Bloom Strong

I did finish binding this quilt as promised! The next weekend, Roy and I actually had a babysitter and went out to dinner together. He was nice enough go up to the University of Kansas campus with me to get photos. It's always funny watching people watch you while taking quilt photos!

This is Strong Hall at KU. KU has some beautiful architecture but this building was never one that interested me much. Perhaps memories of the hot, frustrating math classes on the top floor? I happened to catch a show on the local tv station this fall that highlighted the architecture of several buildings in Lawrence and for some reason I grabbed my sketchbook and got busy making quilting designs.

When I was in college, I loved spring on campus. The flowers and trees were in bloom everywhere and I was so happy to be outside more. Tulips were always some of the first flowers at the base of the Jayhawk statue in front of Strong Hall. I thought the tulips and other prints in Kate Spain's Verna fabric would add the perfect softness to a quilt with such strong lines.

I used 10 fat quarters and added some solid white. It measures about 47"x45". It's actually a bit wider than it is long. I quilted it simply with straight lines to give it a soft drape. I'm glad I experimented with wider spacing but in the end I think I do prefer a little heavier quilting.

I intentionally kept the back very busy in case my friend wanted to take the quilt into the yard for her baby while she watched her older children play.

I used a print with a soft, blue background for the hand stitched binding.

I started the quilt in the fall last year and had it all pieced before the New Year. I'm not sure how all this time passed so quickly before I finished it. I suppose other projects jumped ahead in line. It was the first quilt that I designed myself and completed on my own.

I'm excited to take it to my friend's little girl tomorrow. I hope she will get a lot of enjoyment from it over the next few years.

Do you have any gifts in progress?