FINISH--3rd possible commission quilt--Fat-Quarter Squares on Point

 Finishing at approximately 47 inches by 60 inches, this one was pieced mainly from my fat-quarter collection.

For a batting I used a polyester queen-sized batt that I cut in half.  Before basting this quilt, I threw the batting into the dryer, on the lowest heat setting, to hopefully get the fold/wrinkles out of it.  

I left it longer than I meant to (FORGOT IT !), and it actually melted a couple of globs along one of the outside edges of the batting.  Never had that happen before !  This  was one of the polyester battings that Missouri Star Quilt Company occasionally offers in their 'daily deals'.

I minimally quilted this one, as I did the original quilt that I made in this design, in order to maximize the fluffiness of it. 

 I  used a dark red and black flannel check for the backing, and I don't think that I had pre-washed that fabric because it was such a big piece (found at a local yard-sale).  Well, at the end of my quilting it on my Jazz 2 machine, I noticed pink stains in the crevices and on the surface of the machine's base.  I hope I can get the stains off.........and I'll be watching for color release in the washing of this quilt.  I will probably throw several color-catchers into the wash even though I tried some of the fabric in a sink of cold water and saw no color release.

I wasn't crazy about this quilt when I finished with the quilting, but that striped binding really brought up my appreciation for the finished quilt.  Love that !

FINISH---Second possible commission--Orange Barn Star

 

I watched a video on Pat Sloan one day when she was previewing the first Barn Star in a series quilt-along (sorry I don't remember the details for links)......and I was really taken with the design of this star.  I think that their block would finish at around 16 inches or so.  I drafted mine to be one large 48 inch star/lap quilt.

Pieced from orange fabrics that I was gifted a few years ago (by bestie, JodieAnn), backed with 104 inch grey on white backing fabric from Fabric.com (years ago). 

Basted in my 1 x 2 wooden frame-boards, I then move to the couch and started out hand-quilting in the ditch on both sides of the green inner borders, and around the big star-points, (using my q-snap 17-inch square frame).  But at one point my left eye just wouldn't focus right on my hand-work, so I switched to machine-quilting straight-line on my Jazz 2 machine.  I kept the quilting to a minimum for maximum loftiness.......and the quilt feels scrumptious.

 I used a low-loft Fairfield polyester batting for softness and fluffiness/puffiness.  I haven't washed and dried it yet, but it currently measures approximately 53 inches square.

Not being sure exactly what my 'client' wanted when she asked for three "throws", I have decided to make up a few smallish quilts, take them to show her, and see if she likes anything.  People are always asking if I have anything for sale, so it won't hurt too badly if I'm on the wrong track......someone will eventually want to buy them, OR they will make good gifts.

UPDATE on most recent previous post

 Success !

 I washed and dried this string quilt throw, and I am happy.....really happy AND relieved, to report that the shrinkage in the dryer made all the strings look the same !  No more obvious directional 'pulling' !

Before photo....

 

After..........

Finished measurement after laundering--45" x 46".

80/20 cotton batting from MSQC.

 

FINISH--String Quilt (Commission?)

Yesterday I finished binding this string quilt that I began as the first of three throws that I was asked to make. 

I quilted it on my Jazz 2 sewing machine, using this wonderfully soft flannel as a backing.

It is wonderfully SOFT......the softest flannel I can ever recall coming across.  It was 60 inches wide, I think, and I picked it up at a garage sale a couple of years ago. Not the prettiest coloring, but not really bad either.

I have two reasons for calling this a 'possible' commission. 

 #1, I hope to make up several throws, and then offer this person her choice for the three that she has ordered.

  But, #2, ....do you see those rippled strips that are here and there in this little quilt.  I have never had that rippling occur while quilting one of my string quilts (that I remember, and I think that I WOULD).  I am not happy with that at all, but I haven't laundered the quilt yet.  If the crinkly effect makes those areas look just like the rest of the quilt, I might be accepting of this one, but otherwise it may just become one more quilt that graces my own home.

Hopefully I will come back and update this post with an 'after' photo of the quilt having been washed and dried.