Flower Power Rainbow Quilt

Okay, I've been working on this quilt for a long time - like 3 years.  I keep taking it out to work on it, but don't quite get it done.  But this weekend I finally finished it!  

One dreary winter day about three years ago, I went into my sewing room and cut out lots of 5" squares from my stash.  I sewed a strip onto two sides of each square and then laid them out in some form of a rainbow.  I had to move the squares around a bit to get the look that I was going for.  But eventually I liked the layout.  

I worked on the quilt here and there throughout the years but finally this weekend, I put it on my longarm and decided to finish it up.

While trying to decide how I wanted to quilt it, I decided to do freeform flowers, kind of like Flower Power designs from the 70s.  I thought that theme went along well with my Rainbow quilt.  So it's the Flower Power Rainbow Quilt.  Catchy, don't you think?

I put a black binding on it.  I'm still not sure if I totally like it.  I tried some darker grays, but just didn't think that they framed the quilt as well.  What do you think?  Do you like the black border?

Here's a pic of me at one of my sewing retreats after I put a border on it.  Someday I'd like to make more rainbow quilts using different patterns.  Next time, I hope they don't take as long!

 

My Fall Sewing Retreat

Not only do I go on a Quilting Retreat in the winter, but also in the fall.  Ah, I love fall.  My friends and I went out on a walk during our retreat time and the landscape was amazing.

It was such a beautiful weekend!  The weather was just perfect and the trees were in full fall color. 

I do have to say, here in upstate NY the fall is such a great time of year!  (I'm not sure about what comes next- a very long winter, but I do love fall.)

Here is a pic of the outside of our hotel rooms first thing in the morning.  :)

On the inside, I was working on several different quilting projects.  Although our retreat is 4 days, I never get enough done!  There are just so many projects to make.

I started working on the Rainbow Quilt last winter.  This weekend I sewed some borders on it and got it ready for the backing and quilting.

I added a light gray border to it and I love how it makes the rainbow colors all stand out. 

This weekend I started this colorful quilt made from a jelly roll.  I saw the picture in a book and tried to get the whole quilt put together in a couple of days.  After sewing the strips together, I wasn't sure if I liked how it turned out.  (Don't you hate that?)

But now that I have it at home, I put a teal colored border on it and like it a lot better. I hope to finish it soon to give to a friend who is moving away.  She likes bright colors.

This is an adaptation of Pat Sloan's "Oh, my Stars" quilt pattern.  I picked up the fabrics last fall at the Houston Quilt Show and cut them into squares to make a quilt for one of my sons.  Last year I made him an afghan in these same colors, so I'm making the quilt to match.

It's ready for a backing.  I'm hoping to finish it for Christmas.  Wish me luck!