Close to another finish

I found this wall hanging, layered and pin basted, waiting to be quilted. I'm not sure how long it has been a finished top. Maybe 10 years? It probably hasn't been basted that long though.

29 x 29 inches.

I machine quilted a grid in the border, and I think I'll hand quilt the center part. Usually I make the binding when I finish the top, but I couldn't find any for this one. (I keep the bindings together in a drawer with a list of the quilt tops they go with.) It will be a narrow dark green to echo the border around the applique, but the width of the pale blue flange in the border.

My friend had a few leftover blocks from a project, and I really liked the fabrics and colors so she let me have them. I designed the wall hanging around those 12 small blocks, which form the corners of the outer border. I can't remember now if I based the applique design on a carpet or a fabric. I think a carpet. Like I said it's been 10 years (maybe more) since I put this together so the details are a bit fuzzy.

Equal parts sewing and unsewing

I think I may have sewn this top twice. I took it apart early on to change the fabric behind the eyes. And there was more unsewing when I decided that the stripes in the background fabric should all go in the same direction so it looks like the arcs are appliqued on one large piece of fabric. 

I had to spread the top out on the floor and shoot it from the stairs to get the whole thing in the frame. 

These last few weeks have also involved a fair bit of unsewing on the borders. I had a limited amount of the fabric I wanted to use for the border, and the only way I could make it work resulted in bias along the edge where the border strips would be added. I starched the fabric, I was careful, and still the quilt waved enthusiastically at me! I ended up adding the border strips and then redoing the applique along the edge to fix the puffiness. There is still a bit of that, but I'm hopeful it will quilt out.

When adding the border strips, I measured the quilt width at the top, middle and bottom; averaged those totals; cut the strips to that size; marked the top and strips at the quarter points; matched those points; and eased the fabric to fit the border to the top. Then I did the same for the other sides. This really helped square things up.

  

A view of the top back.

 I still need to make binding and a backing, but I have the fabric for both. I think this is one for the long armer. I'm not sure how to quilt it, and it's so large I'm a bit intimidated to do it myself. Can't find the piece of paper where I calculated the borders, but I think the top ended up at 82 inches square.

Knot my problem

Ever get these little knots when appliqueing? I do. A lot.

I remember a quilt teacher (can't remember which one) told us how to easily fix these types of knots by putting the needle at the base of the knot and pulling up until the knot pops out. The pictures explain it better.

It's been a great tip for me over the years, and it occurred to me I should share it.

If anyone has tips for the other kinds of knots I seem to get in my applique, I'd love to hear them.

Applique tip

Before, with lots of pins.

Barb shared a great tip in her post about the applique on her Jubilee quilt. She machine basted her vines to the background fabric. Genius!

After, with machine basting.

The other night I machine basted my arcs to the background, and last night I appliqued the inside and part of the outside of one arc. So much easier and faster and a lot less painful than with all those pins! For the next block, I might try my walking foot for the basting to make it easier going over all those seams.

UFO's run in the family

My mom likes to applique and doesn't care much for piecing so she mailed me some blocks to put together for her. I squared them up as best I could.

This is a Piecemakers pattern from 1996 called "Times and Seasons." I think it's a block of the month that can then be put together into this quilt. Mom's been working on it for years.

I found the perfect backing fabric in my stash: Alexander Henry from 1999. I have just enough for the back. I knew some day I would find the right quilt for this fabric, which has all the same colors as the front.

I think there's enough border fabric for the binding. I'll put that and the back together and mail it all back to mom. There needs to be some applique finihsed that crosses over the block seams (and maybe a little extra to hide where I couldn't quite match the hills across blocks). It will go back to Mom for that. I'd rather piece than applique.

The A Word

I am determined to finish my version of the mystery quilt. At least to the top stage. If I take it off the wall while I decide on borders, I might not go back to it. I needed to let the options sit for a bit so I picked up the Prairie Flowers UFO and was pleasantly surprised to find that half of the above block was already appliqued. I wonder when I did that? I swear I haven't touched this project in years except to move it out of my way.



Colors not so great in this picture.

I started this in 2004. I remember my friend Lynn and I were going to do a block a month, but only for six months, using Barbara Brackman's book. Right after that I ended up moving across country. I did one or two of the blocks while waiting to be reunited with the contents of my sewing room.


Seems like this one is missing something.

When I finish the fourth block, I think might work on a setting rather than attempt the other two blocks. Although I do have one more cut out. ...

 

I can feel some freezer paper behind a few of the leaves in this block.
My applique techniques leave a lot to be desired!