Sunset Quilt

I just realized that I never posted about my sunset quilt!  Oops! 

I chose to do the landscape theme in the last swap for S.T.U.D. (Swap Til You Drop).  This was my first landscape quilt--and the only applique I'd done was the basket on the Wizard of Oz Toto quilt.  I did practice a little machine applique first making four pink bunny blocks, just to build up my comfort level first.  At the suggestion of some of the Flickr members, I quilted at the same time as I did the machine applique so that the shapes showed on the back like a drawing.  I'm still not 100% sure I like that look, but it is an interesting effect and I'm glad I tried it.

Here's a look at the back:

I used decorative stitching for the machine applique for a little added texture to the piece (and way more fun then just plain zigzag stitching).   For the label, I made a little house shape and instead of putting the label in a corner, I put the "house" into the scene.  The purple border is the actual binding.  I know, you're wondering what the binding is doing on the back--its called a knife-edge binding.  This is a sneaky way of putting a binding on without it showing on the front at all--think of a gallery wrap canvas print.  Perfect for art quilts.

Here's the goodies I sent with the quilt:

My partner, Andrea (quiltedoma), is a cat person (no one's perfect), so I included a cat pattern called Nana's Pretties and a piece of cat Laurel Burch fabric.  I literally had one little piece of cat fabric in my entire stash--maybe I should have sent some dog fabric instead for a little chaos in her sewing room, lol!  I also sent some fabric with dots for her dot fabric drawer.  (This woman has a fabric stash that makes me drool--think small fabric store!)  I also included some goofy lighthouse/seashore fabric, because, afterall, it is a landscape theme.  There's also a bag of tiny beads for use in quilt embellishments, some vintage rose piping, a cooling neck wrap (New York was having really hot weather at the time) and one of my reproduction hankie dolls.  There's also a bag of herbal tea which is my own blend of lavendar mint.  I also included a print out of the paper pieced pattern for a block I made in the Bee White Black group that Andrea loved so much--now she can make one too!

Alright, enough stalling!  The front of my sunset quilt:

I wanted something vibrant and just a little artsy.  I think I accomplished it.  I did not have a pattern, just an idea in my head and I cut it out as I went.  The quilt is pretty close to what I was envisioning, so I'm quite happy with the results.  I love that there is no binding showing so it is more like an art canvas.  This is made entirely with fabrics from my stash and scrap bin, so I also followed my "no buying" rule (self-imposed until I finish all signed up swaps through November).  It was fun to try something new--and everyone here who saw this little quilt fell in love, so I may have to make another one sometime!