quilt along

quilt along / Uncategorized — 25 Comments
11
Oct 11

Japanese x and + finished!

I was able to get the Japanese x and + top quilted!

I basted it on the dining room table by using large binder clamps.  I quilted it by following along the X shaped pieces, quilting in the ditch.  I thought I’d see how it looked once I got that much done and see if it looked like it needed more?

Since the blocks are around 7.5″, just quilting across the quilt in a grid seemed to be enough?

 

I chose a black and white print for the binding.

You can see a bit of the backing peeking out too.  I used an aqua/white print sheet.  The aqua doesn’t match exact..but it’s a scrappy fun quilt and I think it’s just fine?

I’m happy with how my quilt turned out, even if it’s got just real simple quilting. 

 

Here’s an “action shot”

quilt along — 15 Comments
18
Sep 11

I’ve done a bit of sewing…

Several months ago, Jan of Be*Mused blog posted photos from her trip to the Tokyo Quilt Festival.  She generously posts her photos to Flickr and many of us eagerly await their posting.  Japanese quilts just have something very special about them. 

There was one by Setsuko Inagawa that was really interesting.  Several of us wanted to try our hand at making some of the fun blocks.

Amy, of Badskirt blog drafted the block pattern.  She wrote up a nice tutorial on how to piece it.

Then Laura, of My New Blog Journey decided to post a quilt along for those interested in doing their own version of Setsuko’s quilt.  She started a Flickr group so we could post our blocks and progress.

My quilt ended up quite different from the one that inspired it.  It was fun to piece a block here and there as I felt like it though.  I used a variety of novelty prints and large scaled prints. I intended to just make a small quilt, but the blocks were addictive and I just had to keep making them.  I opted for plain borders.

I liked the aqua print which I had bought a quarter yard of to use in my blocks.  I decided it would make a nice border and would keep that sort of “busy” look I was after.  When I went back to the store all they had left was 31″.  I took what they had.  I considered making narrow borders, but originally wanted wide ones.  I opted for using my second choice for border fabric and made two sides from each fabric in the width I originally wanted.

I’ll bind the quilt with one of the black prints I used in the quilt. 

That is…once I figure out how to baste the quilt.   I had tables in the basement for basting, but my son moved back home so I had to put them in storage. 

Maybe I can do it on the dining room table?  I thought I’d machine quilt it too?  It’s a “just for fun” quilt.

The blocks are fun to make and would be great for using up scraps.  The block would look great in 30′s repros, or solids, or whatever?  I included clickable links for anyone that would like to try them.

With borders my quilt wil be about 75″x 83″.

quilt along / Uncategorized — 14 Comments
29
Jan 11

Midnight Stars?

I’ve gotten the top of my quilt along doll quilt from Lori’s quilt along finished, but not quilted.

I changed the color scheme from blue, cheddar, red and shirting white to browns, warm pink, cheddar and cream shirtings.  These colors will go better in the room I’ll use the quilt in, but now the name Midnight Stars doesn’t make any sense?

I wasn’t able to find the name of this block.  I found one that was very similar in Maggie Malone’s Quilt Block Designs book called Eddystone Light., but it’s not exact.

I need a name that suits my quilt better.  I’m open to suggestions, if you have any ideas?

It might be a while until I can this cutie quilted because I have a rush order for a baby quilt that’s to be given at a shower on March 6. 

While I had my scrap bin out and had some time to play I pieced a little log cabin variation.  I saw a quilt on someone’s blog around Christmas time with a split center log cabin block. It really grabbed my attention and I jotted down a few notes, along with the name of the blog I saw it on.

I did some cleaning up here and somehow misplaced or threw out my notes.   I’m pretty sure I got it wrong? I think the logs have to be 1/2 the size of the center square?

If this looks familiar to you, please let me know who’s blog I saw it on, so I can give them credit?

I believe she called a Split Rail Variation?

quilt along — 14 Comments
6
Jan 11

A Doll Quilt Along

Lori of Humble Quilts is doing another one of her fun doll quilt alongs!

She’s calling it Midnight Stars and it’s inspired by an actual antique quilt.  Her version has pretty blues in it, but I don’t have much blue in my house so I decided to change the color scheme a bit.  I’m using the cheddar that’s in the original, (I just love that color), but I’m changing the blues to browns, and the reds will be pink in my version.

Lori does a wonderful job of giving the instructions.  She’s giving two different ways of piecing the first portion so that everyone will find a way that’s comfortable for them. I chose to go “old school” and cut triangles.

I’ve gotten the first segment sewn, trimmed, and pressed.  She’s not going to post the instructions too fast, so that people can keep up.

This little bit of sewing was a nice break from applique for me, and I’m using fabrics that are more in my comfort zone.  I’m looking forward to the next installment.

When Lori posted her first quilt along I didn’t join in at first. I don’t collect dolls or Teddy Bears and don’t have any little girls to sew for, so I didn’t think I’d have a use for a doll quilt? As I thought more about it though, I realized I could use doll quilts in a variety of ways.

They can be hung on a wall, or used as a table topper.  They can spill over cabinets and shelves, or line baskets.

You might even find a doll cradle at a yard sale like I did this past summer and have the little quilt spilling out over the edge?

Now I’m on the lookout for a doll..maybe something kind of Prim?

Doll quilts / quilt along — 27 Comments
28
May 10

Strawberry Fields doll quilt finished

Ta da!!! Strawberry Fields is finished.  It’s a fun doll quilt that Lori of Humble Quilts posted as a quilt along.

She drew her inspiration from an antique quilt, which was full sized.  She downsized the blocks and changed the setting to the fun zig-zag.

Her fabric choices were close to the original and I chose to make mine similar too, by using reproduction fabrics.

I had a lot of fun with this quilt along, but when it came time to quilt my little darling I found it kind of fiddly to quilt.

Soo…I basted the edge to an old towel so I could put it in my quilting hoop.

That helped a lot.  I know a lot of people quilt free handed, but I’m more comfortable using a hoop…and my hoop is big!

I guess it depends on what a person is used to?

With the towel added I could quilt away.

I used a toile fabric I had on hand for my backing.

I enjoy seeing what people use on their backs and wish they’d show us more in the books that document old quilts.

The stitching usually shows up better on the back too.

You may be wondering what that other quilt is?

It’s the second quilt I made from the fun quilt along Lori did last…Cheddar and Crackers.

I enjoyed doing one in  blue and white with cheddar.  Then I wanted to try a second colorway.

I call it:  Cheddar and Crackers with Watermelon.

This colorway is kind of unusual to our modern eyes..but it would have been right at home in an antique quilt.

I’m very happy with my two newest doll quilts!

Thanks Lori!  :)

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