The Covid Quilt

 

I have no recollection of where I first saw this quilt. I printed the picture so long ago that the edges have begun to curl. What drew me to it? Well, the color scheme is unusual. And the background is so subtle with the lattice a little wider than one would expect. And finally, the main thing (I think), was the imagined randomness with which the blocks were created.

For a few years I've kind of hoarded a FQ pack that I bought on line from someone I'd never shopped before. They were green and violet and some gold fabrics from Japan. Not taupes and not cute Japanese-y prints. But very Japanese in their tone. I thought they would be right for this design.

As I began to make a few blocks, I wasn't sure what the background would be. But then Bonnie and I went on a shopping trip and I saw some WOW stroke-counting fabric that I just knew would be right.

During the week before we left on our trip, I continued to make blocks. Eventually I had 20 and I was pleased. At the beginning I would look at the design of a block on the inspiration photo and copy it. But soon an instinct kicked in and I was making blocks from a gut feeling. On-line shopping provided a few more golds to finish out the palette.

A few days after we returned from our trip, I decided I needed to do something other than feel sorry for myself and thirteen other people sew. Down in the studio those few blocks were on my wall. I cut some of the lattice and put it up and saw that it was good. The inspiration quilt shows the cornerstones cut from the same fabric as the lattice strips; I wasn't sure I was going to stick with that. Himself agreed. The purple that I just happen to have, left over from last summer's quilts-for-the-homeless project went beautifully with the Japanese fabrics. I cut a few squares and then I knew that I wanted to cut that plaid-ish fabric on the bias, to mimic the pattern in the blocks. 

I'm liking this quilt-in-progress a lot. The inspiration quilt is 6 by 8 blocks. I believe mine will be 7 by 9. The blocks finish at 5-1/2 inches and the lattice and cornerstones at 2-1/2 inches. So far, so good.

I believe that clicking to enlarge will show the stroke-counting lattice fabric and the subtle purple plaid cornerstones.