Batik Lightning

Over the past year Jean has sent me some beautiful home-dyed batik fat quarters.  Since Cynthia is so generously hosting the block drive this time I have had more time to focus on projects on my wish list. Using some of these pretty batiks was one of them!

I pulled blue and yellow shades, cut them to 4.5" wide on my AccuQuilt and then sewed them together in a braid pattern.

Initially I had planned to trim off the jagged edged and piece them together as usual, but I ended up liking the effect so much that I did raw-edge-applique onto a back background instead.

I quilted it all over with a stipple in black thread.  This one has already been taken up to the hospital for donation through Covered in Love.

Here's an obligatory cat picture of Rory lounging on the back side of this just after it was quilted. Isn't that backing fabric wild? Gail gave it to me with a note saying she had no idea what she was thinking when she bought it!  Well, just goes to show every fabric will find its home eventually.  It doesn't exactly match the top, but I think it does "go".

By the way, a reprint of the paper article on CiL cropped up on AllPeopleQuilt this week.  It's nice how they say I've "touched the lives of many patients in more ways than one" considering they don't know me  :) Thank you to all of you who continue to contribute to CiL. You guys are the real heroes!

The current Covered in Love block drive is going on until the end of June if you want to help out.  More info here! 

Linking to Crazy Mom Quilts, Confessions of a Fabric Addict, and Oh Scrap!

Listening to... something a little different.

Misc. and a Cat in a Box

Happy weekend quilters!  There wasn't a finish this week but I have been busy.  In fact, I just put together fabrics for 9(!) quilt backings!  Some of those tops have gone to volunteer quilters and some are in my to-be-quilted stack.  Thanks again to those of you who have sent in backing fabrics. It makes such a difference to be able to make backings from larger yardage cuts!

Jannette from Canada sent in 4 beautiful tops and 3 large backing cuts.  Crazy Eyes (aka Rory) was more interested in the box, of course.  I also pieced a top last week from hand-dyed fabrics that Jean sent.  I did a braid pattern and ended up deciding to applique the edges onto the background fabric rather than cut them off.  I really like the zigzags that the raw edges make.

By the way, thanks to everybody who wished Rey a happy birthday.  I passed along your well wishes. She sure is a spoiled girl!

Linking to Design Wall Monday.