Daz had to work today so with him out the house,
Ad decided to drive the 73kms up and Mum decided to drive the 15 kms down and we had a girls only sewing day! Set up the pool in the backyard, the girls alternated between splashing in it and then coming inside and watching
Wall-e. Meanwhile the grown ups sewed and sewed and sewed!
I finished all the machine sewing needed on Grace's Rainbow Log Cabin. Binding is added, I did 3 more "tram track" lines of quilting around the very edge. Easier said than done, that took ages! And then zig zagged the binding. Mum and Ad looked at me strange when they saw this. I have been doing it for awhile and thought it was the normal thing to do. It makes the edge crisper when you are sewing the binding down, you can feel the actual edge better. Does this sound weird? Am I the only zig zagger before binding person out there? I'm sure I picked it up as a tip off the internet somewhere...... works for me!
Then because the afternoon was still young I dragged out these Dissappearing 9 Patch blocks I last worked on back
here, September 2007. I sewed them into rows of 3 and then 4 rows together and then popped on a 5.5 inch Lakehouse white on white spot border and wolah, quilt top for a baby girl! 2009 is shaping up for year of girlfriends having babies or have already had them. A few spare quilt tops hanging around wouldn't hurt. I don't know if its cause the blocks are old but I feel a bit ho hum about this so far. I thought the white would add some zest to it but hmmmmm, don't think so, not yet. I'll have to let the quilting bring it to life.
I have had mixed feelings about this quilt. It is the second quilt I have made from these blocks that I recieved in a charm square swap ages ago. Maybe I have just had enough of these blocks as I have had it sandwiched and pinned, ready to quilt for the last 2 weeks, just drapped over the ironing board, waiting patiently...
Then seeing as the baby it is meant for is nearly 6 months, thought it was time I actually finished the thing! I didn't want to have just a mass of colour in the center like I did for this Disappearing 9 Patch quilt, I thought if I framed each with white, sort of a window effect? Looking back now I think I should have done the white "cross" part thinner, its 2 inches, maybe half that would have been better?
I like the back. I used up the last of the squares so I won't be tempted to make another!
I stippled each of the pink and purple areas seperatly and then on the white, I stippled one long wavy line all the way around. In a nice pale pink cotton. Now it is all washed, label on, folded up on the ironing board ready to post to it's new home tomorrow.
I finished sewing down the binding for this quilt two hours before I got news that the baby was born. Great timing! Grace and I are going to visit this afternoon.
Just a simple Dissappearing 9 Patch, such an easy and effective block, love it. It all came together quickly after being a UFO for a year or so. I say UFO rather than WIP as it wasn't in progress at all.... Feels good to have another UFO out the sewing room. I still have enough blocks to make another of these which is on the list for the next girlfriend due.
I really enjoyed doing the quilting on this. 100% cotton, new needle and smooth stippling all the way, bliss! See the little lovehearts in the stippling? I did a darker pink over the D9P blocks and a light pink on the white.
I finished all the machine sewing needed on Grace's Rainbow Log Cabin. Binding is added, I did 3 more "tram track" lines of quilting around the very edge. Easier said than done, that took ages! And then zig zagged the binding. Mum and Ad looked at me strange when they saw this. I have been doing it for awhile and thought it was the normal thing to do. It makes the edge crisper when you are sewing the binding down, you can feel the actual edge better. Does this sound weird? Am I the only zig zagger before binding person out there? I'm sure I picked it up as a tip off the internet somewhere...... works for me!
Then because the afternoon was still young I dragged out these Dissappearing 9 Patch blocks I last worked on back here, September 2007. I sewed them into rows of 3 and then 4 rows together and then popped on a 5.5 inch Lakehouse white on white spot border and wolah, quilt top for a baby girl! 2009 is shaping up for year of girlfriends having babies or have already had them. A few spare quilt tops hanging around wouldn't hurt. I don't know if its cause the blocks are old but I feel a bit ho hum about this so far. I thought the white would add some zest to it but hmmmmm, don't think so, not yet. I'll have to let the quilting bring it to life.
