Thursday 3 December 2009

Quilted proof of my existence


Here's visual proof that I still exist. I've been busy with work and studies lately, so not much quiltmaking going on here. This quilt is lying on my couch where I've been binding it in minutes stolen from other responsibilities. I have one long side left to go, some threads to hide from the machine quilting, and the label to attach. My friend Val quilted this in a large all over meander using her Quilting B machine and frame. I "helped" her by pinning it on the machine and moving the lamp, and when she had tension problems, I unpicked some of the stitching. Unfortunately, I put an half-inch gash on the back with the really sharp seam ripper. We marked it with tape, but the tape has since falled off and I'll have to take a close look to find the hole. You can see from the close-up that the front is a real mixture of fabrics from the scraps. The back is a Anna Griffin bird print I bought last year for $4 a metre. I was hoping I'd have enough of that bird print to make a matching pillowcase, but instead of 27 inches of WOF, I have about 9 inches of 2.5 metres. Good border material for another project. This is going to be gifted next week, so I have to keep handsewing here.

I've also been working on my guild challenge for this month. Cheryl asked for  eight 6.5 inch drunkard's patch blocks to make the equivalent of two 12 inch blocks. I'm thinking she's going to mix and match them. The hardest part for me was accurate cutting from a paper template. Eventually I traced her template onto freezer paper and ironed it on the fabric and then cut it out. If I was ever going to make a whole quilt of this pattern, I might invest in those plastic (or whatever) templates. I used up a bunch of fabric with dots. Cheryl's only guideline was good contrast between dark and light.  On the top left  I've used some of that fruity women fabric we've been having fun with in my guild -- I think it's been used in some ways in at least three tote bags and as the basic for two picnic quilts. I've been using it for tea cozies.

6 comments:

PrairiePeasant said...

Thanks for posting your pics of the blocks. It's helpful to see how you've used both parts of the same fabric in different blocks.

Jeannette said...

YES, very pretty. As I read, I was relieved that the gash was in the recent proof of your existence and not in your hand. Wonderful tool, nasty old seam rippers, aren't they? And to be gifted this quilt, well thaT makes it even prettier somehow.

Joyce said...

I really like that white fabric ith the rainbow circles on it. I find myself collecting dot fabric so I also like the blue with circles on it. Very nice.

The Calico Cat said...

You can applique your label over the seam ripper accident. Those labels do not "have" to be in the corners.

Rosalyn Manesse said...

Looking great!

Mary Johnson said...

I'm always worried about cutting my quilt when I need to rip stitches and the best tool I've found is called Squizzers, they have a curved edge that slips under the stitch and lets you snip it and I find it as quick as a seam ripper only safer!

Love the quilt you made for your friend, she seems really pleased with it.

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