Quilter’s Name: Judith Newman from Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada
Type of Quilt: Lap Quilt
Name of Pattern: Original Design Based on “Trajectory” or “Boomerang” Designs
Featured Date: 03-6-24
Hi, I’m Judith and this project started with a Pinterest photo I came across – I liked the simplicity of the idea. I came across it, first, as the “Trajectory Quilt” but later found examples called “Boomerang”. (There are many other different “Boomerang” blocks out there, so this is just one possible iteration.) I didn’t have a pattern – I started with a 6 1/2” square, marked a point 1 1/2” from one corner, joint the adjacent corners, added 1/4” to those two “cut” lines both on the triangles, and on the base quadrilateral shape (for seam allowances).
I created three plastic templates, one for the quadrilateral shape, and one for each triangle (the two triangles are different since the right angle is on opposite sides). (I later discovered the “pattern” was done with paper piecing which I don’t enjoy doing; I prefer cutting using a template). Then I dug around in my stash for blue fabrics (I chose these from what I had). I had to shop for the contrast yellow/chartreuse fabrics, I ended up with eight – I had a gradation from yellow to quite definitely chartreuse. I didn’t use any specific fabric line. I happened across the bright print fabric (which I used for the border and in a few of the blocks) to tie all my elements together.
These were the fabrics I started with – I added a couple more darker blue blocks, removed the chartreuse/white fabric and added in four others. My first pass at the quilt top was BORING! The original image was of a square quilt 8×8 – I prefer making rectangular lap quilts which I find more useful. However, setting up a colour gradation was more difficult with the 7×10 rectangle!
I removed quite a few of the light blocks (which deadened the panel), moved others around, created a few blocks using the bright larger print for the triangles, in a few I used the print for the quadrilateral shape. I finally landed on an array that seemed more lively and moved the eye around in an interesting way.
When it came to the quilt back, it was a weekend, middle of a blizzard. I had no large piece of suitable fabric to use for the back. No possibility of going out to the fabric shop down the street so I assembled all my leftovers (unused blocks, strips and smaller pieces) and assembled another panel (slightly larger than the quilt top), starting with a strip from the leftover blocks) then randomly adding fabric to make a wider panel which I joined to the first strip.
I quilted the quilt using a single run embroidery design I created for the purpose based on the 6” block size. I used my embroidery machine to “quilt in the hoop” – two blocks at a time so I had to do 35 repeats of the design. I modified the design to quilt the border. Added a 1/4” binding using the bright print fabric, then hand stitched the binding on the back. I finished with a label!
I was happy with my finished quilt – very different in character from the original photo I’d seen.
Thanks!
Judith Newman, Halifax NS Canada, Quilter, Garment Maker, Knitter jmncreativeendeavours.ca
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