Monday 13 October 2014

How I Pin a Quilt

Hi everyone,

This week sure has flown by. I've been sewing pretty much non stop to finish more requests for my customer before her new baby arrives.
 
 
I finished the "Where the Wild Things Are" quilt I've shown in my previous posts and gave it to her last Saturday.  Here is the last picture of it all wrapped up and ready for delivery.  I just love the grey and white bias binding.  She was very happy with it too.
 
 
When I gave her that quilt, she asked if I could please hurry and make the other quilt for her little girl along with two matching cushions with invisible zippers.  I gave her an estimate of two weeks, but she really wanted me to try for ONE week.  Most of these squares were already cut, but she asked me to cut some of them over for fussy cutting.  I came home that Saturday morning and worked pretty much non stop the rest of the week.  Here is the quilt top for the second quilt laid out ready for pin basting.  This is a queen size bed.
 
 
When I was younger, I used to crawl around on my knees and pin huge quilts on the floor.
 
 For health reasons, I have come up with a different plan.  If the quilt will fit on my deck table, I pin it there. In this case, the quilt is too large for that, so I have done it this way for years. 
 
 First, stretch the top bed sheet as tight as it will go to give a flat surface. Iron the quilt backing carefully and smooth it out flat on the bed. Layer the quilt in the usual manner.  Next, slide the rotary cutting mat under the quilt backing while supporting the quilt sandwich with your fingers.
 


I pin over the mat, then slide the mat to the next section while supporting the layers with my fingers.  My mat is 35 "/ 90cm long, so I only need to move it a few times.


It is still a bit harder on the body, but if you don't have a large table available, it is better than crawling around on your knees :)
 
 
Pinning took maybe half an hour, then on to the fun part...quilting!
 
 
Then the next fun part...the binding is on, I am trimming the backing for the next step of hand sewing the binding to the back.
 

Here is the quilt all finished. My customer has provided all fabrics as she has chosen them for having special meaning to her family.
 
 
Here is a look at the quilting on the back.  No tucks anywhere :) This is 100% cotton batting and fabrics, so this quilt will have beautiful texture after she washes it.
 
 
Wrapped in tissue paper and tied with a pretty bow.
 
 
Plus a matching cushion for each quilt, both with invisible zips.  I managed all that from Saturday to Saturday and gave them to her yesterday (Sunday).  Phew!!! What a week :)  but I am happy that she is happy.  xx debbie

Thursday 2 October 2014

OPAM, Girl 17

Hi everyone,

I've tallied up my September finishes and this is not one of them :)



I am still hand sewing the binding down.  I will finish up today so I can turn it in to "J" tomorrow.  Her new baby boy is expected at the end of this month and this is for his nursery.


I finished the turtle pincushion. Pattern by Anni Downs.


Fabric by Lynette Anderson.  The turtle is a girl and her name is Millie.


I've mentioned in the past how each of the special dogs is different from the others.  I've decided Girl 17 is my "hoarder" LOL.  She doesn't scatter toys like the others.  She likes to keep all of them in the bed with her.  Teddy is under her head and bunny is just behind her. 


A lady from the special dog place came to take Girl 17 for a walk and this lovely boy came with her and he stayed with me while they were out.  He was a calendar boy last year :)



These are pet collar covers I made for a friend who repaired something for me.  He chose the fabric from my stash.  I used to make these back in the 80's. 


Maree from Sunday Stitchers (ollieandmay)  gave me some hexies she no longer wanted. There were a few flowers and heaps of them ready to be made into flowers.  I made this hexie swag to go above my kitchen window.   Thank you, Maree.


Last, here are some scraps from cutting I did last night.  Any guesses as to what these scraps might be from?  Hint: it is something to go with the thongs in my previous post. 
My OPAM total this month is 6:   Hexie Swag, Turtle Pincushion, 2 Blankets of Love, 2 pet collar covers.   (and most of a quilt, but it's not done just yet)   xx debbie