I managed to finish this quilt before the deadline and I am so relieved. Plus, I really like how the Plus Quilt came out. It was a fun challenge to have the "blind date" fabric swap and then round out the prints I received with things from my stash. It's funny too - I just squeaked in the basting and quilting over the holiday weekend before we left for vacation in Alaska. Then binding the quilt yesterday I had a new appreciation for the animal prints with moose and bear!
For the backing I used a solid blue Kona with a strip of scraps from the front across the middle.
This was my first time with spray basting - I had a hard time with it largely for the same reason I have trouble basting anything larger than a crib quilt. I don't really have a nice big space to tape down the backing. Anyway, I worked up quite a sweat smoothing out all the wrinkles and I was worried there would be some unsightly puckers. So I did a free quilting meander - only my second time, so it was good for practicing that skill anyway. But I'd imagined a straight line quilting pattern beforehand. Anyway, I didn't have any puckers to speak of, and with the washing and drying all would have been forgiven by the end. I do like this look a lot though, but I guess it isn't everyone's favorite.
Just a little more detail... and below the whole enchilada!
I used some of the green and yellow print scraps for binding. Another new skill attempt with mixed results - machine binding. hmmm. I would start with slightly wider strips next time (I used 2.5") so that more will fold over the back because I had to go back and re-stitch and couldn't really stitch in the ditch to catch the back of the binding. So I think the binding looks pretty sloppy, but I wanted to make sure it would hold up to some abuse once it reaches a child in Romania. To be honest, this is the second time I did a machine binding, and I will probably go back to hand stitching the backside. Between all the pinning I did and the going back to restitch it didn't feel like any time savings was worth the sacrifice in aesthetics. Maybe if I learn to do this from someone who really knows how I will change my mind though.
Anyway, I hope I can link this up to Sarah's Whoop Whoop! for the week - but since it's Saturday and not Friday we'll see! Go over there anyway to check out some more impressive posts from creative geniuses!
That turned out great! I like the primary colors mixed with the fun prints. Nice job on the quilting too!
ReplyDeleteWhoop Whoop! WHat a fun, cheery quilt - a child in Romania will *love* it.
ReplyDeleteI much prefer hand-stitching binding down, too, once I've set it on with the machine. There are times, though, when I do it all by machine. For example, two quilts ago I used minky on the backing - way too "furry" to hand stitch binding through without falling into language choices that really offend my hubby. ;D When I put them on by machine, I do it backwards: I sew the binding onto the BACK, then wrap it around to the front. That way, I can get a perfect top-stitching close to the edge so that the front's gorgeous-looking, and the back - well, sometimes it falls perfectly at the edge of the binding seam, and sometimes it's in a tiny bit, or even up on the binding a smidge. But it doesn't matter! Everything's still caught, the front looks fantabulous, and what is imperfect on the back to me doesn't mean a whit to anyone else!
Very pretty H2H quilt. It does feel good to have the H2H quilt finished.
ReplyDeleteYour quilts are adorable! I have tried the machine binding, just not my favorite.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful beautiful beautiful!! I just love your quilt!! Whoop whoop!!
ReplyDeleteIt's gorgeous :) I also just tried spray basting and had some trouble with it too (space is also a big problem here) so you're not alone! Whoop whoop!
ReplyDeleteVery pretty! I love the blue Kona back and the addition of brown in the top. I've tried spray basting but think I'll remain a pinner:)
ReplyDeleteWhat a yummy, snuggly, wrinkly, quilt! My favorite :-) I guess for wallhangings I go for the smooth top look. But for lap and bed quilts, this is what I like. A hint for machine quilting the binding -- works like a charm -- sew the binding to the back, like LynCC said, and iron it up from the seam. When you flip it to the front, put a tiny line of Elmer's WASHABLE School Glue (in a bottle) as you iron it down to the front. When you sew, it doesn't move!!! Ta da!
ReplyDeleteLove how it turned out. Yay~! I always machine bind. Like Brita, attach to back first, iron, turn to front, I move my needle over one notch to the right and line up the binding edge with the inside of my 1/4 presser foot. This allows me to guide the fabric and puts the stitching line in the exact placement top and bottom. I make it sound easy and it is....now. For months, I spent a long time figuring out just how to make it work and bound a lot of quilts for kids in the process. Good luck.
ReplyDeletesuch a cheerful quilt, love it! i need to make this pattern!
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is wonderful. I tried a machine sewn binding for the first time on my H2H quilt. I was not crazy about it. Back to hand sewing it down for me.
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