Started on Monday, Finished on Friday!

This is a record for me, so I'm immensely chuffed.  A scrappy cot quilt, 43 x 30 inches, free motion quilted yesterday on the 1945 Singer 15K treadle, and all the rest of the work done with the 1949 15K hand machine.

It is ages since I free motion quilted a pieced item, and I wanted to try it again and do a better job.  All the seams were pressed flat so they didn't give any bumps when quilting.

Lots of tiny scraps went into this quilt.  The tiniest piece, the red, measures an inch by three eighths of an inch (ridiculous - I'm not likely work on this scale too often).  It is part of a strip of four tiny bits trimmed from the edge of the Quilt within a Quilt Doll Quilt that I sent to Pattilou. Carla might recognise the polka dots, which is the left over binding from when I made her tea cosy.

This is the one diagonal seam, in the middle of the last remaining strip used on the back for joining the sections of the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Quilt I made in 2012.

These pretty roses on dark navy are the last tiny bit of an offcut I bought in Liverpool in about 1980.

The most economical fabrics in the quilt must be the bits from charity shop finds - the blue print, and the 1970s Laura Ashley to its right.

When I posted a picture of the completed top on Wednesday, Susan TBZ left a comment saying how much she loved purple.  I replied saying that in real life it was more dark maroony red.  What did I see when I pinned it up for a photo once I had finished it today?  Nothing but purple!  The blue on red of the printed plaid in the border just zings and makes you see all the other shades of purple in the quilt.  A colour spotter's badge to Susan!

Now the quilt is finished, and I can see how the colours work together, I can see that the fabrics that bring the whole mixture to life are the bright green floral...

...and its matching fabric.  The black background was really useful.  I put this piece near the centre to make sure the overall layout didn't look empty in the middle.

All told, this scrappy project was immense fun.  It used up lots of bits that were getting on my nerves sitting in the scrap jar and ended up as good practice in the use of colour.


Linking up today with Jessica's blog Quilty Habit for TGIFF
and Nina-Marie's blog Creations... Quilts, Art... Whatever for Off the Wall Friday
and Leah Day's blog for Free Motion Friday
and Kelly's blog My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday
and Sarah's blog Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday
and Barbara's blog  Cat Patches for the January NewFO Linky Party