The "Waste Not" Quilt Top

Two things were clear to me when I got to Madras. One, I really, really had missed sewing on a competent machine. Two, I spend entirely too much time on the Internet, and have all kinds of spare time when Internet access isn't readily available.

These two facts collided, and I sewed up this quilt top in Madras in the fringes of time in between non-stop shopping, eating and visiting family.

Quilters will know that quilting creates all kinds of orphan blocks and pieces. This quilt was created very simply - I put together orphan blocks from projects created by my mother, my aunt and me*. The work chiefly consisted of joining blocks together and adding borders to get each block to 12 inches, and then adding black sashing.


Nonetheless, despite the simplicity of construction, this is my favorite quilt top. I love how bright it is, and how cheerful.

Incidentally, sewing machines in India are so much better constructed. My aunt has a Singer which she bought ~4 years ago. It is all metal - comes with a table, and sews like a dream. Because, for many Indians, a sewing machine is a significant investment (and in many cases, their livelihood), I think the quality of the product is just that much better. Both my mom, who sews on a crappy Brother, and me (whose sewing machine troubles are well known) were seriously envious.

Next post - pictures of the fabric I bought, I promise. I just have to lay them out, and photograph them.

*At one time, I'd decided I didn't want to quilt anymore, and had given my aunt a ton of half-finished projects, fabric, etc, which is how my orphan blocks were in Madras in the first place.