Thinking Summer Ice Cream

Whilst I was doing my OP Challenge, my top reminded me of ice cream, and even Jan thought the same. We all love Ice Cream right?!! Whats your favourite flavour? Mine has to be chocolate! Well, anyway, back to the OP ice cream thoughts, which got me thinking that I have already made an Ice Cream quilt before, so I thought I would share it with you all. This quilt was made in 2002 whilst I was living in Holland, from a pack of fat eighths ( I think!). I know I had to do a load of maths to work out how many strips of each colour to see what size to cut them. The squares are 1" finished. This was made using the tube method for trip around the world, which is OK if you can sew in straight line without causing those strips to twist this way or that. Whilst I pieced the centre OK, I didn't have any fabric for the border, so whilst I was home for the weekend, a visit to the LQS (top back in Holland) I chose this really subtle rose print and a pastel check for the binding. Fortunately it was only when I got back to the top did I realise just how good a match they both were. Machine quilted, this was one of my early attempts at free motion quilting, and whilst its OK, I know just how much of a battle of wills it was between me and my sewing machine. I was using a Janome, which does not let you lower the feed dogs, you have to put a plate over the top of them. Its a real pain in the proverbial! Fortunately, I have improved my skills, and both my Bernina and Juki lower their feed dogs. Ahh, how I love those machines!

I'll share more of my other quilts with you along the way. I have enough, that's for sure! Can you ever have too many quilts? Certainly as times get more thrifty, I know my family and I will, at least, not be cold! lol