Honchey

Beautiful, so darn beautiful!!!!

givio

Oh, Jan, I'd like a close up look at the quilting on every block... :-) It looks like some creative ideas there! I'm not sure if I want to 'stitch in the ditch' or do 'something else' and if 'something else,' then I don't know what to do...

janRN

Thank you, Anne--you've seen this one before LOL. Givio, I did this one Quilt as you go; I did each block individually then sewed them together. I had fun deciding on the quilting pattern for each block. I hate the actual quilting part and would be content to just make thousands of blocks. I would need a much larger Box That Shall Never Be Opened to stash them in.

givio

Jan, I agree, I'd much rather make blocks than do the quilting part! I've hesitated trying the various quilt-as-you-go methods. I feel concern about the seams, if they will be stiff and not drape nicely (if you sew the batting to the seam, and if you topstitch a folded joining strip), or if they will be weak without the batting staying put (if you just lay it together, or if you don't use a joining strip). Have you got any hints you can give? There are several ways to do it-- which way did you use? Were you satisfied with how it feels at the joins at the sashing strips? And when you washed it, how well did that go for the seams? And did you have a library of quilting patterns that you chose from, or did you create the designs?

janRN

Givio, I "invented" my own QAYG method LOL. I quilted the individual blocks & batting then sewed the blocks together with sashing strips, trimming the batting to just fill the sashing. I sewed the entire quilt top together then attached the backing as one large piece. I then stitched 1/4" down the sides of the sashing strips and across the other sashing strips. From the back the only quilting visible is the grid pattern from stitching in the sashing strips. I have no bulky seams, no juggling to match all those seams up but have a nice flat quilt that held up to washing just fine. The batting doesn't shift because it's quilted to each individual block and the backing is secured by the straight stitching in the sashing. Clear as mud LOL??? I'm a former hand quilter and like the appearance of individual quilting designs in each block. I let the block "tell"me what to quilt.

givio

So, you didn't sewing the batting together, just lay it abutting in the center of the sashes? And when you washed it, the battling didn't scrunch up to either side to lay near your quilting line? I'm worried that would happen, but maybe it depends what kind of batting you use. This method you describe means I'd be struggling under the domestic machine with a full sized quilt, every six inches... yikes! :-p lol Yes, it's a good way to increase the amount of quilting per block, and with a small size block, it gives enough 'quilting' to hold the back nicely... I guess I'm just looking for an easy way out! *laugh* *sigh*

janRN

Morning. No I didn't have to sew the batting together, the sashings are only 1 1/2" wide and I stitch down both edges of the batting 1/4" from the sides of the blocks. I use Warm & White which is flat, no poufiness to it so maybe that helps. I guess you could use batting tape to hold the edges of the batting together but I've washed all my quilts done this way and never had any bunching up. And quilting in the sashings and sewing on the binding is the only time you're dealing with that full sized monster on your DSM. BTW, if you do this method, don't plan on entering a quilt show--they are APPALLED at this technique LOL.

givio

Oh, let them be appalled! It annoys me they are appalled at completely machine stitched binding over hand-stitching the back of it-- let alone a log cabin style corner over a mitered one! As if there is only one way that is worthy!

All those tutorials about binding! 'Cut it on the bias'! 'Fold it this way', 'fold it that way'! Then, 'look at the perfect corner I've made, you can do it too'!

All the simply wonderful, remarkable quilts that don't make the grade, just because they don't have a 'wow' factor...

When I was pregnant with my first child I chose to make a 'whole cloth' or 'panel' type quilt using a print that had pretty blue tiles where I could follow the line of the Arabic-looking design in the tiles to achieve a close pattern of stitches. I used a cotton batting-- this was in the days before there was scrim on the batting, and it was recommended on the outside of the bag that you quilt every 1/4 to 1/2 inch. I read about a hand sewing method where you could lay your stitches very small and close together by keeping your right hand above the quilt frame and your left hand below it, and passing the needle and thread completely through the quilt sandwich with each stroke of the needle. The top, that I could see, had a smooth line of stitches, but the back where I could not see where to put the tip of the needle on the return trip to the top, had straggly stitches. Hand sewing the baby size quilt that way took me much longer than ever before had taken with a full size quilt, that I hand sewed the normal way. When looking at the back of it, even I wouldn't want to have it seen in a quilt show. It looked like a child had sewn it! Yet, for using that method, I'd done a good job. One tile in, I knew I'd been crazy, and wished I'd sewn it normally-- yet I'd persevered at an arduous task, and finished it. When my son outgrew it, I stored it for years in a linen closet. One spring cleaning I'd had enough of it, and finally put my disaster in the trash. It was loved by my son so much that when he found it in the trash that day he quietly took it out, and hid it in his room.

I'd be proud of you and your quilt if you entered it. It's a grand prize winner! :-) Anybody who sets themselves to the task of sewing a quilt with tons of little pieces and completes it is a winner in my book!

JeanieG

What great fabrics you all have chosen on these two blocks! I am finally getting caught up folks!!! Here are my #59 and #60!

Honchey

Yoo Hoo Guys, I have Mary Gray done! I had to eliminate the center triangles..I thought I had enough of the red print but not enough for the length + the seam allowance..I only had a small piece.. I'm working on Mary and should be done with it tomorrow..