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This quilt started in 2017. I guess it’s been seven years in the making. Kinda funny to consider how long winded of a project some quilts become.
I went back to some previous posts and found that I purchased this fabric in 2017. I do remember that was the year I purchased so much fabric. I browsed all the time. It was the beginning of knowing fabric designers by name and seeing the cycles of fabrics coming and going. I had a little bit of a side income to spend because of the blogging here and selling a few things here and there in my Etsy Shop. It was fun getting little packages of fabric in the mail quite often. I learned so much.
I started piecing this ‘Trip around the World’ quilt in 2018 using this tutorial by Quiltville. I can’t remember exactly when I finished the quilt top, but I do remember the quilt top sat for a long time on a shelf. I knew it finished up a little wonky, and I was avoiding the basting process. I also knew, for certain, when I started machine quilting it that there would be the little puckers all over. I have never learned how to piece with perfect accuracy.
Somewhere in the midst of the five to six years of sitting on a shelf, I learned that hand quilting was the solution to so many of my inaccuracy problems. My fabric wasn’t forced to bunch under the presser foot of a sewing machine. Hand quilting was also the solution to being productive while needing time to overthink life.
I need that meticulous work of hand quilting for some reason. I’m not always sure why something so slow is so rewarding.
Either way, the quilt is finished, and my four year old happily took it for her bed once she understood those are pink pears and not lightbulbs on the fabric.
I was not in love with the backing after I purchased it, but I’m content with it. Even though my local quilt shop doesn’t stock a lot of fabric I gravitate towards, I do try to purchase from them when I can. I figured there was something there that could work for the backing.
I left with this Effies Woods by Deb Strain for Moda. It’s the checked gingham in pink and white. After a quick search on google, it appears to be pretty well gone from stores.
And the binding? Wow, this is old fabric I purchased after being inspired by Red Pepper Quilts. She used the Kerchief girls on so many of her quilts, and I wanted to be like her at the time. I know it’s been on my shelf for a long time now, and I was happy to sacrifice a half yard of some of my favorite fabric to finish this quilt.
I’m surprised to find any available on Etsy right now: Bliss Stash and Miss Matatabi. I believe I purchased mine years ago from Miss Matatabi.
Even though it was seven years in the making, I think it was just as rewarding to finish it.
Most of the fabrics in this quilt are long gone from the stores, but if you need some inspiration or enjoy browsing, here are a few stores that I’ve most recently enjoyed purchasing from:
Pear Tree Market – She has tons of Kona solids to choose from and plenty of Heather Ross. She is one of my favorite designers.
Plain Janes and Co – She has so much Ruby Star Society to choose from.
Shop in the Making – She has Heather Ross AND Ruby Star Society fabrics in the same place. 😉
Polka Dot Secrets – She has plenty of Rifle Paper Co fabrics and Liberty fabrics. They’re both beautiful florals.
