Because I got four quilts sandwiched at the last ECMQG sew day, I've actually been pretty successful at getting them quilted and bound this week. This one is the newly completed
Improv Curves quilt. I don't think I've ever made a quilt that I've taken apart and put back together as much as this one. And I don't think this will ever be my favorite quilt. But it's finished, and that's something, right?
On two of the Improv Curves blocks I did a 1/2-inch insert of the background. The cool thing about a 1/2-inch insert is that it leaves the lines created by the seams of the block pretty much intact, whereas larger inserts make the seam more disjointed.
I found this piece of backing fabric at A&E on the sale aisle for $2.49 a yard, so it was a thrifty purchase, and the colors were right.
I used the #4 Bernina stitch for the quilting. This is a really quick, fun quilting method. Ironically, the day after I finished the quilt, Faith at
Fresh Lemons posted a
tutorial on using this quilting method the Bernina WeAllSew website using this technique. I pretty much did as she outlines in the tutorial, although I set my stitch width at 6 and my stitch length at 3.5.
In her tute, Faith mentions that she doesn't mark lines on her quilt, she just lets the quilting self-correct when she comes to seams in the quilt, and that's pretty much what I did also. I just started next to a seam and moved over about an inch for each row, then just let-er-rip. Little vagaries in the rows really don't show because of the wavy nature of the stitch. It's great for hiding little flaws.
I found almost 1/2 yard of this pink polka dot on the donation table at the ECMQG meeting and just knew I would need it for something. It turned out to be perfect for the binding of this quilt. It wasn't cut quite straight, so I was short one WOF strip. I dithered a bit about what to do, but then I saw the last little bit of the stripey binding from the Citrus quilt in the scrap basket, and it was perfect. Just. Long. Enough. Total serendipity!!! (I really love it when a plan comes together!)
Thanks,
Diane, for showing me something new, and for your encouragement as I struggled with this process. I really did learn a lot.
Another great finish! I really like this quilt!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words that have been much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteSpeeaking from one who still has her first one and only quilt in pieces 30yrs down the line I am always amazed at the speed in which others conjure up their quilts just like that!!! It may not be your favourite quilt but it sounds like you did have some fun in the making of it. Hugs Mrs A.
p.s give me a mug rug any day!!!!
Thank you for your kind words that have been much appreciated.
ReplyDeleteSpeaking from one who has yet to finish her first and one and only quilt 30yrs on I am always amazed at how fast others seem to conjure up their quilts. even though this is not your favourite quilt it does sound like you had some fun in the making of it. Hugs Mrs A.
p.s. Give me a mug rug any day!!.