This post should probably be titled “what I did with the rest of the jelly roll.”

Answer:  I made a summer quilt!

I had 10 strips of fabric left from the jelly roll, and a little left over from the table runner, so I decided to make a bright and cheery lap quilt to liven up our living room (which is currently full of dark furniture and a futon with an old blue mattress – it needs color!).

Once I sewed the last strips together and cut blocks (about 8.5″), I realized I didn’t have quite enough for a blanket.  A wall hanging, maybe, but not a blanket.

So I went back to Joann’s in hopes of finding another one of the rolls, but they were sold out.  Bummed, I went with plan B.  They had hexagons and triangles of precuts of the same fabric, so I debated between buying one or two of those and piecing other blocks, or finding coordinating fabric.

I went with coordinating fabric.  I also found yardage of some of the original fabric from the roll that I bought.  I had no pattern, really.  I was just flying by the seat of my pants on this.

Lines of very bright fabrics.  The big print is from a different line but matched PERFECTLY.

This is the lay-it-out, now-what stage of assembly.

I ended up using the solid orange between the lines of blocks. I needed something to help break up all of the prints. I also decided to use the green fabric for the first border to help tone everything down, and the white-based fabric for the outer, thicker border to pull it all together.  I really love the result.  It’s bright, fun, and summery, without being too hard on the eyes with all of the patterns involved.  I’m not sure what the backing will be for this, but it will most likely be orange, though it’s just as likely to be green or red.

And because I have so much fabric left over from this adventure, look for a handbag and throw pillows I’ll be making next!

The finished quilt top.  I LOVE how this turned out!

More finished quilt-top action.  Can’t wait for the chance to finish this at my mother-in-law’s!