No, actually washing seemed to improve it. I'd managed to have a couple of small gaps but washing tightened everything up a bit. They're still there but better. Since it's for me, and it was an learning piece, I'm quite satisfied. Next time though, I'll be more careful right from the start. I may use my red and white blocks for my second attempt at a wide sashing. (Btw, a couple more red/white blocks recently arrived so I put them in the gallery too. :). So many beautiful blocks... :) :) :)

Batting can really shrink. I buy big rolls of warm and natural. I don't always prewash my fabric but I cold wash and dry the batting in the dryer. You can always ' quilt the snot out it' if you didn't prewash. That was my FMQ teacher's expression.

I almost always quilted the big quilts on my home machine Janome 6600. Sometimes in three pieces. For me it was much easier to do that than quilt as you go. However I FMQ and you don't have to turn the quilt like you have to for walking foot quilting. That makes a big difference. I got a used sweet sixteen last year but because of all the booms I've only used it on one lap sized quilt. I will be doing two more in the next couple of weeks. It was a very easy transition for me.

i think I'm going to make the big jump and join both booms. I need a lap quilt too.

Janice if you aren't going to send fabric you should give us color choices so we can 'surprise '' you with more squares. I think everyone did their best work for you. I wish now I had put everyone's name on my square; it would've made a great square for the back of the quilt.

Thanks, ladies, for the feedback on the sashing batting. I feel better now. My sashing batting is tight with no "play" too. So I won't worry about it anymore. I diamond quilted the sashings so hopefully they will hold together well. I'm doing the outside border today... same fabric and width as the sashings.

MJP, hope you do join both Booms! Double the fun....

After being on the road for two days I am beat. We travel with two Siamese cats and they are fantastic travelers.

It's tough to leave one place where the temps finally got to be in the 70's and everything is green and lush, to arrive back in Wisconsin where the leaves are off the trees and it's 40* out! Guess I will just have to suck it up for the next 6 weeks or so.

Kass and SBG, your quilts are beautiful. I have read your tutorials on QAYG but I am still afraid to try it. It's that comfort zone thing working against me. While I am here I plan to make a table runner and will try to put it together using QAYG. Hopefully starting out small will give me the confidence to finish a full quilt using that technique.

I'm really looking forward to joining the next boom swap. I have learned so much here and enjoyed every minute!

You all rock - I just took a peak at the blocks you all made for Janice and they are so great. (as well as the ones you made for each other) Looking forward to seeing some quilts made from them all.

Aren't they though?!?! :)

Here is the shirts quilt for my son that I showed you part of before... and this is the quilt I was asking about with the questions about inserted sashing batting. It's finally done!

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I posted it in the Pictures section, with more pics.

Looks great sewbiz

Girl, you done good! He's going to love it.

Wow wow wow Sewbiz your shirt quilt turned out fantastic. Your son will love it