Picture Play and Rumble in the Jungle

 

I have been making a picture play quilt for a little refugee girl who with her mother lives round the corner. I hope she's still there when it is finished but if not the host family may know how to pass it on. I just have facing to do which I hope to add today.

I'll use the backing trimmings to make the facings.

I'll use the backing trimmings to make the facings.

Last night I finished Rumble in the Jungle using Laurel Burch fabrics and Kona black with some of the blocks made by members of the 37NL swap group hosted by Blogging Near Philadelphia. 

Having made an earlier quilt I made several more "Boys' Nonsense" blocks to bring it up to 55.5" x 62".

Boys' Nonsense block

A less obvious version

To quilt it it Maggie used variegated thread and included monkeys!

Boys' Nonsense

 Boys' Nonsense is the name of this block. More than a decade ago I took part in a transatlantic swap involving Kona Black and Laurel Burch fabrics. At the time I made extra blocks which I have now unearthed to make charity quilts for young people. "Boys' Nonsense" was one of the blocks I made for the swap and I am now making 7 more to use as setting squares for other varied blocks received in the swap. It's a treat to return to traditional rectangles, squares and triangles after lots of machine quilting, curves and improv. 

This setting arrangement seemed like a cunning plan but having laid the 20 blocks out I'm not happy. I've tried narrow black sashing - just more of the same effect. Red was too dominant. Next up is a spotty black and a long treasured check fabric to try out. The check looks promising.

Having seen a modern sampler blocks setting online I am arranging another 12 blocks like this plus background. It means the quilt will measure 72" square, quite big.