Rhonda Bracey: At Random

This smallish scrappy quilt had a lot going on — different blocks, various colours and shapes. How to quilt it?

I started by stitching in the ditch around each block in a dark brown to match the sashing. Then I did the same to each diamond in the border, using a tan poly-cotton thread. Then I added detail to the border free stitching ‘straight’ lines from the centre point of each triangle to the centre point of the join, creating a chevron effect.

Next, I tackled the heart blocks, McTavishing around each heart in an off-white/cream thread. I left the hearts unstitched so they would puff. I also left the dark brown sashing unstitched. Then I changed to a variegated brown thread and did cathedral windows in the 9-patch blocks. Finally, I did some large and small stars in the centre 9-patch blocks, also in the variegated brown thread.

(Click on a photo to view it larger)

Centre block:

Border:

The back:

Threads used:

• Top: Dark brown: Robison-Anton ‘Best Brown’ (40 wt rayon, colour 2566); Variegated brown: Fil-Tec Affinity ‘Brunette’ (40 wt, trilobal polyester, colour 60291); Cream: Superior Masterpiece (50 wt cotton, colour 151); Blue: Isacord (40 wt trilobal polyester, colour FB3842); Tan: Rasant (40 wt poly/cotton, colour 0862)
• Bottom: Fil-tec Magna Glide pre-wound (white)