A quilt for Michael

Playing on black, designed by Jacquie Karl, Kowhai view patterns, approximate size 54" x 66"
(I made it fit a queen sized bed.)
The quilt has a base of black homespun and three other colours with a zap of colour in the striped border and sashings.
You need:

• 0.4m each of three contrast fabrics (this is more than enough, I have quite a bit leftover)

• 3m of black homespun

• 0.6. of zippy striped fabric

• 1.5m of fusible webbing (I found this wasn't quite enough, get 2m to be on the safe side)

• 0.4m for the binding
  

Fot the blocks:

• Cut 30 of 8" x 11" in the black homespun
• Cut five of 8" x 11" from each of the contrast fabrics
• Cut 15 of 8" x 11" rectangles from the fusible webbing

On the paper side of the fusible webbing I traced this from the pattern sheet and ironed it onto the back of the 15 contrast fabrics. Then used a rotary cutter to cut along all of the lines.
Then you mix them all up on the black rectangles. I used the satin stich (I've only got a very basic sewing machine) and variegated thread and appliqued them all. I'm so glad I decided against hand sewing!!
I took a bit of time arranging the blocks then did a row at a time joining them using the red fabric, then sewed each row together again using the red fabric. Then added the borders as you can see.
For quilting it I did as suggested in the pattern and stiched in the ditch! I did initially start doing it by hand! It didn't take me long to grow tired of that and did it on the machine. It was a bit of a pain getting into the centre with the machine but managed it in the end. I have a couple of puckered areas, but as long as you don't look too hard they hardly show.
For the backing I chose this fabric...
Then today I finished the whole thing at my craft day with neighbours. I couldn't decide whether to do the binding all black, or all red, so I compromised. I have to say that I'm pretty pleased with it.
And here it is again! Just in case you missed it....