Roman Road, Finally Finished

It's nice to have this one off the UFO list!

Roman Road was originally a BOM from a local shop called the Quilted Fox. Each year the owner offers a mystery BOM inspired by her world-wide travels. This one was inspired by her trip to Rome and features the colors of stone and roadways, and her name for the BOM was "Fox Travels the Roman Road."

I diligently made the main block and the alternate block from the kits provided each month. The main block is the star block, and the alternate block is the one with the hourglass center

Then the project stalled because I didn't have an immediate need for it.

My friend Cherie was also participating in the BOM that year. She had the most brilliant suggestion to change the alternate block. The original alternate block looked like this, with four pieces in each side unit:

Cherie suggested changing it to three pieces in each side unit. I drew it up in EQ for her, and I liked it. No center seam and points to match up, and a more symmetrical result, not spinning.

With Cherie's approval I used her alternate block in my version of Roman Road. Here's the main block outlined in orange and the alternate block outlined in yellow.

Since I had already made all of the alternate blocks from the kits, this meant I had to buy more of the specific white Grunge used in the kits, and make replacement side units. I chose to use a light brown blender from stash, making it a constant in the quilt instead of each block different like the kits.

I totally changed up the border; it's nothing at all like the shop owner's original design. Again, more of the white Grunge, and I added black triangles to finish out the illusion of diagonal ribbons. I even went back and took apart some of the alternate blocks again and replaced one side with white so the light brown pieces didn't stick out into the borders.

Then the top sat for a couple of years. I wanted my friend Sandy to quilt it. For a lot of reasons including the fact that she's a fantastic quilter and had a long wait list, it didn't get quilted. Then she moved to Mississippi. Finally after she was settled in and taking quilting work again I was able to send it to her and she returned it when we were together in Paducah in April. I love the quilting she did on it! I asked for "masculine, not very dense so it would remain soft and drapey" and other than that, anything she chose would be great.

I think she nailed it! Nice texture but still drapey.

Since getting the quilt back from Sandy in April, it has been moved from one surface to another in my sewing room, waiting for binding. I finally got the binding added this week, the same light brown fabric I used in the alternate blocks. Roman Road is now finished!

Roman Road, 72" x 72"

I plan to give it to friends who live in Arizona the next time we go out there. The colors are perfect for their home. And the last time we were there I noticed that they're using an ugly old flannel car quilt from college in their family room. They need something nicer than that. No worries, they don't read my blog, so they'll be surprised when I give it to them.

So, finally a finish!
Linking up with Confessions of a Fabric Addict, Wendy's Quilts and More, TGIFF,  My Quilt Infatuation