Forest Floor
Posted on November 28, 2023 by prairiemoonquilts in QuiltsBack today to show you another finish, and this is a biggie!
I started this quilt sometime around 2008, and got the top finished pretty quickly, because it’s just scrap squares.
The idea came from this book, “Bed Warmers”, by Lynda Milligan and Nancy Smith (from 1999). The cover quilt, called “Country Traditions”, was my inspiration:
There was another book out at around the same time that had a pattern in it called “Forest Floor”, and it was much like this, which is where my color inspiration came from. (I can’t remember the name of that book, who wrote it, or anything else, and I don’t have it any more.) But I remember thinking: “It can’t get much simpler than that, and I need a quilt to use as a door curtain for my pantry,” which was basically a hole in the wall with shelves in our old ranch shack at the time.
So I whipped out the scrap squares and this is what I came up with. I did not use any of the recommended bed sizes listed in the pattern because I made it specifically to fit my pantry opening, and my border is also not as wide. I used 3 1/2″ squares.
I did not have a longarm at the time, so I decided to tie this quilt, and since it would be hanging for decoration, I decided to tie it with buttons, using perle cotton in a golden color. I used three different colors of buttons — gold, red, and green — to keep my forest-floor-colored theme going on.
So, the story is . . . I did not get this quilt finished before we moved out of the shack in 2012, so when we moved, I just rolled it up on the poles, took my hand-quilting frame apart, and that’s the way it remained . . . until last spring, when I finally decided that it needed to be finished, and I cleared out a space and set my frame back up.
Honestly, it did not take too long to finish it up! Once again, my usual holdup was procrastination, and the voice in my head telling me that it would take way longer than it really did. So I set a goal of tying only 5 buttons a day — totally doable — and if I missed a day now and then, it was no big deal. At least I was moving it along. And last month, I tied the five final buttons on it and was able to take it out of the frame, trim it up and bind it, and immediately WASHED IT because it was soooo dirty from laying around all these years!
I used a Hobbs Thermore batting inside to keep it lightweight and give it nice drape, since I intended to hang it. I found this low-key vegetable print for the backside. I guess at the time I chose it, I was thinking it was “kitchen-ish” and, therefore, would befit a pantry “door”.
I put a scrappy binding on it, since the borders were scrappy, too.
Now that it’s done, and I don’t need it for a door curtain any more, I’m not sure what to do with it. It’s not exactly snuggly with all those buttons, but it is different, and I DO still like it. Because of the buttons, it’s not a good candidate for a donation quilt, either.
I think I will probably hang it on one of my quilt ladders when we get moved, so I can at least look at it.
And I immediately stripped all the leaders off my hand-quilting frame and disassembled it! My next plan is to refinish it, make some needed repairs to it, and put some new leaders on it so that I can use it in my new studio for my next hand quilting project, which I already have chosen and waiting in the wings (another old UFO that I will be pleased to get finished someday).
Here are the quilt details . . .
Forest Floor:
Finished size: 64″ x 72″
Pattern: inspired by “Country Traditions” from the book “Bed Warmers” by Lynda Milligan and Nancy Smith (1999)
Fabrics for top and binding: scraps from my stash, 3 1/2″ squares.
Backing: Vegetable print from who knows where?
Batting: Hobbs Thermore
Thread: DMC perle cotton, size 5, color #729
Quilting: Hand-tied using 1/2″ buttons at each intersection in red, green, and gold.
well… quilting things that waited so long to be finished. Amazing! Well Done!. Keep showing us the finishes.
so happy for you to have another finish!!! Whohoo keep up the good work.
There was a little note about “when we get moved” – are you moving from the ranch??? Did I miss a post?
Hope all is well.
The colours look lovely, so nice and cosy. Nice to get a finish after all this time, rather uplifting!
Love it! Ready to see another. I have 3 tops sitting and folded just waiting for the next step. Procrastination at work! You are inspiring me to gather them together as the first step and then decide on backing!
Awesome finish!
You will find a need and use it where it is needed.
I guess for the “want to do “ finishing UFO should be top of 2024 list – oldest first. You inspire us.
That will certainly qualify in the rankings of oldest UFO. Such a great scrap pattern too!
Job well done. Getting UFO’s finished is so rewarding
I think this is one of my favorites of your “oldies.” The buttons give the quilt some shimmer like dewdrops on your forest floor.
I sure love reading your blog posts. They are so interesting and down to earth. Love that you are finishing your old UFO’s. Several years ago, I went through all my UFO’s and put them into piles. 1. Finish as originally planned. 2. Finish smaller or differently. 3. Donate or give away. It was such an amazing freedom to not have such a long list. Thanks again for sharing and happy holidays!
These are the kind of “quilts” that got stored every spring and brought out every winter as homes were “winterized.” They were hung on doors, open doorways between rooms, and windows to help keep cold out and heat in. In our old, drafty, Iowa farmhouse, Mom would close off a short hallway and two bedrooms (one she used as a storeroom) every winter. Until last year, I closed off a couple rooms in 110-year-old house in Tennessee every winter. Glad those quilts are no longer needed for that. Even in your new home I bet you find a good use for it.
Very cool! I can’t wait to see what you put on the hand quilting frame next.
Congrats on working thru your UFOs. You inspire me! I’m starting the end of the year assessment and deciding to let go of some of my projects. Farm them out to subcontractors to make the donation quilt. I want to focus only on making things I’m truly interested in and not just getting it done. Turning 71 soon and I think I’m over the idea that I have to make everything. Still have way too many!
Looking forward to hearing more about your new space. It’s exciting!
I particularly like that you tied the buttons leaving the strings on top. It is so charming and the perfect touch for this simple quilt. BTW, I, too , am gravitating towards scrappy bindings these days.