Rhonda Bracey: At Random

I think the applique pieces, and possibly even the quilt top itself, were made some time ago — one of the pieces had ‘2003’ written on it, and the fabrics used in the sashing strips and borders seemed a decade or two old.

I started by stitching in the ditch around all the main blocks, then stitching around the edge of each appliqued centre, then doing a simple stipple in the dark background fabric without stitching into any of the applique work. For the border, I ditch stitched around the borders, then did a simple stipple in the blue border, leaving the sashing strips and red border unstitched.

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Threads used:

• Top: Rasant (40 wt, cotton, colour 0132); Fil-Tec Glide ‘Royal’ (40 wt, trilobal polyester, colour 30661)
• Bottom: Fil-Tec Magna Glide Classic pre-wound bobbin (lead gray)

I really liked how the disparate fabrics in this quilt went so well together in the ‘sort of’ log cabin design. But how to quilt it? After stitching in the ditch around the main blocks, I decided to ditch stitch straight lines (using my indispensable Line Tamer ruler!) following the second log cabin seams surrounding the centre square, using a variegated yellow and teal thread. I extended these lines out into the border too. I very much liked the final, almost art deco, effect.

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Threads used:

• Top: Signature ‘St Thomas’ (40 wt, cotton, colour F151)
• Bottom: Fil-Tec Magna Glide Classic pre-wound bobbin (white)

How to quilt this quilt? After stitching in the ditch around ‘every stinkin’ seam’ I decided to just quilt the white space, using a free-form ‘u’ (or ‘n’) around the square blocks, and a free-form flower motif in the white squares.

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Threads used:

• Top: Fil-Tec Glide ‘Peacock’ (40 wt, trilobal polyester, colour 90256)
• Bottom: Fil-Tec Magna Glide Classic pre-wound bobbin (white)

Another bright, colourful, and cheerful quilt! The fabrics were so busy that I just quilted it with a simple spiral motif using a deep pink thread.

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Back:

Threads used:

• Top: Robison-Anton ‘Crimson’ (40 wt, rayon, colour 2416)
• Bottom: Fil-Tec Magna Glide Classic pre-wound bobbin (white)

I used a neon orange thread to quilt this bright and colourful quilt with an all-over ‘open headband’ motif’.

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Threads used:

• Top: Fil-tec Glide ‘Neon Orange; (40 wt, trilobal polyester, colour 90811)
• Bottom: Fil-Tec Magna Glide Classic pre-wound bobbin (white)