Quilt Sandwich

I was able to get my quilt sandwich built and even had some time to start the quilting on my 'fractured' quilt this weekend.

I set my ironing board next to my cutting table, adjusted it to the same height and I had just enough space to spread out the quilt backing to make my sandwich. I was happy about this... otherwise the quilt top and back would have had to be put into the UFO pile until I can get down onto the floor. And we all know what happens once I put something in the UFO pile, it just sits there forever and ever.

I ironed the backing and the topper, layed the backing right side down, then placed the batting and then my quilt top. I smoothed everything best I could and then started pinning it all in place. I decided to use a low loft 80/20 cotton/polyester batting.

I use curved quilting safety pins for my quilt sandwiches. They are on of the best quilting notions that I have, they make the pinning so much easier.Once I had it all pinned, I had to redo one area due to a wrinkle in the backing, I hung it up to view while I cleaned up my work area. I pondered and studied the quilt while cutting my scraps up into 2 inch squares for my scrap bag, I needed to let the quilt talk to me to decide how I was going to quilt it.

Quilt sandwich

I consulted a book or 2, though about what I wanted to do, tested out a couple ideas in chalk. I finally decided to stitch in the ditch along the sashing and outlines of the blocks, stitch in the  ditch on all the nine patch blocks, on the 'fractured' blocks I am doing a triangle repeat, and have not quite decided on what to do on the long strip pieced block. I am using a smoke mono filament thread and may switch to something else for the outer sashing.

The machine quilting takes a bit of time to do. About an hour per block, partly because of the detail, partly because I am a bit of a perfectionist and partly because I am trying to push myself outside of my normal quilting 'box'.

I will probably start on another sewing project while I am doing the quilting, just because it is brain intensive during the actual quilting and it gives me some breaks :)

The quilt top and backing are done!

Now I just need to quilt it...

I have had plenty of time the last couple of days to work on my quilt. Sunday I put in a couple of longer sessions, I even rigged up a special Lycra sleeve to hold an ice pack on my knee while I sew. That gave me plenty of extra sewing time :)

Yesterday and today I have had some lengthy programs running on my laptop for work so that left me several large blocks of time and I guess I was just on that creative roll!

These pictures are not quite the best, I would have liked to have gotten up on a stool to get them at a better angle, but my leg, a cane and a camera trying to get up on a stool probably would have been a bad idea. LOL! 

The quilt is a lap/couch cuddle quilt. For reference the bed it is lying on in the pictures is queen size. When finished it will measure approx 50"X56" and the colors match my front room perfectly. So I guess, I am keeping this one :)

I still need to figure out how I am going to sandwich and pin the quilt. It is to big for any tables and will need to be spread on the floor but I am not so mobile yet as to be getting down on the floor to pin a quilt sandwich for machine quilting. I am sure I'll think of something.

The full quilt top

7 'fractured' blocks

4 of these variation on nine patch blocks

 

1- 4 patch block

1 long strip pieced then cut apart with green strips inserted block

The backing... also pieced together. Currently about 5 inches larger then the top and will get trimmed before binding.

More quilt work and my fancy cane

I have been getting more 'work' done in my sewing room. Playing with the quilt blocks and designing my own quilt has been a lot of fun and also quite refreshing. It has let my creative mojo start flowing again and I have had inspiration after inspiration running through my head.

I have decided to just give you a couple more sneak peaks at part of the quilt and save the rest as a surprise.

Since I have been home recuperating my constant companions have not left my side! They are going to be so sad when I start traveling again. Part of me wishes to win the lottery... I really like this staying home thing :) The other part of me can't wait to get back on a plane and get moving!

Blue

Chloe

The girls are happy about about the crutches being gone. Chloe was especially fearful of them, I think they fell over on top of her one too many times. I am now the proud owner of a fancy, schmancy, super stylish cane. Go me!!

Long time... no post

I have been getting some things done in the sewing room, it's just that it has been moving at a snails pace!

a teaser photo, a portion of one of the blocks of new 'fractured' quilt I am working on.

Part of it is that I am just now getting to the point where I can stand at my cutting table without crutches so cutting out any new projects has had to be put on hold! Hopefully I will feel confident enough on my own 2 feet and with a rotary cutter soon! After all I did get in the car and drive today :) Yippee!!
The other thing keeping me out of the sewing room is the sheer amount of rehabilitation that I am doing. I must spend a solid 5 hours a day doing rehab exercises and stretches and electrical stimulation... etc... It can be a bit exhausting some days.

So, what I have been working on or maybe more like playing with is a quilt with the rest of my 2 1/2 inch bali strips. This only required a small amount of cutting with not much reaching that I could do on a stool. 

The leftover strips from the Bali collection I had used in the bargello quilt earlier this year.

I say 'playing' because that is exactly what I am doing! I am sewing things together and then cutting them up in new ways and then cutting again and sewing again. trying out a bunch of different techniques and ideas that I have had in mind. I am going to call the finished project Fractured. I figure it is a good name after my broken leg as well as some of the design elements. I am not thinking of it as an art quilt, just more of a lets have fun and see what happens quilt. :)

New toys :)  A new ruler and hand grip. I had a 3 x 24 inch ruler that somehow got snapped in half a long time ago, so I thought it was time to replace it. I got both items for 40% off!

 

The quilt topper is done!

I have successfully completed the Art quilt topper. The border has been added and I choose to do mitered corners for the border fabric. On this particular quilt the mitered corners add the least amount of distraction from the pieced body. I just took my time, used some patience and all 4 came out beautifully.

I then spent a large amount of time on Sunday evening pinning the three layers together. The 3 layers are the topper, polyester batting and the back fabric. I like to do a safety pin basting on my small quilts. All I can say is that I must be getting old because my hands actually hurt on Monday after putting in the 100+ safety pins. And I even used the curved pins that are supposed to be more ergonomical and easier to put in place.

For my backing fabric I choose something out of my stash. It is a cotton dyed fabric. It gives it a little bit of interest.

The 3 layers pinned together, with part folded over to show the background.

Up close shot of the pins at the nicely mitered corner.

Next to be done is the actual quilting part, maybe I will start on that tonight.