Rhythm in Mint & Plum

A friend asked me to make a quilt for her daughter for her upcoming nuptials.  Well, when she asked the question hadn't actually been popped but she knew it was coming! I have known her daughter since she was born, I was thrilled to have the opportunity.  We actually share a birthday and have celebrated together on several occasions despite our difference in age, just fun to do! She has grown into a wonderful young woman and I am proud to call her friend! :)

I sent several ideas for the wedding gift quilt.  I found some in my quilting magazines, some in books and a few just online.  I really need to actually use those magazines I subscribed to so long ago.

This is Rhythm & Blues from American Patchwork & Quilting August 2009 Issue 99 and this is the one they chose.

Her colors for the wedding were these and so her mom thought it was a good direction to go for the quilt.  Now to find the fabrics!

In just looking through my stash I found these and decided that floral print would be my inspiration of sorts.  I hopped online and looked through so many plum and mint fabrics.  I settled on some from fabric.com and some from Fat Quarter Shop.  I ordered a few extras just to make sure I had the ones that coordinated.

About this time my husband and I began the project of remodeling my sewing room.  This is how it looked for quite awhile. 

It really put a halt to the quilt as I had to move everything out and cram it into another space.  I did leave the treadle in the doorway where I could get to it easily. 

(I will have to make a post about my sewing room finish...I LOVE IT!)

Anyway, I utilized my doorway sewing space and made all of the hourglass blocks.  I had a card table set up in another room for cutting.  Not that I recommend it, but I actually sewed all these blocks without ironing! I wasn't even sure where my iron was!

I made the hourglass blocks using the Missouri Star Quilts method I used for another project.  It took some figuring to get the squares the right size but it sure helped to not have all those bias edges for each triangle!  Finally back in the newly remodeled sewing room I made the strip blocks and started putting it all together.

Tada, a finished top!  It is a queen size quilt.  I am thankful for the size chart in the magazine since the published pattern was for a smaller size.  I didn't have to guess on all of the yardages.  I think it turned out well!  I made each purple hourglass block have one of the floral print triangles in it.  That used my brain the most I think!  Haha!

I am quickly learning that I need to be a bit more organized to finish projects with this little guy around.  He is getting more and more mobile, so close to walking.  We went along to a few brandings this year.  He got to have his first time horseback at one!  Such handsome men I have! :)

Back to my quilt...I did the entire project on my treadle machine.  It is such a reliable beauty! 

I didn't have enough of just one of the plum fabrics for my outer border so I pieced it out of multiple and added a leftover block for the corners.

As you can see I went with an allover loopty loop quilting pattern.  I was running out of time and knew that would be fairly quick and still pleasing to the eye.  The quilting was also done on my treadle!

For the backing I pieced together all of the leftover fabrics and even a few other purples I had in my stash.  It was just barely enough, but we made it! Hurray!

I love the way it looks like a stained glass window with the sunshine coming through.

I am very pleased with this finish.  The colors and the pattern aren't ones I would have chosen but it really came together well.  I love that kind of a challenge as well as getting to choose myself.

Hurray for a finish for someone I care about!

And now it has been given to the happy couple and the I do's have been said and the party's been had.  Here's to another fun finish!

Linking up: 

Alissa