Emerald Coast and NTT

Welcome to Needle and Thread Thursday, friends!  I am delighted to share my newest finish with you today, and I've named it Emerald Coast.  After seeing how closely the colors in this quilt resemble Florida's Gulf coast (where we went on vacation), how could I call it anything else?

This quilt used up almost all of my bluish-greens, greenish-blues, aquas, teals, and every color in-between- 36 fabrics total!  And of course, all the leftovers went on the back.  I originally made enough blocks for a 72" square quilt, but I realized that if I used all of them on the top, I might not have quite enough leftovers to fill out a pieced back that size.  Since I'm trying to make quilts entirely from stash, I decided to make the quilt 60" x 72" instead, and build the pieced back around the six extra blocks.  I used the blocks, along with chunky strips, to make big log cabin-style squares and then just filled in the gaps with extra scraps.  I had just the right amount to make the back, as well as a pieced binding (more on that later).

The allover swirl motif I chose for quilting adds so much amazing texture, and I'm really happy with the way it turned out.  Since the bowtie blocks have a circular secondary pattern, the quilting really gives the look of swirling water.  I took some extra photos in the bright sunshine to really show off the quilting texture.

I love that this quilt looks like an expanse of water and I didn't want to contain that with a single fabric binding, so I used the last of my of scrap strips to finish this one off.  It's magical the way a scrappy binding just disappears into the quilt.

I just love the way this quilt came together, and I am certain that Emerald Coast is the perfect name for it!

Now, without further ado, let's check out some of the highlights from last week's party.  Thank you all so much for your patience with the Linky.  The problem was definitely on their end, and hopefully it wasn't too inconvenient for you.  

Gretchen's Little Corner shared this colorful beauty-

This is from Sally at Crafts, Cavies, and Cooking.  It's a headboard, y'all!!  What a genius idea!  Check out her post for details on the process.

Take a look at this lovely quilt from Something Rosemade.  This is just ONE of the awesome quilts she shared this week-

And finally, this little bonus quilt from Yvonne at Quilting Jetgirl is simple, but so happy and fun!

Okay, friends!  It's time to link up, but before we do, I need to let you know that NTT will be taking another little break for the Fourth of July holiday next week.  If you're in the US, have a safe and fun holiday!

Now, let's do it!

1. You can link finished projects or WIP's , but just keep it about quilting and sewing!

2. Link to your specific post (not to your home page!) to make it easier for others.

3. Please remember to spread the word and post my button or a text link within your 

    post.  

4. Spread the comment love far and wide!

5. Following me is not a requirement to link, but is so very appreciated!

*If you're new to the party, here's a helpful tip for linking up- select "Auto Crop"  when selecting your thumbnail photo.  For some reason, trying to crop your own image results in the dreaded "white question mark box," and we definitely want to see your awesome work!  :)