Finished the Beach ball quilt, in memory of my Aunt Alice

A while back I received some fabrics that belonged to my Aunt Alice.  Her daughter gave it to me, as she knew I made charity quilts and thought I could use up the fabric for a good cause.  

My Aunt used to make fabric covered albums for each of her grandchildren and some of the now older nieces and nephews.  She had a variety of themed fabric and a lot that were cut up in small pieces, like she were going to use the "picture" to applique.  Very much like fussy cutting a portion of the fabric.  

Outside of a red polka dot fabric, some solids and a black background fabric with carousel horses on it, all the fabrics were for a very young audience.  With ABCs, alligators, lions, bears, and the like.  Other than the majority of the fabrics having a white background, there was nothing else in common that I could pull together to make everything work together and play nicely.

So.....I thought, first let's use up the small pieces.  They are usually the most difficult to come up with ideas for.  Instead of trying to highlight each fabric design, I put everything in together, cut the motifs into smaller strips and did foundation piecing.  

This block is an oldie.  It is traditionally call a snowball block, however as my Aunt lived near a beach that we went to often, I decided to call this quilt Beach Ball.  

Here is the finished NICU quilt top.  In order to tie everything together, in each block I made sure there was a black piece and a red polka dot fabric, otherwise anything when in it.  For the corners I used one of my Aunts solid blue fabrics.  I was able to finish this in a few hours.  I am thinking it turn out pretty good, for a bunch of mismatch themed fabrics.

  

Yesturday, after I finished what I could on my Purple Stars quilt, I loaded up this one.  I wanted to try a new to me quilting design.  The design is inspired by Angela Walters.  This is her free motion Flower Meander design.  It's gorgeous!  I really love the texture the petals make on the quilt.

Here is a look at the back.  I did mine in a bigger scale.  Trying to keep the petals consistent is harder than it looks, but man was this design fun to do.  I enjoyed doing it so much, that I am trying to think of what I can use it on next.  Like anything else in learning to quilt, I need to practice, practice and practice some more.

To my Aunt Alice.  You are very much missed.