My (ab)Original Creation

I fell in love with a quilt pattern I saw in a magazine just after I accepted my new job featuring aboriginal fabrics. Knowing that we would have a new guest bedroom over here, I starting researching aboriginal fabrics. The good ones were around $25/metre in Australia, or I could purchase the same material for less than $10/yard online in the states. I stocked up on heaps of it right before the movers came, not really knowing exactly how much I'd need.
The original pattern was not large enough and so I needed to add a few borders. The fabric I had purchased for the borders looked horrible though, and it's not like I can really buy much over here. Finally I realized that the only way to not detract from the pattern was just to extend it instead of adding borders. Since the accent colors were already sewn in place I couldn't just add more rows to the top and bottom. Fortunately since I purchased so much extra fabric I realized I had enough of the top and bottom blue to extend them both out to make the quilt long enough.
Once I figured that out I had to rip a bunch of stitches out and add more rows. I hate this snowball method of sewing triangles on squares - the seams never end up quite matched up. But I think the finished product is much better than I would have imagined. I had someone quilt it, and in her words, she got a little carried away. On the red and orange section she quilted Ayers Rock, with sunbeams and clouds extending up into the light blue sky. There are two large snakes swirled around the center, plus a kangaroo and an echidna. The darker blue sea towards the bottom has a crocodile and some fish.
I think it looks really neat, and everyone should come visit and check it out in person!
Check out more of my fanatical obsession here: http://www.etsy.com/shop/Maybequilts

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