'Across Continents' - An Improvised Quilt

 Love knows not distance; it hath no continent; its eyes are for the stars - Gilbert Parker

Here's my latest quilt finish and it's a first for me - I've moved away from traditional piecing and quilt patterns and instead I've pieced the fabrics in a modern, improvised, rectangular design.

I was inspired by my fellow Manhattan quilt store Staffer, Mallory, who made a fab quilt using Kibibi Sheeting in Sienna from the Africa collection by the De Leon Design Group for the Alexander Henry Fabrics Collection 2012, it's amazing with wonderful birds and flowers and I used it as the inspiration to pull all the other fabrics!  

Other fabrics in the quilt are:

Red fabric on the quilt top - P&B Textiles Bear Essentials 2 collection

Yellow paisley fabric - Andover Fabrics: Crimson Bouquet A-5413-Y by Jo Morton

Below is a fern floral fabric inspired by a quilt from the International Quilt Study Center & Museum at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln designed by Jo Morton and Kathy Hall - Andover Fabrics: IQSC Square in Square A-5885-K

 

I've switched continents again including a striped panel of Wagara indigo Japanese fabric across the bottom of the quilt top and also two strips of another Wagara indigo to frame the upper rectangle on the quilt top.  I've used these two fabrics sparingly as they're so expensive $36.50/yard!

Creating a base for all the fabrics is the wonderful Kaufman Essex Linen Yarn dyed Black
 and the binding is Shades of Black by Me & My Sister Designs for Moda #22196

The finished quilt measures 52" x 80" and the quilting is 4.5" vertical lines using Aurifil #4030 - Plum and a 3.2 stitch.  I've also quilted 1/8" either side of any seams to support the differing weights of fabrics at these weaker points.

And here's the back - the red on this side of the quilt is the most wonderful, soft Peppered Cotton #26 Garnet from Pepper Cory for Studio E Fabrics.

That peppered cotton is just to die for and is probably one of the main reasons that this is now my favourite quilt that I've ever made!

Disclaimer: 

This post is for informational purposes only, no payment or commission is received on click-throughs and opinions are my own.