Quilt on Frame

The Jewel Box Log Cabin quilt is loaded on the frame, and a couple of passes are done.

Ugly Quilt Back

The quilt back is done and ready to be loaded onto the frame.  And what a back it is! Ugliest back in history. Unless you squint just right, and use your imagination, and say in an encouraging tone, “Why, ain’t that purty, yup, yup, purty as a country quilt-back can be.”

(No, I couldn't match the plaid in the brown plaid; there wasn't enough fabric.)

I tried to use really soft wools and corduroys and velveteens for the back. There’s a piece of velour thrown in for good measure. But there are one or two wooly pieces that have a back on them that look and feel like doubleknit. If anybody knows the official name of this fabric, I’d love to know, too. It’s thick and soft, and came out of the washer and dryer looking like new.  But ugly.

Ah, well. If you consider that my goals were a) to make Larry a warm quilt, as requested, b) to use up fabrics I already had – wools, corduroys, velvets, velours, and velveteens, to be precise (and there’s even a piece of plaid doubleknit that jumped in when I wasn't looking), c) to make it soft and warm (and big), d) to have something other than wool on the back nearest the edges, where it might touch our faces, and e) to make the quilt top as pretty as possible with these particular fabrics, then I guess I’ve been successful. Now, if I can just get it quilted without too many puckers (the velour stretches worse than the wools), I’ll be happy. I’m not going to put any batting in it; it’s heavy enough already. Hope I don’t regret that.

Here is the fabric of unknown lineage.  The plaid feels sort of like upholstery, but is very soft on top.  The beige/tan solid feels like wool on top, doubleknit on the back.

Anybody know what these are?

The color of the velveteen fabric I used for the final border changes greatly depending on the lighting.  In my storage room, peering into the bins, I thought it was a black/charcoal.  In my sewing room, cutting it, it still looked black/charcoal.  When it was cut, I carried it out to the marble table on which my Bernina Artista 180 sits under a bright spotlight-type light -- and, lo and behold, it looked burgundy!  I was quite surprised.  After sewing it and taking it out to the quilting frame, in the more natural light from the patio doors and window it looks dark burgundy/purple.  See it here with and without a flash.  The velveteen is on the left, then a strip of velour, then the wool(?) with the doubleknit back.

Log Cabin Border

Done!  The quilt top is all done.  Still need to iron the last few seams... but it's time to hit the hay.  I'll take a picture of it outside as soon as it's sunny and not so windy the quilt will wind up parachuting up and over the hill and turning into a sail for Mr. Smith's tractor.

Okay, now I need to change the name of this quilt.

It is now and henceforth the 'Jewel Box Log Cabin Quilt'.

It's a big quilt! (120" x 120") -- it can have a long name.

Now I must lay it aside for a few days while I sew some Easter clothes.

I hate to quit when it's nearly done, but Easter is only three weeks away!

Log Cabin Blocks for Outer Border

I've just completed 41 Log Cabin blocks for the outer border (one block will cover a decorative pillow).  I like this look better than all those triangles (in the EQ7 design, below); I'm always partial to the Log Cabin design.  Now to piece them together.  They'd make a fine quilt, on their own, I think. 

Some of those plaids were warped beyond repair.  I tried and tried and tried to cut and sew them straight!  This is the best I could do.  I still have to do the blocks for the corners.

Before I started cutting the strips for these blocks, I photographed my fabric and then looked at them in black and white, so as to determine which was light and which was dark.  Funny, how colors can fool the eye!  This way, I can better decide which fabrics to use where, in order to get the somewhat three-dimensional look characteristic of the Log Cabin block.

Second Border Added to Jewel Box Quilt

I still need to add a few more borders to make the quilt the size I need.  

Here's a possibility I designed in EQ7:

Another Dozen Blocks Done

Two-thirds of the way done with the blocks.  They're in this odd configuration because I was putting them in their proper places.

First Set of Six Blocks

The first set of 6 blocks are done.  There will be 6 sets, each different.  There are 36 blocks in all.  The like blocks will not be adjacent to each other, as they are in this photo, but will run diagonally.  Each finished block will measure 14".

Later, also March 01, 2012:

Six more blocks are done.

My design wall -- er, floor -- isn't big enough!

Wool and velour are stretchy, did you know that?!

Furthermore, if you inadvertently try to iron velour at the same temperature you are ironing the wool, it sticks to the iron; and after that, the iron sticks to everything. Also, some of the wool evidently has polyester in it, and it’s sticking, too.

I have a tube of Hot Iron Cleaner in the pocket that hangs from my ironing board, along with a cloth. Works great. And I’m keeping the Faultless Starch Company in business! heh

The edges of the velour curl. . . the wider-waled corduroy crawls this way and that. . . the four-patch squares wound up bigger than the HST squares when they should be the same size. . .

I put the wrong color in the corners of three blocks. . .

But other than that, everything’s peaches and cream!

Now, where’d that new seam ripper go?