Quilter With a One Track Mind!

And then all rows were ready!

I didn’t web this top.  I built it in rows.  And during the assembly process, I wish I had webbed it.  WHY??

Because finding the exact place where one block ended and the next began was kind of a crap shoot with this much chaos.  Some of those strips were really narrow – was it THIS seam I was matching or the next one?

There was much unpicking of seams and readjusting as all rows should END evenly – they were the same number of blocks, the same length after all, right?

So take it from me – WEB this top.  Then there is no guessing of which seam needs to be matched to its neighbor in the next row.  Just trust me!

Yes, I know I was on a roll with this one.  It’s been a project that grabbed me and just wouldn’t let go.

All rows laid out and ready to roll.

They really ARE the same length. 

It just doesn’t look like it here!

I was thinking of calling this quilt Plague Week.  LOL.  That’s how it all started – something brainless to sew while recovering from the longest running crud in history.  It’s been 2 weeks as of today that I first felt the tickle with dread.  I’m still coughy and chasing my running nose.  It’s not to be trifled with, this stuff.  But a girl can’t just do nothing on the couch for two weeks on end, can she?

I plan on doing a full out tutorial for this one and putting it under the Free Patterns tab, so be watching for it.  All the nitty gritty of block size, etc will be there.  I just need a completed quilt first.

Top together, stay stitching around the edges.

I’ve been on a “Quilts Without Borders” kick recently as well.  This was big enough and didn’t need borders as is.  I’ll bind it with something strong to finish the edge to stop the “busy.”

Do I ALWAYS stay stitch my quilt tops?  If the piecing goes all the way to the edge of the top – YES.  If there is a plain fabric border hemming everything in, NO.  But when putting on plain borders, I make sure that I back tack at the beginning and ending of those long seams.  The whole point is to keep seams tight so nothing pops open during the quilting/binding process.

Ready to Lock & Load at the QPO!

It was mid afternoon before Sadie and I toodled our 7 miles up the road.  The fabric I wanted to use for backing was at the Quiltville Post Office, and it is easier for me to measure for a backing when I can lay the quilt top over the machine rails to measure.  I can do it standing, not crawling on the floor.

And before I knew it – I was quilting rows!

Something loopy and curly with feathers and circles!

The name of this panto escapes me at the moment.

But I’ll have all the info when I do the tutorial.

But in the mean time – look at all these scraps in their happy place! I loved making this quilt, and I can see myself doing another one.  It would be really fun to do it in a color planned kind of way – maybe each row could be a different color theme like a rainbow?

Seam allowance didn’t matter – as long as there was enough to hold the pieces together.  Strip width didn’t matter as long as I had at least 1/4’’ showing.  The number of strips per side didn’t even matter – it was however many strips took me to build the block to unit size, and then trim down.  Some blocks end with a dark strip, others with a light.  It just does not matter and adds to the happy chaos of the whole.

I was home by dinner – after putting only 3 rows of quilting in.  The rest can wait.

I am declaring today a NON-QUILTING DAY!  Yes, you heard me right.

Today I am heading out with my friend Martha for some antiquing and lunch out and to rejoin the life of the living now that I feel more and more human.  I’m not sure what we will see or what we will find, but I need to be away from a machine for at least today.

I’ve put some chicken breasts in the crock pot with some cream of chicken soup, some herbs and spices, some onion – and it will simmer on low while we are away all day. (Reminding myself to turn it ON before I leave the house!)

Tomorrow?  I am not sure!  The Hubster arrived home from China last evening and we may have some painting or retreat work ahead.  A meet up with the electrician is in the plans so we can get that going – the last big “hired out” job.  And then it’s painting, decorating, and cosmetics to bring this house into a QUILTER’S HOME!

Quiltville Quote of the Day -

Your creativity not only feeds your own soul, but is how you share yourself with the rest of the world.

Let your creativity shine!

Happy Friday!