Time To Get This One in the Hoop!

There's this quilt top that has been nagging at me for months now, wanting its turn in the sun. I call it Flock of Geese or my 'bluebird' quilt. It was brought to the quilt top stage back in early fall of 2014, so you have to know its been very, very patient with me.

Flock of Geese getting sandwiched and ready for quilting!

When this one was finally all together as a quilt top, I felt a definite disconnect to it. Starting out I didn't want any brown in the quilt at all and well, you know me. Brown usually finds its way into many, many quilts around here! The fact that the wide sashing strips are practically a solid brown? Well, for one, that made me squirmy as to how it was ever supposed to be quilted, and two, tho it's a very old fashioned look {in theory}, this one didn't end up looking that way at all. Hmm...

Honestly? The entire vibe was probably more modern than I was accustomed to producing. Just a little hiccup at the corner of expectation and outcome! But this does happen occasionally as I've finally, finally started to clue in. Duh! My ideas and style seem to evolve faster than I can often mentally process. I dabble in this and that, push the boundaries of where I want my colors and/or quilt elements to play and wallah! The results can be unpredictable, and yet, oddly exhilarating too! And yes, that's undoubtedly why I predictably backtrack into the old and familiar on occasion. Like taking a long, hot soak in the tub and trying to completely unwind.  

Flock of Geese

Fast forward to today and I'm totally scratching my head as to why this would ever have made me uncomfortable in any way, shape or form? It's such a me quilt! lol  It is also interesting to note that the fabric for the birds in this quilt is the same exact fabric I used in a border for Scrappy Tulips, the quilt I just finished stitching prior to Cherries & Improv. pictured below. Totally different usage of the fabric and yet, it was a great sparky element in both quilts! Have I mentioned before that I love, love, love stitching on old quilt tops at the same time as working on the new? And stitching back to back older quilt tops with completely different moods? Such an interesting perspective all the way around....

Binding strips for Cherries & Improv.

Gotta a busy week ahead so am trying to get some hand work ready to go. Once this binding is sewn together and then stitched onto the quilt, I can have myself a binding marathon squeezed in between all the crazy bits of our life. Onward ho!