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[ Organic / Eco-friendly Fabric Love ]
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posted on May 14, 2011, at 11:25 am I’ve just stumbled across Bloggers’ Quilt Festival, thanks to Patch Andi, and I’ve entered my Sarah’s Triangles Quilt. If you’re visiting from the Bloggers’ Quilt Festival, welcome to 25reasons!
 Sarah's Triangles Quilt This quilt is quite special. First because it’s so BIG! The quilt finished up measuring 85″ (216 cm) x 99″ (251 cm)! Second because I made it for my daughter Sarah, who watched keenly from the sidelines as I made this quilt, and choosing some of the fabrics with me, beaming her excitement at me with her huge smile, all throughout the process. Third because it was a real challenge to quilt. I always knew I was going to hand-quilt this one, but when I got started by trying to pin the thing, I ran into such strife! I’d lay it down on the carpet to pin it, and then pick it up, folding it to be able to cart it to the couch where I was going to sit and quilt, but every time I did that, I ended up with huge folds in the backing fabric. So I tried all sorts of things. I lay it on the table, pinned it with even more pins, but still ended up with the same result.
In the end, I gave up trying. I considered hand-basting it, but it seemed like too big a job for me, so, although I was really hesitant about doing that, I looked at giving that job away to a professional, someone who could do it by machine. I felt bad about someone else’s hand being on my quilt. Sounds a little obsessive, but I think you know what I mean, right? Anyway, I ended up giving it away to be done, and I reckon it was the best money I ever spent! It came back to me with 3″ squares basted all over the quilt, and it was an absolute dream to quilt. I didn’t have to worry about whether it would have “pleats” in the back where I wasn’t holding the fabrics together properly, know what I mean?
I have to admit that when I finally finished the hand-quilting, and pulled out all the basting stitches, I felt good. Appreciative but happy that now only my handiwork was in it. Crazy? Yeah, probably. Would I have a large quilt machine-basted again? Definitely! You can read more about the making of this quilt here.
Here are some more images of my quilt. Can you tell Sarah’s crazy about her new quilt???
 Sarah and her quilt  Sarah's up on the table!  the quilt is doubled over and it's still "full-length"  the back is beautiful too, just LOVE Kaffe Fassett!  my message to Sarah, written in my own handwriting, then embroidered
posted on December 17, 2010, at 6:46 am I looked through my 2010 project list yesterday, and thought I’d cull a few that just weren’t going to get done by the time 2010 went and 2011 arrived. A quilt, a couple of tablecloths, the ice cream social dress, and a new ironing board cover just weren’t going to make it. So, delete.
I am, however, left with a challenge tht makes me happy. Just how much can I get done before the end of this year? Here’s what I have in mind. I reckon I can get the following done. It’ll take some planning, but I’m going for it!
First, I want to finish Sarah’s Triangles Quilt. That’d be just silly if I didn’t get that one finished. I only need to quilt the border, albeit a queen-sized 8″ border, sew the binding on, and then pull all that basting stitch out, but I reckon I can do it.
Gita’s Chelsea quilt? Well, now that the top’s done, I need to sandwich it and quilt it, then put on the binding. I can’t quite see that getting done in time, but you never know, right? I will be quilting by hand, going around all the flower boxes with a nice turquoise/aqua, and then straight-stitching the rest of it. What do you think? It’s not that big. I might take that one on too.
Then there’s only my tablecloths. I have two unfinished cloths. I don’t think I will try to finish those before New Year’s, but then again, it’s machine sewing, and won’t take that long really. I’ll keep this one in reserve, and see how I go, but I doubt it. I only have two weeks for all this, and I’d rather get the quilts done. I have already made up enough of my Liberty Stars blocks for the next two weeks’ posts, so I don’t have to worry about them.
So here I go! Wonder if I’ll get it all done!
posted on April 19, 2010, at 11:38 am 
I’ve just pulled out Sarah’s Triangle Quilt to draw up the quilting lines, and I’m thwarted yet again! It’s still all pinned together from weeks ago, but as I laid it across the table to baste it, I noticed the back is all creased and crumpled. So, now I don’t know what to do. Should I unpin the whole thing and smooth it all out and then re-pin? I can’t tell you how frustrated I am with this quilt. The top sewed up so quickly and beautifully, and now I can’t finish the thing because I can’t seem to get past this stage! I know that once it’s all ruled up and ready, I’ll just get into the quilting, no problem, I just can’t do this part! A-A-R-R-G-G-G-H-H-H-H!!! It’s just so big!
The first next thought I have is “Right! I’m just going to get it machine quilted!” But then I think how soft and lovely it’ll be if I hand quilted it, and I delete the machine quilting option immediately. Back to the drawing board…..
posted on April 19, 2010, at 11:38 am
I’ve just pulled out Sarah’s Triangle Quilt to draw up the quilting lines, and I’m thwarted yet again! It’s still all pinned together from weeks ago, but as I laid it across the table to baste it, I noticed the back is all creased and crumpled. So, now I don’t know what to do. Should I unpin the whole thing and smooth it all out and then re-pin? I can’t tell you how frustrated I am with this quilt. The top sewed up so quickly and beautifully, and now I can’t finish the thing because I can’t seem to get past this stage! I know that once it’s all ruled up and ready, I’ll just get into the quilting, no problem, I just can’t do this part! A-A-R-R-G-G-G-H-H-H-H!!! It’s just so big!
The first next thought I have is “Right! I’m just going to get it machine quilted!” But then I think how soft and lovely it’ll be if I hand quilted it, and I delete the machine quilting option immediately. Back to the drawing board…..
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