making Rainbows

Today I sewed my third rainbow block using the Sunshowers pattern by Megan Collins. This time I used the included foundation paper piecing pattern in order to make a pink rainbow arch using scrap fabrics.

Always a pleasure to sew my scraps! Plus, I liked paper piecing just one arch. That goes quickly enough and adds just a touch of scrappy-goodness without getting too busy. The finished block is pretty, only I wonder if I would like it even more if I had used only simple prints for the paper piecing (i.e. no red/purple floral nor raindrops). I will try to keep it even simpler with my next paper pieced arch and see what I think.

Sunshowers block no. 2 was this beauty on a Speckled Sunstone Metallic background. Wow, that Speckled fabric really makes it special! I followed the lead of the colors splattered across the background print when choosing my arch colors. I love, love, love the atypical rainbow effect. Hopefully Elora will like it too!

So, here are the three rainbows that I have completed thus far. Each Sunshowers block is fairly large, finishing at 15.5” x 25”. As a result you can make a quilt-full pretty quickly.

My project is destined to become a bed covering for Elora’s new room, where she will have a loft bed. As a seasoned bunk bed mom, I know that making up the top bunk is a challenging task. The quilt is always somehow too small and too big at the same time. Plus, the sheet always gets lost.

A duvet, on the other hand, requires no sheet and no tucking. It fluffs into place much easier than a quilt. For these reasons I have been persuaded to finish her bed covering as a duvet cover instead of a quilt. Gasp! I know, I know - I am going totally rogue here! Cross your fingers, please.

I have purchased two Ikea duvet covers called Bergpalm. I will make her two matching duvets, so that one can be in the wash. The Bergplam is made of a simple golden yellow stripe fabric, which will serve as a good background for the patchwork. I plan to appliqué a column of 4 rainbow blocks on each duvet top. But first I will quilt the blocks somehow. To be continued - - -