A Birthday Quilt for Harriet

For my Mother in Law's birthday this year we celebrated by joining her on a camping trip and having a small family birthday party at the campgrounds.  She has a membership to a campground up in the desert above Banning, California that she stores her camper at so that's where we went.

It was very hot up in the desert in July (who would have ever thought so?) so we spend a lot of time in the camper playing cards and relaxing.  Well, we would have been playing cards no matter what the weather was like- that's what our family does- we play cards for money.  Not much money, none of us are rich or are big into gambling, normally at the end of the day if you've been having a good day your up 20 cents.  That kind of gambling.

Anyways I've been wanting to make her a quilt for her birthday, so that's what I did.

Quilt Front

The pattern is a free one from Elizabeth Hartman called New Waves and I made it in the lap size.  I made a smaller version earlier this month using boy fabrics, you can see that post here, and the pattern can be found here.  

Detail of quilt front

 All the fabrics were ones I picked out on a shopping trip at M&L.  I started with the red batik four rows down in the quilt and then built all the other fabrics around it.  I almost didn't want to give it to her I loved it so much.

Quilt back

I quilted it pretty simply since it was a large quilt and I didn't want it to take forever.  I started by quilting lines 1/4 inch above and below each seam.  I loved the way it looked so I left it at that.  It's bound in Kona coal.

Patchwork on back

For the backing I used a purple print that I loved but thought didn't work well on the front.  I did a little patchwork for the back and included one of each of the prints on a strip to break up the huge expanse of purple.

 

Birthday message

And of course I included a message for her on the quilt back so she always remembers who she got it from and for what occasion.

I still have a lot of the fabrics left so I'm thinking I might make myself something fun.  I could probably make a mini quilt to go in my sewing room, or possibly something for the house like a tablerunner with matching napkins.  Oh the possibilities!