Quilting: The Last Class

Who Could Be Mad At A Face Like This 

One of the first things you learn in quilting is accurate

cutting is essential ... and ... the second thing you learn

 is perfect pressing is equally essential.

 So the rule of thumb is ...

sew, press, sew, press.

 Adding the inner border to my quilt top.  

Step 1:

Start by sewing the top & bottom border ... then press

Step 1-1/2

Julep decided to test out the quilt

Step 2:

Re-press the quilt top

Step 3:

 Complete the side inner border ... then press

Step 4:

Fold the quilt top to keep away from little westies

 I had this pressed perfectly and ready to

go back upstairs to do the final sewing before class

when I looked over and saw Ms. Julep making her

self right at home on my neatly pressed top!

I took this as a sign she loved the quilt

and is making sure I know it's Julep's when it's done.

So instead of getting mad I got my camera.

...

Last Quilting 201 Class

 In our last class I cut and placed the final 5"

 paisley border around the edge.

The Quilt Sandwich 

I decided to be boring and use the left over

matching fabric to make the binding strip.

A 'quilt sandwich' consists of the 

backing fabric [another paisley pattern], the

batting and the quilt top.

 I picked a different layout for my blocks

then the Jacob's Ladder class project.

I used the pattern called Jewel box.

Look closely and you will see the diamond shape blocks

which give it that name.

The Imperfect Circles 

Our instructor [Alice] made us a 'quilt sandwich'

to practice free-motion quilting.

What that means is you drop the feed-dog feet

 of the sewing machine, put on a special foot

 and let your hands do all the design

 movement to actually quilt the top.

[This can give you a nervous breakdown if you let it!]

  This takes practice, practice and more practice.

It's very hard to move around 3 layers of fabric

 and concentrate on the design you want to make.

If I ever make a quilt like the one below I'll

pay someone money to do the actual quilting for me.

 This was a kit that Alice [right] made.

 Explaining the Construction.

I'm not sure if I can ever do [or want to do] a project this large.

I'm half looking for a pre-cut quilt kit

 that is simple and small to practice on, like a baby quilt.

Jacob's Ladder Pattern 

Sandy is one of the instructors and past president

of the quilt guild I belong to.  She is helping another

student who loves purple get the block placement correct.

The dark blocks made the ladder pattern.

 Another student did her quilt in shades of blue.

I went with the 'scrappy' look which means every

color and every pattern is used at random.

 Since JoAnn was away on vacation 

I picked-up her handouts from this class.

This is JoAnn's 'quilt sandwich' to

 practice free-montion quilting on.

Fabric Alert From Paris

And did I mention JoAnn missed our last class because

she's in Paris on vacation?

She found the small quilt shop our instructor mentioned.  

JoAnn sent me a fabric alert e-mail saying

 she purchased a few 'fat quarters' for me.

I'll have to think of something special to make with them.

A note for JoAnn:  

There will be an extra class on April 3rd

for Quilting 101 & Quilting 201 ladies

who didn't finish their projects