Saturday, August 29, 2026

Burano House Transported to Quilter's Cove

Hi and welcome to our monthly link-up of A Quilter's Cove QAL. We've been following the Rainbow Scrap Challenge colours for our houses. Since it's the end of August, this is our eighth house. I've been enjoying our monthly house making even, or maybe because, I make them at the last minute. This one was no exception. So here we go! If you're looking for the I Quilted This! link up, please click here.

Burano Houses on the Canal

I've been wondering how to make a cohesive quilt out of my blocks. Since there is a block of green houses in Nyhavn (New Harbor), along the canal in Copenhagen, I decided to make another block of canal houses. These are from Burano, an island near Venice, Italy. It's renown for it's colourful houses and making the most amazing lace.

Here are my Burano houses.

August's yellow house - from Burano

One of the reason that I chose Burano was to make those curtains in front of the doors. It was late fall when I visited so there were only a couple of houses that had them. They are used to give privacy when it's hot and the door needs to be opened to let the air circulate in the home. Locals call them "tende pal sol" or curtains for the sun.

For the smaller green house, I made the door like the one I had taken a photo of in Burano. It's so lovely, but unlike the one in my block, it's not crooked.😁

Photo taken in 2018 of a lovely Burano door

Process

After deciding on making a Burano house block, I looked at many images online. I then made a sketch of my own rendition of the houses. I just had to add the door curtain and match them with the window blinds. The image below was taken after it was mostly finished but before the sashing was added and the FMQ was done.

The house block before the sashing and FMQ

I was able to FMQ the house block but didn't do any quilting on the sashing (the window border). I'd love to make something interesting for all of the houses, so I'll have to wait and figure it out. I also want to give myself space to put together the QAYG.

For this block, I used a bright red backing fabric - the same that I used in Sarah's Blue Jays T-shirt. The backings will be different but will all have fabric of houses or of home. I didn't have anything obviously Italian, so Ontario novelty fabric will do.

Very bright Ontario novelty fabric

What I learned

I'm so happy that I had time to quilt my first quilt-as-you-go (QAYG) house block. What a difference it makes to add all of those details.
Did you notice the small white round shape at the top of the block? It's a piece of vintage lace to commemorate Burano's lace making.
It's not going to happen quite yet, but I am looking forward to quilting all of the house blocks.
This was the fastest that I've done a house block yet. Maybe it's because it was more realistic but it came together quite nicely. It probably helps that this is our 8th house.
I thought that this block was all nice and straight, until I took a picture and noticed the slightly crooked door. Oh well, it seems to be a signature thing for me😉
Next month is purple. I wonder what that will bring? I may have been researching elves' homes on Iceland...

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