Fastest Finish Ever!! The Bogan Quilt

This week I had my fastest finish ever!!  I started a top on Tuesday, was finished quilting by Saturday and had it bound and ready to be gifted before the day was out.  Today it has gone to it's new home.  And hence the urgency!  I need deadlines apparently, and when I have them (and they matter enough) I can power through.

Someone I love is going through a hard time at the moment, and the only way I know to show that I love them is to make  a quilt.  Quilts, for me, are a way to wrap someone up in love, and provide a tangible proof of that love when real cuddles are too far away.

Rain, hail or shine, you are loved xxx

I needed something simple. Both for time and because it's going to a man who is very much about simple utilitarian  things.  He's a tradie and when I think of him, I think flannel and plaid and utes and camping... He's a bogan and I love him.

I have recently started following Kitchen Table Quilting because she is making up free patterns for oversize traditional blocks, and they are just gorgeous.  Quilt maths is my weakest point and so I super appreciate having someone else do that work for me.  The March Giant Block  is what drew me in initially I think.  Erica puts together some suggested layouts for using the blocks in her post, which is such a great help for those us of who have difficulty imagining layouts.  But when she posted her block on point and made in Carolyn Friedlander oranges, blues and greys I was sold.  I've had it on my mind ever since.

So when I was looking for something to put together this week, I knew that was my starting point.

I decided recently that I wanted to make a denim quilt so I've started hoarding various denims, so the top was able to be pieced from stash.

 I backed it with a plaid flannel.  Both the denim and the flannel are so soft - I think this is going to just yummy to wrap up in, and I am hoping the denim ages well - like comfy jeans ;-)

I quilted it very simply - Straight vertical lines on the denim and in the ditch for the centre block.  The goal was not to be fancy but to be right for the recipient.  It's also better not to try to test my quilting skills if I'm trying to be speedy.  If I had more time I think hand quilting or tying could have looked amazing, but I was not willing to risk blowing out my deadline.

I used the same grey to bind it, and even attempted home made bias binding - I feel very fancy.

And now it's on it's way to it's new home.  To wrap my boy up with love until I see him again and can give him real cuddles.

So that's my fastest finish. Woo to go in less than a week.  I'm actually pretty proud of that.  Now back to the long term WIP pile..

E xx