Two reveals

The sun is shining again after more than two weeks of dreary grey.  I thought I’d celebrate by photographing my quilts outside, but the wind kept whipping the quits around so uninspired indoor shots it is!

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The baby quilt (pattern: Turtle Twist by Blue Meadow Designs):


The turtle is a much smaller part of the quilt than I expected.  The photo in the magazine made it seem much more prominent.  I still like it though, and the top came together very quickly
I needed a bit of handwork right about the time I got this quilt basted, so I hand quilted the checkerboard and the turtle block.  I was enjoying the hand quilting but started worrying about finishing on time so I machine quilted the two borders.

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The Swap quilt:

 
I should come up with a better name, but I’ve called it the Swap Quilt for a year.  I doubt any other name will stick now!  This was all machine quilted.  I worried a bit about messing it up since I’m new to machine quilting, but then decided that it was made of blocks from many supportive quilting friends who would be supportive and would totally understand that I have to start somewhere. 
In the end I’m very pleased with how it turned out. I had to make a few changes to my quilting plans.  I had planned to put clusters of maple leaves in the setting triangles.  It seemed appropriate for Canuck Quilter’s quilt.  However, the print completely obscured the quilting and I figured out that I on busier prints I need longer lines and curves.  That’s why I put in those fans instead, and I really like the old fashioned look they give.

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That’s it for quilting for now.  I’m off to the garden to divide a few hostas. I’ve never done that before and I’m a bit worried I’ll kill them instead, but as with the quilting, I’ve got to start somewhere!  Time to go get my jeans muddy!

Coming soon…

I finished quilting the borders this afternoon.

I was all excited to get the binding on and finish but had to slow down to actually make the binding.  Here it is, in a tidy roll now ready to go.

Making binding isn’t my favourite part of making a quilt.  I really should start making my bindings right at the beginning, before the piecing, so I wouldn’t have to interrupt the fun stuff near the end.   Then again that would mean slowing down the momentum at the beginning…

Hopefully there will be a picture of a completed baby quilt in the next couple of days, assuming groceries and laundry don’t hog too much time.  The cupboards are bare though…and the sock and underwear supply is dangerously low…

Something new!

The last few months all of my quilting time has been dedicated to moving projects off the UFO list.  It is now down to 2 projects so yesterday I gave myself a reward and played with the fabrics I showed you at the end of my last post. Yes, this means the swap quilt is completely finished! (Insert happy dance here.)  I’m waiting for a less dreary day to take it outside for pictures.
Here’s the new project so far:

I’m making “Turtle Twirl”  by Blue Meadow Designs from the September/October 2008 issue of Quiltmaker magazine.  I don’t often buy a magazine for any one particular quilt, but I did this time.  The turtle quilt on the cover was just too cute and I’ve been waiting for an excuse to make it.  One of my kids’ favourite teachers is expecting a baby, so here’s my chance!
The pattern used fusible web for the applique and doesn’t actually call for sewing it down, but I wasn’t confident that would survive the use and washing a baby quilt goes through.  I decided to go ahead and do a satin stitch all around.  Can anyone explain to me why my curves got less smooth as I sewed instead of improving with the practice ?!!  It came out OK anyway.  I don’t think Mrs. H. will be fussing about the details.  She’s too sweet for that and besides, she’ll have her mind on more important things by then!
I have the strip units sewn and sub-cut to make a blue and green checkerboard to wrap around three sides of this applique block, and borders to go around everything.  I think this should be ready to baste and quilt by tomorrow.  My daughter wasn’t clear on whether the baby’s due date was early or late May, so I want to get this done sooner than later.
I’m off to sew!