Hand-dyed Quilt Top

Through some very good friends, I have inherited a fabric treasure trove. These are only part of a larger stash owned by a quilter who has passed on. I was asked to make a quilt for her husband from a portion of the fabrics. Of the two parcels I was able to squeeze in the car on our last visit, one was full of hand-dyed fabrics. I am guessing she dyed them herself and that they were either from a class or an experiment in making her own fabrics. I figured that these self-created pieces would have more meaning for her husband than just some material she bought off the bolt to add to her stash.

I laid out the fabrics looking for some inspiration. Each piece is about a yard long, and they range from earth tone blends to an eye-searing combo of mustard and turquoise. (That piece is going to take a “special” project!) I went for a block pattern that would have large enough pieces to show off the color variations in the fabrics and yet still allow several colors to work together.

This really reminds me of tile work. I hope it will honor his wife in a way he can appreciate.

The other request was that a portion of the fabrics be used for charity quilts. I have a few places that will benefit from the fabrics depending on what I find in the rest of the stash. Apparently I have about 18 more “bundles” to pick up on my next trip. I’m going to have to clean out the sewing room in order to just do the sorting!