Autumn and Swags

 

Leaves in the Forest is pieced and all the paper backing removed.  I have a 4" border cut out in a coordinating cream/tan background fabric. 

Unfortunately, I didn't make much of a dent in the Autumn colored fabrics I was trying to use up with this project.   So I decided on a pieced background.  Lots of these were already cut into strips.  I decided on a 10" strip.  There was also a sizable stack of 6" wide bits so I started thinking of 2 stripes with a yellow as the main backing fabric color. 

I quickly realized I had way more scraps than would fit on the back, particularly since the front has a million seams from all the piecing, I don't need a million more on the back to quilt through.  So, a second quilt is born.  I had quite a few friends who commented on the colors of the quilt, so I'm thinking that I may sell it for a donation to a Women's Shelter as I did with the Ben Biggs test block pillow. 

Meanwhile, my hand stitching project has been the swags.  44 of them.  36 stitched and the last 8 basted. There are 11 different green fabrics.  Started basting the bows.  First one stitched but am now having second thoughts about the fabrics.  I swapped the middle one to give a little contrast from the others and now wonder if I should have stuck to the one that matched more.