I finished my first quilt! :D hoorah!
What a lesson it's been. I did try, I tried my hardest!
I had 3 lovely fat quarters that I picked up in Detroit earlier this year. I picked them up on a whim, they were pretty and complimentary. After seeing a few people start their quilting 'career' I knew that pointing corners together could be a pain in the neck, and that subtle colours - or similar colours would be more forgiving in the final pattern, so I picked these out as an ideal choice.
Cut into many squares 10x10cms
and then started making strips, measuring and sewing.
Then I sewed the strips together. I had hoped that measuring precisely in the strips would ten work out with alignment when joining the strips together - but, by millimetres some missed the point.
I got advice and researched about batting. But since I only have a standard sewing machine - I got a thin middle layer to be sure that it'd go under the needle and not stress me out :P
I backed it with standard white cotton, and quilted straight lines 'in the ditch' in the directed that I had actually managed to sew a straight line, and then I used a decorative stitch to quilt in the other direction to cover slightly those misaligned corner points. sneaky me.
I had some silky bias tape in my stash already - and by sheer luck I had enough in! so, finally it was edged with this and again my favourite decorative stitch.
It's got a million imperfection and yes, I know its a baby blanket, and yes, it's white - not ideal. But after receiving a quilt for my son when he was born (brought to me by the members of craftpimp) I knew that quilts can be, will be heirlooms. This is what I wanted for this. A summer, light baby quilt. One to keep. Shame its got so many imperfections!
So now, I'll launder it and then it shall be gifted somewhere.
Probably to someone who appreciates handmade things and will embrace those little mistakes and slipped stitches as little quirks.
Hope you like it too!
Aw you big softie, I remember that quilt and the fun we had getting it all together. I love your quilt. I was given one, a hand knitted one backed with cotton and wadding and 'stuff', when my daughter was born...nearly 19 years ago! and I love it, every now and again I get it out and stroke it before packing it carefully away again. Mine is white :)
ReplyDeleteOh how lovely! ♥ I've seen the hand kitted ones that's backed with cotton or fleece. I'd love to make some like that, but with crochet (can;t knit to save my life!) x
DeleteAs I said on FB - fabulous quilt! And as always we don't give ourselves enough credit of what we do. Nobody would know or notice the imperfections - it' s handmade, not factory/ machine - and that's the beauty of it! And of course the fancy stitching was planned from the very beginning :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat job - and I believe you now have been bitten by the quilting bug?
Thanks Barb :) Yes the bug has bitten me! i'm on a roll and alredy planning making more for baby presents. I spent all of last night windwon shopping for fabric on ebay. Terrible! ♥
DeleteA First Quilt! Congrats, I hope you are hooked into making another! I do like the all-white for a baby quilt, it is very sweet:-)
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