Summer

Summer
14 1/2" x 16"

Summer is finished, and I like it. The design seems to be dancing, and it came easily -- while I spent a couple of weeks with Winter and Spring (maybe more) before their shapes felt right. (It helped that for Summer I used shapes from the other pieces.) I finally feel confident sewing and cutting the way I learned in Jane Sassaman's workshop. I have also gotten pretty good at making a mitered facing edge.

Working on four related pieces helped me evaluate markers, fabric, and batting. I used several brands of chalk pencils to mark quilting lines; they were hard to remove completely. I prefer Mark B Gone washable blue marker made in Japan. It disappeared easily every time, just by rubbing with a wet cotton cloth. For the black and brown backgrounds, Clover's lipstick-shaped tube of powder -- recommended by Debbie at Bernina Connection -- dusted off easily.

I used Quilters Dream thin white cotton batting in my first two pieces -- Autumn  and Winter. Bearding (white pieces of batting drawn through and visible on the outside) seemed a problem, although now that they're finished I don't see it. I switched to black batting (Quilters Dream poly) for Spring and Summer.

In the future I'll be using more plain fabric and dark background -- a return to the Amish tradition that drew me to quilts in the first place.

Here's a photo of all the seasons.