Queen of the Strawberry Patch Quilt

Queen of the Strawberry Patch Quilt

I am lucky to be able to care for my granddaughter several days a week. She's (mostly) a joy! But many things in my life have shifted to accommodate my new schedule.

My garden has been somewhat neglected this year, but I kept reminding myself about priorities. We are still eating canned tomatoes from the past year when I put up 100+ quarts, and 80 quarts of beans. Because my shelves were still full, I allowed some beds to rest, some occasional weeds, and gave it minimal life support for months. But every day we would walk the gardens, check the greenhouse, water plants, touch, smell, and be barefoot in the grass. Even if it rained, we were out there. One day we just let ourselves be rained on until thoroughly wet. We watch birds, worms, the bugs and bees, and dogs running through the orchard. Today we were out quite early talking about the moonlight. I'm smiling as I remember and write this. 

She's learned to eat tomatoes off the vine, raspberries from the canes, tasted her share of dirt, and oh, the strawberries! She stands at the raised bed while I pick her berries, bite off the green tops, and pass them over. Her clothes aren't fancy coming from the second hand shop, and most days she's stained them with berry juice. It's unfortunate, but a good soak brings most of it out. The experience is worth the occasional loss.

I used 2 charm packs in this quilt. Because the fabric is not washed, I paired it with a selection of fat quarters I've had for years--also unwashed. Don't mixed washed and unwashed fabrics due to shrinkage differences. I laid as many charm squares as I could get onto my fat quarter, and marked the diagonals so I could make as few stops as possible while sewing. This was a remnant so I only got 6.

Here I fit 9, and you can see how I sewed down both sides. Then I roughly cut the squares out freehand with a rotary cutter, cut the diagonals, and pressed each one open. A quick trim sized each one up just right.

I wanted a layout with a pattern instead of just random half square triangles. This was exciting to me, and added pizzazz!

Another strawberry print border which needed several seams to make it work. I matched them as best I could, and moved on. With quilting, they may not be seen at all.

Another past Cotton+Steel fabric for backing, and this should be quilted for her Christmas. Fingers crossed!

Do you have a long list of Christmas projects waiting? I have in years past, but a short list now. I think we postpone far too long in the year to start our holiday sewing, and then it's disappointing to have to rush it. What are your thoughts? 

Come on, Doxie girls.

Let's go sew.