Backing for Kangamangus

Here is the backing fabric for the Heartbeat Kangamangus Quilt.

I always, always, lie the quilt on top of the backing I have prepared for it to make 100% sure it is big enough before I bring it to the long-arm quilter. This tells me it really is big enough. 

This also shows me that this backing is perfect for this quilt. I intend to keep it for myself.

And I have renamed it. In the White Mountains of NH we have a scenic highway that weaves through the mountains and has spectacular views. It is the Kancamagus Highway I renamed the quilt the way I heard it mispronounced as a child, "Kangamangus." For me, this quilt will be "Kangamangus."

Kangamangus Backing and Updates

This is the fabric I have ordered for the backing of the Heartbeat quilt. The big leaves are about 4" long, so I think this will be great. Years ago I gave a talk to a quilt group and one gal came up to me afterwards with a comment about the fabrics I chose for the backs of my quilts.

"You like busy backs,"

"Not necessarily," I replied, "but I think a tiny print is boring and that's a lot of space to fill. I think the back of a quilt should compliment the front, rather like a good frame compliments but does not overpower the artwork it surrounds."

Mostly though, I just don't like boring.

A few years ago I bought this panel of owls. I happen to love owls. I think this would be fun to include in the back of the Heartbeat quilt. It's fun, and I think sometimes we take things way too seriously. I haven't decided to include it yet, but I think it would look good. We'll see.

~ ~ ~ ~ ~

The biggest other news I have is about me. Over the years I have put on too much weight, and my blood pressure has gone up. My doctors are also worried about my A1C. I am not diabetic, but I fall into the pre-diabetic range. Those three things together are not good. So I have visited a nutritionist and am making the appropriate modifications to my diet and lifestyle (meaning I have to move my body more). I am also testing my blood regularly. It's been quite an adjustment and that has been occupying my thoughts and time the last week or so.

My Mom and her boyfriend are also recovering from their respective trips to the hospital and are now reunited and happy to be back together. My Mom is 91 and he is 89. I am under no illusions. 

It was -7F here this morning, and I am glad I can stay inside where it is warm. We've got snow on the ground and it's pretty. Take care and stay warm and safe.

Kangamangus

 The new quilt is at flimsy stage. I added a cream border and decided to call this HEARTBEAT. I haven't chosen a backing yet. (Everything I like at eQuilter is out of stock, so I'll wait another week or so and try again.)

But I will use this as the binding.

Every time I have gifted a quilt in the last couple of years I have written a story about it. I thought I might make a book for every quilt, so I thought I might make a list.

Well, it took longer than I thought. I'm not done, but I was kinda sorta not really surprised that I got up to 100 and there were still quilts to be added to the list. Of course that does not include the 200 Gizzy (kitty quilts) I made years ago.

When I saw the list I knew I would not have books for ALL of them, but heck, it gives me a project I can work towards completing.

Making the list made me realize I hadn't created a page on this blog for Quilts made in 2022, so I fixed that. Now that I have the official list I will rearrange some quilts on those pages (I noticed a couple lived in two separate years.)