On Ringo Lake

Just in time for Bonnie's final linkup, I have both of my On Ringo Lake tops complete.  The first is Bonnie's design, just made smaller using only about 3/4 of the blocks.  I call this "Christmas on Ringo Lake". I chose Christmas colours for the theme, based on the fat quarter shown in this photo. The red changed (several times) after this picture, and I'm really happy with the end choice.  The inspiration fabric will be the backing for the main quilt.

Christmas on Ringo Lake needs a couple of repairs. My method for making the sashing strips was not very accurate, and my initial result left a LOT to be desired. So I resewed about 40 corners, to match up better. Just 3 more that need retouching and then I'll be happy with this version.

Version 2 (Christmas on Ringo Lake Revisited) will be a donation to Victoria's Quilts. I took most of the leftover blocks from the first quilt, made some more sashing strips so I could do a double sashing and added some extra 9-patches for the corner stones. I set this one in a straight setting, and added the borders (colours dictated by the amount of fabric I had left) to bring it up to the right size for donating.

I wondered aloud to a friend why I make the full quilt, and then turn it into 2 - I did exactly the same thing with En Provence last year. And I think I figured it out. I really don't need more big quilts - but I remember the years I made smaller. Making 1/2 the pieces during the mystery then means being forced to make a few more odds and ends to fill out the requirements for a half quilt. Somehow, this seems more onerous than making the entire set, and adding a few bits to create a different quilt out of the result.  Maybe because this way I get to pick and choose which pieces I make more of (I was NOT making any more of those pesky split 4-patches, for example).

I have 3 blocks left over, and a few odds and ends of fabric.  One block goes onto the donation bag for the second quilt. The other 2 might become pillows, or an entirely new quilt sometime down the road.  But I must remember to set aside binding for both these quilts first. Good thing there's lots of grey leftover.