Pastelly, a finished quilt

I wasn’t planning on custom quilting this quilt, but when a reader wondered how I would quilt it, the idea of doing something special began to grow on me.

And actually, the different elements of this improv quilt do lend themselves well to block-style custom quilting. This type of custom quilting isn’t super time-intensive, since you work in larger blocks sections. Still, it gives the quilt a lot of character. Maybe it even makes the improv patchwork feel more intentional.

I repeated certain quilting elements to create a sense of unity. For example, each of the white rectangle sections with 3 yellow squares is quilted with the same diagonal straight lines. Most of the star blocks have a fancy radiating pattern quilted on them, and I used elongated eights repeatedly on the quilt, at different scales.

Yes, quilting it was a fun project! Now, how about the whole finished quilt? Would you like to see?

Today I noticed those charming purple flowers growing in front of a characteristic wooden fence. It struck me as a sweet spot to photograph one of my most optimistic quilts.

That’s Pastelly! She’s sparkly and a perhaps touch mysterious, but mostly sunshiny happy, playful and candy sweet. This improv quilt is a celebration of life’s unexpected joys.

On the back I used some leftover Tula Pink tent stripes from the improv patchwork, as well as a big piece of an Anna Maria Horner Brave print. It’s palette and playful vibe sing along nicely.

I also included my last cut of this Mediterranean map fabric by Katarina Roccella. To me it’s symbolic since this quilt was actually the first new patchwork that I began after crossing the ocean to make a new home in Europe.

I am so, so happy with how it turned out! This couldn’t have happened if I had forced myself to finish the project before I was ready and before my mood matched the energy and colors of the work. These days I am feeling so much lighter, and this quilt is a manifestation of that joy.