Turkey Tracks: January 26, 2021
“My Bars” Quilt
I’ve been working on this quilt for some time now. It was inspired by Tara Faughnan’s “Bars” quilt, which I fell in love with at first sight. But Timna Tarr and Maria Schell have also been making similar quilts in this vein, but with different organizational color theories—solid fabric quilts drenched with color.
Tara’s “Bars” quilt was highlighted—along with her color theory—on a recent episode of Alex Anderson’s The Quilt Show. And, Tara has online classes for her color theory, using this quilt.
I really like Tara’s color theory, and I think the use of it made this quilt “pop.” I quilted it with a variety of size 8 perle cotton colors I had on hand—with a Tulip Sashiko “thin” needle. I really like the Tulip needles for hand sewing—they don’t bend out of shape when going through quilt layers—and are good about sliding through the layers. I have ordered more in different sizes. I used interlocking big circles as I thought the straight lines in the quilt would benefit from curves.
Of course, this project has been a great way to use up some of the solid stash I have acquired via three years now of The Color Collective projects.
One of the really fun things that has happened during the current Covid isolation has been the digging through my stash to find backings. I’ve been trying to find a use for this Kaffe Fasset print for over 15 years now. And it is PERFECT for the backing on this quilt.
I hung “My Bars” in my quilt room yesterday morning after taking down a quilt and moving “Let There Be Light” to that spot.
My Sugaridoo (solid version) is drying out on the longarm as almost near the end of quilting it, I discovered A FOLD IN THE BATTING about 10 rows up!!! So, I had to take it off the long arm, pick out the rows, and spritz the quilting holes with water to close them up. I got it back on the longarm yesterday so will likely finish it today. I am hoping to get it trimmed and to install the binding so I have some hand-sewing for night tv watching.
This is NOT the first time this has happened, so I need to devise a better method to proceed for the future. I float the quilt top over the batting, which also floats, and I measure and sew down the sides as I go. Perhaps picking up the top and taking a look at the batting along the way would be wise. I was smoothing with my fingers and feeling along the way, but I did miss this fold as it developed. Ugh!!
Here’s a close-up.
And here’s a pic of my best buddy and boyfriend cuddling next to my legs last night:
Louisa Enright's Blog 
I really like your splice quilt and yes what a fun and perfect backing! One of the benefits of years of collecting fabrics for sure. I have a very healthy collection of solids and you are tempting me to play!
Other than small projects I have never floated a top on my Longarm. With every advance I do give the batting a gentle pull to make sure that it is laying flat. 16 years of customer quilts have taught me well 😊
As always, you help me with the longarm. I am going to try to baste the “Splice” quilt on it, thanks to YOU. I do like to float the top over the batting on my machine—I feel like it helps me keep it straight as I roll down. I measure from the frame to the edge of the top on both sides to keep the sides straight on the backing. And I do pull the top and batting after each roll up—but from the bottom. I think now that I will need to pull from the sides as well. And, maybe even float the top over the bars so I can lift it easily and check the batting beneath. Anyway, that is my current plan. The Sugaridoo quilt is back on the longarm now, and I will finish it today and get it trimmed and bound, etc. The “My Bars” quilt has that fun Kaffe Fasset Rainbow Chard print. The “My Splice” wall hanging has the “Newsprint” backing as I had a piece that was just perfect for it. Sending you hugs this morning. It is snowing here in Maine.
Thank you, I think that I mixed up your quilts in my comment but honestly I have so enjoyed your quilts and inspiration! That Newsprint backing fabric won’t seem to leave my brain so I might just order some!
It is -27C with a feels like -33C right now…it’s actually warmed up a little! (-17F feels like -27F) very fresh out there! I am looking forward to forecasted snow.
I got more of it for a Log Cabin quilt backing I’m making for a niece—from Keepsake. It is getting harder to find now for some reason. Can I ask where you live? You could PM me if you are not happy with saying so here. Meanwhile, have a terrific snow day.
I am from Thunder Bay, Ontario Canada
Lovely! Lucky YOU! I loved and read all of William Kent Krueger’s mystery novels set on the Boundary Waters area, which seems to be somewhat near where you live.
WOW Louisa, this is really beautiful. Like you said, the colors really pop! Congratulations!
On Tue, Jan 26, 2021 at 9:55 AM Louisa Enright’s Blog wrote:
> louisaenright posted: ” Turkey Tracks: January 26, 2021 “My Bars” Quilt > I’ve been working on this quilt for some time now. It was inspired by Tara > Faughnan’s “Bars” quilt, which I fell in love with at first sight. But > Timna Tarr and Maria Schell have also been making s” >