Untouchable

When an unexpected spot came up at the long arm quilters last week I knew I had to take it.  With so many UFOs  it was too good an opportunity to let slip by.

My recent blogposts witnessed me scrambling to get a top ready for the imposed deadline.  First I thought I'd finish off a medallion  quilt that needed a whole lot of circles for the final border.  When it looked like I wasn't getting them made fast enough, I quickly swapped to a task more likely to be successful.

I have previously referred to this quilt as Sue Ross' blocks, but now its name is "Cat's Paw".  After making the final block I planned to put the blocks together quickly, add a couple of borders and send it off to be quilted.  The quilt had other ideas.   Finding the right border fabric was proving difficult, and after collaborating with my webpal, Carol,  I followed her wise counsel and "Cat's Paw" was shelved  for a more achievable goal.

Looking through my UFO cupboard I found 2 projects that could be finished.  With  6 hours before deadline (and that includes travel time) I only needed to construct two quilt backings and two simple borders.

Did I say simple?  The centre of the quilt is simple.  I copied the pattern from Kaffe Fassett's "V&A Quilts" page 25.  I even had some of the fabrics.  It was put together in the last couple of years, I couldn't say when exactly.  I felt my quilt needed a thin brown striped border before a larger 6" finished floral border.

Here is where the title of the post comes in.

I used a favourite, untouchable fabric for the border.  It is from the American Folk Art range from years ago.  It has been in my untouchable drawers for some time.  Yes, I have a drawer full of untouchable fabric.  Too nice to cut up, waiting for that special once-in-a- lifetime quilt.  If you're honest, I bet you have something like that too.

While cutting up my special fabric, I realized that it may never see the light of day unless it gets used and it seemed like the opportunity was ready to be taken.  No, the quilt top is not a masterpiece.  Far from it.  Very simple.  But I like how my fabric lifted the quilt and I know I am going to enjoy it more than I ever could while it is hidden in the drawer.

Without too much planning I cut my fabric and pieced the inner border.  Then I looked at my outer border fabric and realized  I would have to mitre the corners.  There are plenty of pictures of old quilts where the stripes just cross in the corners at 90 degrees, but I can't be so cavalier.   Time was running out and my stripe was not your ordinary stripe.  There and then I decided to make a different corner block and avoid the problem.   With 1 hour to go and I cut and sewed and cut and sewed, every now and then taking the time to breathe and glance at the clock.  For your benefit, I also took a moment to take this picture.

Briefly, my story ends well.  I will wait for the quilts to come back to post about and show the second quilt.