suern3

This is such a timely topic for me! I was slow finishing Frolic so just getting ready for backing, pin basting and quilting on my DSM. Today I washed the wide backing and ironed it the best I could. I ironed for about 3 hours and called it done. During this time I started to worry about doing the quilting myself and now I am thinking of sending it out for long arming. This would be a first for me and I do like the feeling of completing a quilt myself. But if ironing the backing seemed this hard, maybe it is time to try quilting by check. Still deciding. I don't think this quilt needs complicated quilting since the piecing is the star here. We will see.

audsgirl

I know what you mean, Sue. I've always done the quilting myself, but I don't enjoy it. I'd rather baste than quilt! And it is such a busy quilt that an all-over design would be just fine. I have so many quilt tops that need to be quilted that I had better do something soon. I want to make a queen-size quilt for our bed, but I can't start it until I get this top done. I'm afraid this year I won't be doing Bonnie's mystery. Let us know what you decide.

Leslie

Iceblossom

It does come out as a large top and square at that, and I'm more of a rectangle gal myself. I am growing more comfortable with the idea that while a great quilter could enhance this, especially with my fabrics just sticking it together with a random meander that is within my skill set will be fine. I still don't want to quilt it on my home machine but that's a different story.

I've had to take a break on my piecing of the UFO top due to the arrival of my Round Robin. For Frolic I have all the missing units made, and the neutrals cut, and have combined all the pieces needed per block into a separate baggy. The bags are each marked with a shape and number so it is clear it is a Square or a setting Triangle, the numbers aren't there for layout just so I don't have to keep counting and recounting slippery bags.

I'm going to sew each block at a time instead of trying to keep all those different sets of units coordinated. All that hard work done by somebody else is about to pay off and I get to do the fun part! It's all good, as I sometimes say "I've gotten everything out of that project I wanted" even if I choose not to finish it myself.

I haven't looked ahead yet but I think I have to cut some blue squares for the sashing, plenty of fabric for that, and the middle sashing piece. Again, plenty of fabric and as I recall it could change the look quite a bit with different choices.

All those border units are already made for me and I'll be laying them out in some way other than the original design. I'm thinking sort of goose/arrow type points but I really liked Origami's solution. That's still a ways in the future.

origamigoldfish

I had a package waiting for me when I came home from work today...my frolic has been quilted, and it turned out fabulous! Did a very circular edge-to-edge design, so it looks like ripples on water. All of the curves really contrast all those angles. Just binding left to go, and then it is done.

Hoping to get it bound before the clues for the next one are released!

retiredteacher09

That’s exciting, origamigoldfish!

Iceblossom

Hooray for Origamigoldfish! And to the others that have actual quilts, you all deserve praise.

I have a couple of weeks between my Round Robin project and the trip I'm going on and will be working on the my Frolic UFO in the next week, I'm really quite excited. All the front end tedious things like the border units were made and the colors/fabrics are nice quality and fun to work with.

When I try to describe quilting to non-quilters, sometimes I tell them it's like a great big jigsaw puzzle. This is the fun part where all the little pieces and tedious front end work come together to make sense and you can really see things happening. And (giggle) at the end, I don't have to quilt it down, just mail it out. I might do this sort of thing more often!

My Tuesday group gave me that look again when I said I was planning on doing the mystery this year...

Iceblossom

I don't know if there is anyone else out there finishing up a Frolic top, but I've resumed working on a Frolic UFO with the goal to finish it before Thanksgiving/the start of the next mystery.

It's been fun working with this UFO, the original quilter did a lovely job with fabric selection and cutting and general workmanship, but lost her joy along the way.

So I've moved along to where all the little subunits are made and I'm putting together the overall 9-patch of the block. It's really fun to see these stars bloom, especially since I haven't spent so much time with the fabric, everything was pretty much cut and/or pieced at least once before I started putting the pieces together.

I still haven't decided on the border, pretty sure though it won't be Bonnie's as designed. I'll have to layout the finished blocks before I commit.

JanieW

I need to finish my Frolic. I didn’t do mine on point nor scrappy. I have the initial blocks put together and I like what I have. I don’t want to do the borders as Bonnie has done them. I’m the least creative person on the planet so I’m stumped. I’m still miffed at all the extra pieces we made that I have no idea how or if I will use them.

Iceblossom, you are a real inspiration. Do I understand that not only did you make your own Frolic but that you are finishing someone else’s? You’re a star!

Iceblossom

Yes, Janie, glutton for punishment that I am, I'm doing a second Frolic top with the goal of getting it done just before the new mystery starts. The original maker lost her joy in the project and I've just had a terrible time getting started on my own projects this year -- yet I really enjoy my sewing machine time, hearing it purr and feeling the fabric go beneath my hands and the needle, so putting together a UFO seemed rather attractive.

So she sent me her wonderfully done and cut subunits along with extra fabric and printed out directions (and extra gifts!) with no pressure or time deadlines and it was the most wonderful thing! Sometimes I say that for me putting together quilts is like other people doing puzzles, and that the only thing that really slows me down is getting my tops actually quilted down.

So for me this is the fun part, the putting together and watching the blocks bloom and then just when I'm tired of it, I'm going to put it in a box and mail it off and let someone else deal with turning it into a quilt.

I will be using Bonnie's diagonal layout. I've gotten the blocks completed and today I'm working on piecing the sashing. I had to cut the Parakeet color and join it to the neutral/raspberry units already made for me. I put on my sashing on the blocks in an L shape first, once I have the sashing on I will layout the top and make my final decision on the border. Again, the original maker made all those HST units and all I have to do is stick them together. I used Bonnie's border on mine, will be doing a different variation on this one. Not quite sure which one though until I see it laid out.

Again, goal is to finish top before Thanksgiving... I'm hoping to have pix end of next week but this has been sort of a low health week for me.

JanieW

Iceblossom, I’ll look forward to seeing your pictures. I think it’s wonderful that you’re helping out someone who lost the joy of Frolic. I’m the opposite in regards to piecing vs quilting. I did not enjoy putting this one together but I did love the mystery part of it. To me, piecing is the necessary evil to get something I can play on. You’re my hero for doing two of these.