Love Makes a Family--post 2

The two red fabrics

Goal number four on my February list was to get this project into a top. In my first post about this project, I had pieced the words for the project and had placed some scraps on the design wall. I needed a few days to noodle options. The red hunk that I wanted to use, while a generous sized scrap, wasn't as large as I had hoped! I did pull another solid red fabric from my stash that is similar in value. While I considered purchasing fabric, I decided to use what I had on hand.

Frame in place, words and some scraps
auditioned

First, I removed all the pieces from the design wall. Next I made a frame that was 40 inches by 40 inches for the size of the project. I used selvages to mark the space. I allowed myself to narrow the width to save on the amount of background fabric! I placed the words where they felt "right" to me. I added some scraps. I walked away. I wasn't happy with the large area of background.

Auditioning skinny yellow strips

I decided to build the quilt from the bottom up to conserve as much background fabric as possible. I added a few skinny yellow strips because it brightened the project. Also, Riel, the character in the book, "Before We Were Yours" by Lisa Wingate, showed a lot of courage and initiative to keep her wits about her. The pieced horizontal strips represent the happiness she felt living on the river boat with her loving family. The vertical pieced skinny strips represent the chaos she and her siblings experienced. If she hadn't had the foundation of a happy family, she couldn't have survived the crap that happened at the Tennessee Children's home. The red represents the high alert under which she lived.

Progress at the end of the sew session

Once I added the yellow strips, I felt like the piece was coming together. My goal was to keep the length about 40 inches. Making the piece narrow would conserve the background fabric.I auditioned a narrower project. The words still looked balanced.

Progress at the end of another sew session

I continued filling in the spaces with the vertical bits. As I constructed, I laid background fabric in the open areas. This was a good way of ensuring that I was getting the most possible coverage out of the background fabric. As I completed each section completed, I was inspired to keep making progress.

Leftover background

In the end, I had enough background fabric to complete the top. I even had a few pieces leftover! I placed these in my solid scrap bag. Maria Shell is going to have a Zoom workshop in July about using scraps. This bag will be likely be used then. . .unless, they are "needed" for another project before then. My inner squirrel, Gertie, is always telling me about possibilities and she loves playing with scraps!

Finished top

The finished top measures 33 by 39 inches. I did look in my stash for a backing fabric. I found a red batik that I had purchased a long time ago. I actually had purchased three different red batiks. I made a shirt out of one of the fabrics. I can't remember how I used the second fabric. At any rate, rolled up in the backing fabric were the scraps. I made the shirt well before I had a scrap saving system.

Backing fabric

After processing the scraps, I found that I had enough two and half inch strips to make a quilted facing. I haven't made a quilted facing in a long time. I looked back in my blog. . .it was 2018!! Let's see if I remember how to make one! 

Ready to be basted

In March, I will layer the top, batting and backing to pin baste it. This won't take long because it is a smaller project. Next, I will quilt it. I'm thinking a lot of straight lines in the background. I might heavily quilt the background on the words; but, that is just a thought for now. Once the piece gets under my needle, then the conversations begin!

Linking to Frédérique at Patchwork and Quilts and Cynthia at Oh Scrap.