MQG Riley Blake Challenge Top completed

 While looking for blocks to make up our guild's BOM program, I stumbled across Red Peony Buds in a Jinny Beyer quilt block book (the center one).  It would be a bit complicated to turn it into a 12.5" block, so it was eliminated as a possibility fairly early on.

     Instead, I chose to make it into my Riley Blake Challenge quilt.  

     With the challenge fabrics, some solids I had on hand, a few Riley Blake fabrics from a charm pack I picked up, and paper piecing templates from various other blocks, I made three columns.  I decided to just piece them together rather than adding some white sashing in between as originally planned.  I regret that I included the charm pack fabrics of similar colors just because I did end up having enough of the challenge fabrics.  Any recipient of the quilt won't know that so I left them in.  

     The navy fabric was just enough to make it work with some careful piecing.  I chose to put the piecing down the middle rather than off center because I've done a couple off center quilts.  I think I wish I would have made it off center anyway, but I definitely don't have enough navy to rip and make it look good.  Originally I was going to use white for the whole top and float the columns a little further apart, but this is destined to be a child's quilt.  Not so practical.

     The backing will be a Cape Ann brushed cotton that was destined for some clothing, but was just about the perfect amount for the backing.  If I had the batting on hand, I probably would have basted this tonight.  Instead, I'm waiting a day in hopes of cheaper batting tomorrow.  

      And since my posting is so infrequent, I figured I should post my progress so far.  It is approximately 49 x 69".