This weekend I focused on getting the black-and-white-and-red-all over quilt basted. I had some stumbling blocks. I like pieced backs- for a number of reasons- but in this project it is to try to use up my stash. I had a large piece of a polyester/cotton blend. It is not something I would buy, but it is in my stash. I don’t remember its history – like I do with many of my fabrics – because it is so unremarkable. I had about a yard of white background fabric with small red polka dots. I do remember the history of that fabric, I got it from my aunt’s stash when she passed away. I thought I could use these two fabrics to make the back.
I love improvisational piecing. The back of quilt is a great place to play with improvisation. Here was my first attempt at the back:
It is decidedly ok. I also started to wonder if I was seeing a symbol. It looks a little like a “s”. I sent texts to some family to ask if anyone thought it looked like a symbol. If there is symbolism in my quilts, I want to be aware and intentional. I wasn’t sure. I also just didn’t like it.
I didn’t have enough batting to complete the quilt, so I ran to the fabric store. While there, I asked if they had a reverse of the polka dots: white dots on red. They didn’t but they had a red background with black dots. So, I bought a yard and a half.
I kept the middle that I had already pieced and cut off the rest. I sewed two red/black polka dot section on two adjacent sides. I ended up with this:
It is definitely more flag like. I do see a “f”. I have mixed feelings about it, also, but I went with it. Once it is trimmed and quilted, I hope I like it better.
In the future, I plan to spend more time thinking about the back before I put it together.
April Sewing Journal 