It’s time! Time to share my Pickle Dish top here.
It was tough to photograph this quilt to showcase the colors properly. The photo below with the matching legos, courtesy of my babies, best shows the colors. First I tried to hang up the quilt top on my wall and fence, only to have it flop over (sassily if you ask me ((how can you flop with sass?)). So I had to find a flat floor surface, which meant moving furniture and sweeping. If I were smart, I would have prepared the back so I could baste my quilt sandwich.
My favorite antique quilts possess agreeable and contentious pairings. So I in turn paired my favorites together but also paired clashing fabrics. The clashes really help me see my favorites. The fabric is of course Katie Jump Rope, by Denyse Schmidt, an older line you might be able to find on Etsy or various destashes on instagram. The background is a brown on cream pin dot, available here.
Some of my favorite quilts have that “make do” aspect. Like maybe the maker ran out of a certain fabric so made do with what they had. When I started this quilt, I only had a certain amount of Katie Jump Rope fabric (I um, have more now!). As I made the arcs, I purposefully made “make do blocks” but as I ran out of my precious Katie Jump Rope, I actually had to “make do” with the fabric I had left. Too fun! I recommend not buying enough fabric and see what happens.
I also wanted floppy and round edges and corners. Looks like I’ll need bias strip binding! The binding will be that blue bandana print (eep! my favorite!).
One of my goals was to have a completely pieced quilt top. I didn’t want to applique and I didn’t want any seams in my background pieces. Happily I achieved my pieced top. Look for a post next week that will discuss my tips and resources for making a pickle dish quilt.
This quilt was so fun to make. It was challenging but it’s large block size (24” square) made it manageable. I think I’d like to make another! As is usual, I found inspiration for another version before finishing this one. So, first to finish this one.
I’m thinking about hand quilting it, but what color thread do you think? I was thinking cream, brown, or blue. Cream would probably be the safest. What are your thoughts? The binding will be the blue bandana print (eep! my favorite!).
For more creative edges and borders and bindings, check out our 25 Creative Ways to Bind your Quilt post.
Thanks for stopping by!
So nice! I like this very much. 🙂
Wow Becca – that is gorgeous! And I'm right there with you with the "make do" quiltmaking 🙂
I think the cream would look good, but a blue would look great.
This is fantastic. I'm about to embark on a pickle dish project myself.
Since you are already thinking ahead to your next one, you can just send this one my way. Seriously, I am in love with this, and not just because it is using KJR. I like the concept of "Not buying enough fabric and seeing what's happening." That could totally be a guild challenge.
Looking forward to you next posts about this.
What an accomplishment! I think brown would be so pretty 🙂
LOVE this! I've been working on a pickle dish quilt myself for over a year now. Yours is wonderful! Really appreciate the agreeable/contentious pairings and the subtle make-do qualities. I think that's what makes quilting so unique and personal.:)
I looooooooove it! (Did I mention that before? Teehee!). Love the story, love that you "made do" (charming and fun!). Love that you mentioned twice how excited you are about your binding choice ;). And I love that you are going to hand quilt it!! Love!!! *faints*
You did such a great job, Becca! I think cream would be nice but I think quilting it in brown would really add an extra something to it! It's gorgeous whatever you choose!
So lovely! The fabrics are perfect. Well done!
This is really lovely Becca! It really has a vintage feel to it, and wow, your piecing is incredible!
it's amazing!!!!!
I love reading more detail about your process on this one. It is truly heirloom work! I can't wait to see your post about patterns and resources. You've got me wanting to start another hard quilt already!!
I love "make do" in quilts… something about that thriftiness just gets to me! What a gorgeous quilt… seeing yours, I'm seriously considering making a pickle dish quilt as well.
Congratulations on such a great finish!
Love your Pickle Dish~ it is definitely a labor of love!
I've got one in the works, have all the paper piecing done and still trying to decide on the squares and background fabric.
It looks great. I'm impressed that you were able to do it without applique and without seams in the background — I'd like to hear more about that. I might give it a try too.
Binding those curves is too ambitious for me though. 🙂
What a cool design!!! Love all the colors and patterns used 🙂 Very creative! Visiting (and new subscriber) from Finish It Up Friday.
~ Jess ~
Everything Is Coming Up Rosie
Love your mixture of fabrics, and KJR looks amazing in everything!
This is such a great quilt top. You chose a delicious fabric & color mix. Congratulations.
Becca, I love the pairings you made! What a wonderful quilt, a tribute to the heritage of the early 1900s with modern touches (oooo, the pit dot background!). Lovely.
~Janie
It's beautiful – and I'd go with cream. Don't know why so I can't give you a better answer than that!
I'd double your amount of binding, too – those corners (and it's going to look so good!) will eat up a LOT more binding that you'd think… And you can never go wrong with having extra bias binding onhand, since it can be so fiddly to make. 🙂
It's absolutely wonderful.