s the fabric.

For instance, this peacock fabric:

Two years ago I found this fabric at Blessings Quilt Shop in O’Fallon, MO. I had absolutely no idea what I was going to do with it, so I didn’t even know how much to buy. Ultimately I ended up with 4 yards, plus a yard of purple and pink to go with it.

I tried desperately to make an Irish Chain quilt, but before I cut into the fabric, I designed it in EQ6.

I just wasn’t feeling the quilt, so the fabric has been sitting in my stash waiting for the right quilt to come along.

In April at the quilt retreat I went to, I saw a BQ2 (about 1/2 way down the page) made up in a Christmas print. Immediately I knew what I was going to do with my peacock fabric. I bought the pattern on the way home. After I started studying it, I realized I didn’t have enough of the pink or purple fabric.

I found the pink easily enough online, but the purple was trickier. I sent an e-mail to Blessings, and they were able to give me the color # so I could find the fabric. Blessings keeps excellent records, for just such purposes, and yes, I did inquire to see if they had either of the fabrics before I ordered them elsewhere. The purple arrived last week and the pink was shipped today. So, as soon as the pink arrives, I’m going to make a pair of the BQ2 quilts.

Meanwhile, the Irish Chain waits for the right fabric.