Spoilt Dog Quilts: I know a place in Africa: in memory of Karen Blixen

Tuesday, January 24, 2012

I know a place in Africa: in memory of Karen Blixen - my first UFO finished for 2012

This quilt which I started many years ago now (10+) is finally finished, all bar the quilt label. My good friend Dolly quilted it for me on her Happy Jack quilting machine. Here's a photo of it on my bed. Unfortunately it is not the best photo as our bedroom is not very big and the quilt is a large queen-sized quilt.

I started off with the following blocks but had to take some out, to keep the colour balance right and then I had to make some extra blocks to make the queen sized quilt that I wanted to make. Most of the blocks that did not make the front of the quilt were added into the backing of the quilt.

Here's my original bock which I sent out in the block round robin:

I just love circular blocks of any sort and adore the sunburst block which I have made many times. It is just such a spectacular looking block and one that looks difficult but isn't. This was the original block that I sent on its way in this swap and I am sure some of the swappers were not used to such bright colours. I tired to incorporate other fabrics from the fat quarters that I sent along with my block, so that it would "unite" the other blocks, which for the most part, did happen. I absolutely loved the feature fabric in this block with it sun or eye.

I bought the original African fabrics from a shop in the U.S. called Unique Spool, over ten years ago. Here's their website: http://uniquespool.com/ . I had six or so fat quarters sent to me each month for about a year, selected by the store staff and I still have plenty to make another quilt with.

To make the quilt into a queen size quilt I added in some extra blocks that I made up, as well as some other African-themed fabrics and some batiks which had prints (like the red and green pineapple block print fabric) which suited the African theme of the quilt.

I named the quilt in honour of Karen Blixen, author of the "Out of Africa" book which I read many years ago after seeing the wonderful film of the same name starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford. I also have a great love of lions, being a Leo and also of elephants and I do collect elephant staues, although not in a huge way - they have to "speak" to me in order for me to take one home with me!

Here's another couple of lovely blocks and fabrics from the quilt. I do so love the colours and the designs!