Quiltingboard Forums - Batik WIP and you can never know when you'll find a bargin...

I bought my first jelly rolls from Connecting Threads. They had 24 2 1/2 inch strips in each roll and I bought two plus 3 charm packs, each with 24 5 inch sqs. To make the quilt below I used both rolls and had enough scraps left over for a small quilt. I cut the 5 inch sqs into 2 1/2 inch sqs. The first border will be black, then a pieced border of 2 1/2 inch sqs and then another black border. I have never used batiks before and this one is bright - very bright as my hubby keeps saying. I begin with graph paper. Each square on the graph paper represents a 2 1/2 inch sq. Makes it very easy to determine how many sqs. and strips that I need. I still have to lay the blocks out in a pleasing fashion; I just put them on my design board as I made them. I will post the finished top when done - about a week I guess. I am having so much fun doing this quilt top.

We have a bookstore here that takes books in trade for cash or store credit. They have books, new and used, music, magazine, toys, crafts, etc. and a cafe to sip coffee and leisurely read to your hearts content. Anyway, I found 12 blocks of a sampler quilt for $1.00 each (all the fabrics needed for each block are in the plastic envelope,) and 1 1/2 yds. of CHRISTmas fabric for $1.00. I had to pay nothing because I had store credit from the books I brought in. The blocks are from Hancock and are in blue/yellow/green. I will have to add the borders, but fortunately my LQS has the fabric. Don't you just love a bargin?