Gemm

Here's the pinwheel quilt - inspired by some HSTs I found while thrifting (if you can zoom in enough, the stripes and scallop shells from the same line, the turquoise with a few fuchsia accents and the solid green with white splotches). Other than the white which was bought new this year (but not actually for this project), everything came from stash.

I'm starting to learn why so many quilters seem to buy basics (whites, blacks, etc.) in bulk - I'm once again out of any useful amount of white. I'm either going to have to learn how to make the low-volume scrappy backgrounds that some people seem to be gifted with creating, or it will be back to the LQS for me - eek!

Edit: for those of you who are interested, the 4Ps ended up at 6.5" square (unfinished) and the binding was cut at 2.5". :-)

Snooze2978

I keep a large stash of whites, white on white, cream on white, cream on cream by the bolt. This way the scraps can be used also in another quilt needing a lite background. I'm still doing good with not buying fabrics since Nov 2018 but then I just came back from a Quilt Bus Tour back then and came home with 60+ partial bolts of fabrics. Need I say more.

Love your pinwheels.

happylab

I ordered 4 yards of backing fabric from keepsake fabrics, but they only had 3 yards precuts plus a 1.5 yard. I decided to pass on the order. For this project (BHMQ-21, for me), I wanted a one piece backing. When I get the project completed I will need to decide then. I’m also eyeing a backing piece in my stash. So, so far I’m not buying fabric. My finished BHMQ top will be about 120” wide by 85-90” long. BTW, I like keepsake fabric company. It just didn’t work for me at this time. So I’m still on the wagon.

joe'smom

I had this old beach-y bundle, which served as the foundation for these beach quilt blocks. Thinking of backing with a drop cloth, as was discussed in a thread not long ago. I hadn't thought of the issue of sand getting through the bottom.

Gemm

What a fun and bright quilt, Joe'smom - I also never thought of sand seepage (?) as an issue to be concerned about, but it's definitely something to keep in mind if a quilt is destined to be used outside. I'm wondering if the drop cloth would affect the quilt's washability, though. Could you make it detachable somehow, maybe with snaps or velcro? Then again, maybe your idea of a dropcloth is different than mine. :-)

joe'smom

I was thinking of the heavy cotton kind of drop cloth. I guess that might prove a challenge to wash because of the weight?

dunster

Sand is going to get on the quilt anyway, front and bottom. I would just accept that and make it as easy to shake out and wash as possible.

joe'smom

It was the idea of the sand getting in the quilt (that is, through the bottom weave) that concerned me.

dunster

I understand, but my point is that sand is going to be all over the quilt no matter what you do. People with sandy feet will step on the quilt, grinding the sand in. Sand will be in the bathing suits of the people who lie on the quilt. I wouldn't use anything with a loose weave, top or bottom, but be prepared to deal with a little bit of sand sometimes getting in the quilt, mostly through the seams. If the user is particularly concerned about sand getting in from the bottom, they could always throw a drop cloth down under the quilt.

elly66

Joe's mom what a happy quilt!
As my quilt room can attest, I like keepsake quilting. Actually if the room could talk, it would say she likes all the fabric stores! But i'm back on the wagon firmly planted.