Downton QAYG

I hadn't ever attempted a Quilt As You Go (QAYG) before and since that is the method that a friend and I are using for a sampler quilt we're teaching a group of complete novices to patchwork and quilting, I thought I'd better give it a go. This is the final result, but I thought I'd also mention some of the aspects I discovered doing this method. And this post has a few photos, just so you know.

I found the process of creating the blocks themselves and then quilting them, to be a very easy one. It was lovely to just be putting a 12" square underneath the needle rather than sometimes wrangling a much larger beast around the table. I did just a simple star in the centre, and also echoed the block shape towards the edge. Doing the crosshatching in the background areas was SO easy to maneuver around.

The process of putting on the sashings was OK too, although I don't remember ever being stabbed so much by pins as I seemed to during this stage of the process.

Then I added a final border because the quilt seemed to need something added to it, with cornerstones to link with the backing.

 

So here is one of the backing, which makes me smile: 

And a close up of that fabric that I was pretty pleased to find in my local go to fabric shop:

And finally, I did some very simple arches that linked with the cross hatching where they met. I wondered about doing some pebbles in the centre arch, but by the time I'd added the two-colour/accent binding I felt done with this quilt. 

  

I may have to wait for the dust to settle before I decide whether I'd do another QAYG. There are certainly some pluses, but I know I have another top just waiting to be sandwiched and it won't take me the time that this one seemed to! And adding that final border meant that I did still have quite a bit to wriggle around the machine and table as I did those arches. 

Still, I'm happy with the result overall. Not sure if this one is destined for my neighbour (she's been our neighbour for about 17 years and a lovely one at that, but best find out if she's a 'Downton' fan first!) or elsewhere. 

Until next time, 

Lynn

Thread Catchers

Having been inspired by Kate [smiles from Kate] with her thread catcher, thought I'd give one a go. The first was for me, with some fabric I've had for a while and seemed appropriate with its pins:

I decided to leave the corners inside the catcher, so that I could pop things like a thimble, scissors, unpicker etc inside it.  I also used some buttons I've had for a while, sea themed - hence my pelican here. What fun! This one is from a 12" square, then I thought I'd try the slightly smaller sized, 10" for a friend: 

I also tried the French seams [thanks to Connie Kresin at Freemotion by the River] on two sides, while leaving a couple of the corners inside. 

I think my friend will enjoy her smaller catcher, and it matches a mug rug I made a while back. When I placed the two catchers side by side though, I think the 12" is a little easier to just toss the threads into and take the things out of the corners. Great satisfaction in small projects. 

Now, back to my list! It seems to have at least 4 quilts on it - how did that happen?

Until next time,

Lynn

April Goal

While I have completed a couple of things during Feb and March, I'm really hoping to move one particular project along this month, a quilt top I almost completed last August.

A couple of friends and I went to a local quilt show in May 2015 and bought a pattern for an appliqued quilt. One friend went with the kit that accompanied the pattern, the other friend went with her own choices, also mostly pink based. I was keen to try this lemon/turquoise/green combination. We were able to get together and encourage each other along.
This is the top so far:

In terms of completing the top to a flimsy, there's not much left to do, just completing those pieced sashings and then borders. Sounds quite easy when I say it like that, so I'm not quite sure why I have left it alone until now, it may be something about Christmas and New Year coming along with other projects. That and the thought of quilting it!

I now have a new machine though, a Brother NV410 which I'm just getting to know, so this month seems like a good time to get this one sandwiched and quilted. 

Maybe my lack of a deadline also contributes to not having completed this - it is destined for my niece's 1st birthday, which is not until November - hence my delay. 

But I'm linking up with One Monthly Goal with the hope that it might help my accountability too. 

So we'll see how I go.

Until next time,

Lynn