Another Finish!

Another finish! Yeah! This one took a long time. Partly because I was afraid of the machine applique (still am....ask me what I think once I take the quilt out of the wash!), and partly because of my arthritis in my thumb -- which the latter, of the two, kept me away longer than I wanted!

It's not a big quilt. The little man is now 4 months old, but it's still a great size to cover him in the winter months and for him to drag around as a toddler. Mom told me the room was blue's and brown's and that they were focusing on an "airplane" theme. I found lots of patterns, but they were so much more grown up (outlines of large jetliners).

The pattern is called "Fly With Me" designed by Kristen Grassaway. I found it as a .PDF pattern at Connecting Threads. http://www.connectingthreads.com/Patterns/Fly_with_Me_Pattern_Download__D10316D.HTML She has a lot of cute patterns. I found the cutting instructions a bit confusing and had to paste little fabrics to the pattern cutting directions. I'm one to "make it up as you go along", so patterns are not my forte. I usually look at it and work it out myself. Remember, I'm the girl that HATES math -- so that's probably more than half of the problem!

I have always thought you "HAD" to have one piece for the back! Well I still wanted to incorporate some of the blue in the background from the front. I ended up having a whole new quilt on the back with the whales and a couple of stripes of white through the back. Of course I had to use my "black and white text" binding. I think it gives the whole quilt a bit of a lift without taking away from the whole quilt. Have you ever seen quilts where everything is nice and then the binding just screams "I DON'T BELONG ON HERE!!!!"

My applique is a work in progress. I used minimal lite fusible web ...meaning the body of the plane on the insides does not have fusible. I only have about a quarter inch of fusible around each pattern piece to hold it down. The wings as well have only the fusible web along the outside edges as well, as I cut the middle out. The windows and front windshield have webbing for the whole piece. Another thing that I did was put fray stop on the ends of each part that my thread was cut. I don't want it to fall apart until it's "worn" apart, if you know what I mean! I used matching thread for each piece of the applique and a small zig zag. It's not perfect, but from farther away it looks just fine! I think this helped me overcome my fear of machine sewn applique! Those little windows are smaller than a dime. Best advice: GO SLOW, take your time around corners and watch where your needle goes up and down. I'm happy with the outcome and wouldn't hesitate tackling this again -- except maybe tackle it sooner rather than later!

TIP: as the applique pieces are on one piece of fabric -- I zig-zagged the edges before putting together the rest of the quilt. The blocks were much easier to maneuver  around all those curves!

Thanks to my long arm quilter, Karen! The simple quilting is just great and "enough". Sometimes people over-kill on the quilting and lose the simplicity. It's just "right" or this little one! I wanted this quilt nice and soft so he could cuddle it around him!

Now, on to the arthritis. I have been typing all my life (from when I was 12). I remember the typewriters where you had to pound on the keys and throw the carriage to the right (you know what I mean if you ever typed on a manual!). Put that with always using my hands for crafting! You name it, paining, ceramics, croheting, knitting, Bunka, etc., etc.Flash forward to now, the joints are now wearing thin. I have had my second injection of cortisone into the joint and it hasn't helped much this time.

Using your hands all the time and in particular "pinching" fabric between your pointer finger and thumb hurts! (bubye for now those hand-pieced hexagons).  Putting my hand onto my rulers to hold down and cut fabric is another challenge.

Wearing one of these is a pain in the butt, but it does help with the pain somewhat. It's pretty hard to hold stuff that needs "delicate" touch. Meantime, I do what I can to get these projects done! If any of you have experience with this, I would sure love to hear about your journey through this. I suspect as I age, I will be having more issues! I just want to be able to continue to quilt! (Not to mention I have some years before I can retire! -- the last 7 years or so, I have been typing way more! Heaven forbid with the newer generations and all their "texting!" Can't imagine what's going to happen to them!

I'm going to try and take a hiatus and send my Babylock Symphony in for a spa day or two, so I'll just be content with folding my fat quarters and organizing the rest of my sewing room! I've got more planned to sew, but I think it will be a bit before I show you all any finished projects!

