A Rainy Day Brings Finished Rainbow Vs

Rainbow Vs ready for borders

Rainbow V's might be one of my oldest UFOs, dating back to its start sometime between 2008 and 2010--my New York days before I knew about quilt shop quality fabric.  It began with a modified version of "Breaking Out" from Maaike Bakker's Strip Pieced Quilts:  Easy Designs from Just Six Fabrics book.  All the blocks were assembled and were transported to California...but I didn't touch them until September 2011 and all I managed to do was assemble the rows and columns into a mostly finished quilt top.  I had ideas of appliqueing a giant pansy print border, but I wasn't confident in my skills and no longer cared for the quality of the pansy printed fabric.  So I hung the quilt top in our hallway outside our bedroom.  While in bed, I would often look out at it and wonder when I would ever finish it.

Well fast forward to mid January 2014--and I was once again looking out at it and finally decided it was time.  I asked Doug to help me take it down and went to work the next morning pulling out fabrics to audition for possible borders.

Border Possibilities

Skippy approves the new borders

Now in fairness, this quilt has been on my mind and I had picked up several quilt shop quality fabrics for the borders...but needed to decide on which would nicely complement the rainbow Vs.  I was torn but ultimately went with the butterfly/flower petal fabric that brought some sparkle to the quilt.  Here is Skippy modelling the newly added border design.  Then I went to work developing/doodling quilted motifs and have been working on it ever since until I put in my final binding stitches last night, just as it finally started to rain--and has been raining ever since.  

So here are some pics of the finished quilt, backing and quilting motifs...enjoy!

Finished quilt top

Close Up of Feathers, Figure 8s and Cursive E's and Ls

Back of quilt for better visibility of quilting

Quilt back featuring a fun large scale floral print

Border feather motifs

Hidden Easter Egg:  My name quilted into the inner border

"The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain"--Dolly Parton

At least I had something bright and cheery to look out at this morning...as it is rather dreary outside with non-stop, but much needed, rain.  And it is so nice to have this UFO complete--I was all giddy last night with celebration!  I have 2 other UFOs I'd like to tackle the border quilting next, and then it is time to treat myself to a new project or two!!