Wins, Waters and Wisdom (Math)

Let's start with the good news. Shall we?  Here are the winners of the American Hustle? Orphan Adoption Event.

American Hustle Top - Cindy
Pigma Micron Pens - PK_Sews
Mini Wacky Web Template - Shelley

I will send you emails asking for your postal address, so that I can ship your items to you.
Karen, even though you did not win the quilt top, I will send you another quilt top to finish.  The cause of Marine mothers giving up their babies for adoption touched my heart.

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The theme of the 2016 Quilt Show challenge is "Virginia's Beautiful Waters".  
Here is my entry.

Skipped a Stone

The challenge - Create a quilt that best expresses your idea of the theme - Virginia's Beautiful Waters.  It can be an art, pictorial quilt or a quilt in "theme related" colors such as blues for ocean, white & green for waterfalls in the woods, green & brown for "Dismal Swamp", etc. 

Texture in the Sun (Wood Grain quilting near the bottom right)

The quilt uses 2.5" strips of blues/teals/aqua with white strips.  The blocks were created using the 
Missouri Star Quilt Company's tutorial - Summer in the Park.  

Walking Foot Quilting

I loved the blocks and the various possibilities of arranging them.  I started with placing four blocks making a colored square (at 45 degrees) in the middle.  That became the focal point. After that, I placed blocks all around as if they were rippling out from the center.

Gentle Curves

It did take a few iterations to get it right here.  In the end, everyone who saw it said nice things about it.  Either they really liked it, or they are being incredibly kind :-)

Sunny & Rippled (May favorite picture)

I believe that the slightly off-center design creates more interest.  The layout of the blocks creates concentric waves, but more angular than circular.  When it came to naming the quilt, I did not want to go with the obvious - Ripples or Waves.

Radiating outwards

Fortunately, that night Paul was watching the French movie "Amelie". When I saw Amelie skipping stones, I found the name - Skipped a Stone.

Blue, Aqua, Teal & Navy = YAY!!!

The choice of the border was definitely tricky.  Wanted to make sure that it was neither blue nor white, so as to keep the focus in the main quilt.  Any color from the warm side of the color wheel would be too distracting. A medium gray (thin) and a wide batik (navy+aqua) worked just perfectly.  Did you notice that the batik print looks like aqua droplets on navy background.

Off Center Focus

I love the navy and aqua grouping. I am sure you will be seeing it a lot more :-D right here.
The quilt top finished at about 57" by 70".  A wide backing acquired from Connecting Threads (on the 40% off sale day YIPPEE), was my choice. Yes it is very Christmassy.

Winter/Christmas Backing

This way it is Summer in the front and Winter in the back.
The batting is Warm & Natural.  Quilted in gently waving lines, with a few wood grain like curves.  Someday, I will learn FMQ. For now, thanks to Jacquie Gering, I do not have to send my quilts to a longarmer.  I can do this.

Finished!!!

The binding is aqua solid which works beautifully with the front and does fine with the backing.

You make me happy!

One more picture.  When I was piecing and squaring, while trimming the pinked edges, I noticed a tiny heart shaped bit of fabric.  Had to capture that picture :-)

Yes, I love this one.

I heart YOU!!!

The Quilt Show is June 3 - 5, 2016 in Chantilly, VA.  I will be volunteering a couple of the days, just so that I can stand near my quilt and watch folks react to it.  Is that too self-absorbed?  Please let me know.

I will be linking with all my favorite linky parties!!!
 
Here is a peek into my loot.  Acquired these Good Neighbors (Amanda Jean Nyberg) fat quarters and the supercute cows fabric yardage from Connecting Threads when it was a whopping 40% off.

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