Meantime, think of me when you are sewing and as always.....

HAPPY QUILTING!

What do you do when baby arrives early?

I had all these elaborate plans on making a fabulous "superhero" quilt, but the little man arrived EARLY! Egads! I rushed out and found a superhero cape panel. Well what can you do with something like that? I took it apart and re-assembled (in a hurry !) I added extra pieces with the colours Momma requested, and added "Jacob" to the front.

Hanging it isn't quite as nice as displayed on a fence or somewhere with more pizazz -- but it is nice and square when laid flat! The colours are bright and should keep the little man occupied when he's having tummy time on the floor!

My great longarm quilter Karen did a fabulous job! I love how she has the stars in there. She backed it with incredibly cozy Cuddlesoft in a bright red! I just wanted to wrap myself up in it! It's a great weight!

I am new to machine applique and did have a nice satin stitch around the pieces. Once it was complete with the binding, I put it in the wash. I pulled it out and many of the edges were unraveling -- thus having to go on TOP of the applique's again and re-do it with a wider stitch. It worked! Yeah! saved! I always wash my quilts before handing them over  to make sure everything holds and puckers nicely. Unfortunately my photo's do not show as well on here, but I grabbed a couple of quick photo's with my point and shoot. The quilt is already to go to new baby!

I wanted to add a fun binding but I didn't want it to look like a candycane by placing it on a diagonal. It sure does add some more interest to it. Binding is my favorite part of the quilting process believe it or not! I love sitting in front of the TV with a cozy quilt on my lap, hand stitching the binding to the back.  I challenge myself every time to make smaller and smaller stitches to near invisibility. Just to see the finished product is worth it -- even if it's a quick quilt! 

Only one more to go -- but that particular little man is staying put for a couple more weeks! I'll be crossing my fingers that he holds out for his due date so I can take some more time for this one! Again, some more applique! SIGH.... maybe with each one that I do, I learn more and more? If anything, I won't be making the same mistakes!

If any of you have any tips on how to get that nice finished product via machine, let me know! I would love to hear how you get it done! (Without having to un-sew and say choice words throughout the process!)

Happy Quilting everyone!

My long journey with this quilt is now complete!

The quilt is back from Heritage Park and the weather was nice enough to snap a few photo's. This quilt is for my daughter's birthday next weekend. It's my design based on Lady Liberty Goes to Hawaii by Karen Stone. I started this when I first learned how to quilt (this was my second project! ha ha) It was so overwhelming that it was put away for quite a few years until I got the courage to start on it again. My daugher let me know that she wanted a "queen size". I couldn't face making any more of these squares and decided I would put lattice between the blocks and add to the side borders. The tree's were an addition that have special meaning in their placement. Every piece through the years relate directly to her life -- whether it be her love life, her work, her hopes or her dreams or memories as a little girl all the way up to the beautiful woman she has become.

Happy Birthday my wonderful girl! I love you!

My longarm gal, Karen Morrison, did a beautiful job.( also know as Queen B Quilting and a member of Nimble Thimbles Quilt Club from Airdrie)  I just love what she can do! I take my stuff to her and just let her go with it. I am hoping that she had fun with this one. It's larger than a queen and pretty close to being king-size. My daughter wanted her quilt to drop down the sides. The length is long enough that if she wants to tuck her pillows under she can do so.

 I love how Karen didn't take away from the piecing and let those point's show through. Interesting how some of the squares look to me now. The newer squares I can pick out because of the fabric trends thorugh the years.

The trees so simple in construction, but so effective on the border.

Have faith in your longarm professional. Let me tell you...though I am learning to do my own quilting, it is sure easier to pass it on rather than wrestle a king-size through your machine. Note that I have not washed or blocked this quilt due to time restrictions. Once I happen to do that, the quilting will show more and it will fluff up more! I love it even before doing that!

Happy Birthday daughter of mine!
You are loved forevermore!