painted paddles

(hey look, more snowy ice photos — I have to take advantage while I have (willing) helpers!)

Long (long!) ago, I made the blocks for this quilt. I just took a look back, and in December of 2013, Hawthorne Threads sent me a bundle of their new solids, Hawthorne Hues. I made up several fun blocks incorporating all those great solids and blogged about them here in June (I feel badly about how long it takes me to use some of the fabrics I’m so generously sent!). Anyway, their fabrics are wonderful – really nice to sew with, and I had a lot of fun putting together these blocks. They’re inspired by painted oars I saw in a magazine around that time (Crate & Barrel, maybe?) — [Nope, cb2 – here’s an image of the inspiration]. I love the nautical feel, and it was a fun challenge to come up with designs that fit that feeling.

(flowers, hearts, stars, oh my!)

I made up a bunch of blocks and then was totally stumped by the layout and sashing. That post from June shows I was looking at Robert Kaufman Essex yarn dyed fabrics as an option, and I think I toyed with a number of colors of Carolyn Friedlander’s crosshatch print. When I pulled the blocks out again after our move, I was no closer to an answer, so I ordered a bunch of additional sashing possibilities but still couldn’t commit to one (good for those shops I ordered from, not so good for my wallet!). In the end – mainly just to get it off the design wall – I went with the black cross hatch print by Carolyn Friedlander, one of my first options. I did get to use one of those other sashing options for backing, so all is not lost.

Now I’m stumped on how to quilt it. It’s been basted for several weeks now and remains pinned to our bedroom carpet, making it a challenge for Morgan to get to bed. I’m hoping I figure it out and get it finished in time for boating season!