FINISH---Strips-Weave .....all done !

 

Last Monday, September 21st, I finished binding this quilt.  I dug out all of my binding strip leftovers and made it scrappy.  I sewed the strips onto the back and finished them on the front using the new foot I bought, a 1/16th inch left compensating foot.  It's beautiful to see that stitch line so very close to the fold of the binding, but also still possible to veer off once in awhile and miss the edge altogether.  Makes you have to pay CLOSE attention, but surely makes for a quicker job than finishing by hand.

I mentioned this quilt-top in my last post.  This one gave me a perfect opportunity to try out my curvy ruler-quilting ruler.  I made a few oopsies, but finally caught on to using the marks to match things up as I had to move the ruler down the length of the quilt. This ruler was actually intended for use with a longarm machine, being a bit thick for working on a domestic machine like my Jazz 2 from Babylock.

After quilting the wavy design, I still didn't think it was enough, so I quilted down along the ditch of each vertical seam as well.  Now I'm very pleased with the look of it, although I haven't laundered it to see how much it crinkles.  As I've said before, on some of these quilts, I'd prefer that they retain that well-pressed look, but it's not a deal breaker either when they don't.

Keeping to the scrappy theme, I brought out my leftovers binding strips that were already pressed in half.  I lay them out around the perimeter of the quilt to get colors in the places that I wanted, and after stitching them to the quilt, I was well pleased with the final look. One more thing that I need to do is sew a label onto the back.............OH, THAT REMINDS ME...I didn't show you this pretty BACK !  I don't know that   it actually coordinates with the quilt, but I just love it.  It was with some fabrics that were donated to me. It has a coarse texture, and there were six identical pieces that were a bit bigger than fat quarters.  I am very seriously thinking that these were feedsacks, although I can't find the big stitching holes that are usually caused by the thick thread with which they would have been stitched closed. Anyway....have a look.  Marley Jo won't mind.

And, so, we finish here.  This quilt measures approximately 52 x 58 inches, making it a decent throw, or bed-topper.

FINISH--Nine-Patch Squared

 Well, I managed to make another quilt, setting a record for me at one per month this year !

Below is the top before being quilted.....

It may be my age, but I have developed a love for a more simplified quilt........I think that it has to do with polyester batting.   With bigger piecing (4 " finished squares in the nine-patches, and 8 inch in the frames),I'm leaving room for the poly batting to 'fluff'.  I think that the crinkly look of cotton batting goes better with smaller piecing and closer quilting.

  And I'm satisfying my desire to do some hand-quilting again, although now I do "big-stitch" rather than going for the most stitches I can squeeze into an inch of quilting, like I did when these hands and eyes were young.

Having said all of that, this is my latest finish.........I call it Nine-Patch Squared, and it is not my own original design.  I ran across it in some pages that I have cut out of magazines and catalogs (sorry, I don't save the info).  I save these pictures as ideas and inspiration for future projects.

Back of quilt......same fabric as center of framed squares on front.

Hopefully for the recipient who takes a closer look, the hand-stitching shows up well around the solid frames.  

Deb let me make her this one to trade back for the last one that she took, when I explained to her that the kitty fabrics and little girls climbing trees might have been too 'juvenile' a choice of fabrics for a quilt that is to be gifted to her daughter-in-law.

Quilt info:  Polyester batting , low-loft, by Fairfield (PolyFil), Thread--Coats Bold Hand-quilting thread in Natural....... finished size, approximately 48" x 60" after laundering.  I made the binding finish at around one-half inch because it matches the framed print, and ties it all together.

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AFTER NOTE:  I delivered this quilt to Deb on May 15, 2023.  She was happy with it.  

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A salt shaker spilled in my raincoat pocket, and not realizing that there was salt in the bottom of the pocket, I put my keys in there while I ran errands in the rain.   Now I can hardly get the key in and out of the ignition.  I think that it got salt in it, and it tarnished something or who knows what.  The key feels rough on the end, and even a second key hesitates within inserting and removing.

It's a Honda, and I only have the one key that does everything....ignition, keyless entry.  My local mechanic thinks he could replace the ignition, but a Honda dealership has to reprogram the key unless you know a locksmith that can perform that task.  The nearest dealership is in Franklin, and I DON'T DRIVE TO FRANKLIN.  A new key was over $250 when I bought the car in 2018....I can only imagine the price now.

Stay tuned for update........for now I'm just going to use the car as sparingly as possible, and PRAY !

Scattered Stars........Use it up !

When JoAnn asked me to make two of the "Hero's Tribute" quilt tops, she sent me an OVERLOAD of fatquarters to use.  Many of them were medium-browns that were too dark to be used for backgrounds.   When I finished the second top, I found that I still had about 15 good new pieces of these browns.

So I asked her if I could put together one more top for her.
Here is the design that I came up with, using EQ5.

I used the few pieces of reds, blues, and golds that were leftover from the earlier stars construction.  And I am amazed at how well the colors from EQ5 match the colors I had to use.

This is what I came up with, finishing the piecing today.  The final measurement of the top is 51 x 71 inches.  It could be quilted as is, or have a border added to it.

 Either way, it makes a generous-sized couch/nap quilt......my favorite type of quilt !  I hope she likes it.