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Saturday, May 24, 2014

Summer Comfort and Joy

I thought it would never get here, but summer has finally arrived!  Remember last July when I was lamenting the fact that teachers had to go back to school for inservice in the last week of July and that kids started right at the beginning of August?  Well, here's the payoff.  Our last day of school was yesterday, while I know that some places are in school for a few more weeks.  There is nothing like the feeling of walking out of the school for the last time of the school year!


It was fun to wind down last night by finishing up my Christmas quilt.  You know, I thought that it felt a little weird to use Christmas fabrics in May, but I have to say that it felt even more strange trying to take photos of a Christmas quilt when it's blazing hot outside.  The quilt just felt out of place.  So do me a favor and imagine that the quilt has a snowy backdrop instead of blooming roses.


My new favorite pieced backing method is to buy half yard cuts of fabrics, and save a quarter yard of each print for the backing.  I've been loving the bold stripes, and I really love that there is virtually no waste.  I also love that I don't have to search out a single fabric that compliments the front.  This quilt is 60x64" finished, and for a quilt of this size, I usually use about 14 different fabrics.  That works out perfectly for piecing the backing this way as well.


I've named this one Comfort and Joy.  Of course, it's a nod to the carol God Rest Ye Merry Gentlemen, which is one of my favorites, but also representative of what a quilt can bring to its recipient.


And frankly, I'm feeling plenty of Comfort and Joy myself now that school is out!   I love it when things work out like that!


11 comments:

  1. Hi Kelly, you pretend you're here in Australia where a blazing hot sun is normal at Christmas but then there isn't much use for quilts either except as decoration. Like your idea of buying a little extra of each fabric to piece the back.

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  2. I am so glad you said the size, because I first thought it was a baby quilt made from 2.5 inch strips. I love how big and simple it is, yet your layout is not predictable. Beautiful.

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  3. Love the colors of that quilt. Very bright and summery.

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  4. Hooray for getting a jump on Christmas sewing. Yes, it definitely seems out of place right now. We hit 96 degrees here in Florida today, which definitely makes it harder to even think about sewing.

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  5. Still five weeks of school left for us. We are counting down, but I'm very jealous that you're finished already. You have made yet another lovely quilt and could have photographed it quite easily here yesterday since it actually snowed for a bit in the afternoon. I sure wish spring would hurry up!

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  6. I need to finish my Christmas quilt...you are giving me inspiration! Beautiful job...and the name is fabulous. That is one of my favorite Christmas songs.
    - Katelyn @ Sing While Crafting

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  7. I like your latest pattern :)
    And what a great reminder to get started on Christmas quilts early!!

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  8. Congrats on the finish. Beautifully done!

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  9. Lovely design! It looks like a puzzle to put together, I love puzzles!

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  10. Very pretty. The fabrics look scrumptious to me and I really like your idea for the quilt backs.

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