Friday, August 22, 2014

Milky Way

I first saw this pattern about 2 years ago in a Fons and Porter magazine.  That magazine got borrowed or lost and the pattern was gone.  But, I knew that it was meant for me when the free pattern came in an offer to renew the subscription.  I then filed this in the definite to-do folder.  I could envision this as a very "Happy Quilt" made in bright fun colors.
 
I decided to make this a scrap quilt. I wanted to prove to my hubby that all that 'stuff' that I hold on to could become something beautiful.  I began to search my scraps to try and make each spinner completely different.  To do this, you begin to destroy any organization that you have built into your sewing stash.


The door stayed open to the closet for days and the scrap boxes were strewn across the floor.  I am usually such a "neat freak" that when my sister came by the house she was blown away that my sewing room was such a disaster.

The planning began to take shape.
 
 
It took about a week to select and 'fussy cut' all the pieces.  As I worked through it, I found several scraps that contained pictures.  Some were 'girly' some for boys.  I considered mixing but changed my mind and decided that maybe in the future there would be a boy's version.
 
Once I got the spinners planed and sewn, it was time to  build the stripping between the center and the  4-square border.  The pattern showed a white strip.  That did not work for me.  I then tried taking short strips of many of the fabrics but it seemed to be "too" scrappy.....needed some color continuity.  Several trips back through the closet and I uncovered this lavender print.  Yay!!! It worked for me.
So for now, I have a Friday finish of the "Milky Way" for girls.
 
It has been packed away as I have several other projects with deadlines laying on my table.  I plan to machine quilt it myself, probably during the winter months when nights come early and seem to last forever.  During those gloomy days I will need the bright-fun colors to cheer me up.



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