New Fabric for the Next Quilt

This is the fabric, purchased at Country Traditions in Fremont, for the next big quilt, a postage-stamp style, using a cross-stitch pattern by Thomas Kinkade, The Light of Peace.  Each cross-stitch will instead be a one-inch piece of fabric.

I got 39 half-yard pieces, plus a yard for binding, and three more pieces for three borders that will increase in size as they get closer to the outer edge of the quilt -- 1 ½ yards, 1 ¾ yards, and 2 yards.  Most of the fabric was from the clearance shelves, and was only $5.99/yd., even the batiks that are normally $13/yd.

I chose the fabric by matching the embroidery thread to it.

French Braid Lilac Table Topper

All done!

I started out making a case for my binoculars -- and ended up with a table topper.

Feathering and McTavishing

Quilting close-ups:

French Braid Mystery

Can you guess what this is going to turn into?  I'm ready to put it all together...

French Braids

The bucket skill for the month at Cyber Quilters, an online quilting group, is a piecing style called 'braids'.  I particularly like French braids, where a small square is added at the center of the strips comprising the braids.

I didn't have a pattern for braids, so I scanned through some photos online, then collected rotary cutter and shape-cutter ruler, and began cutting.  The center square was cut at 4"; finished size is 3 ½".  The narrow strips were cut at 1" x 4"; finished width is ½".  The small black squares were 1"; finished, they are ½".  The braids measure 14" x 6 ½".

I had originally thought to make a case for my binoculars, using this braided piece.  But after the first short strip was done, I changed my mind.  It was just too pretty to use as a binoculars case.

So I made three more.  I have now decided what I will make with them, but I'm not telling until tomorrow, when it'll be done or nearly done. 

Hint:  I will not put them together in the configuration shown in the photo.

Schoolhouse Quilt Finished

I'm all done!  As it turns out, the quilting looks so good that I'm sorry I didn't take the blocks apart and redo them.  I redid the worst ones and left the others -- so now of course the ones I left are the worst.  How in the world can a company stay in business, when they publish such inaccurate patterns?  Hmmm... maybe they're not in business anymore.

Just remember, when looking at this quilt, whatever is wrong with it --

wasn't my fault.  heh

Most of it was done free-motion, which is new and different for me.  It's not perfect, but I was getting better as I went along, and I am very pleased that I am finally able to do feathering without resorting to pantograph and laser light.  This way is much more efficient, to say nothing of fun.

This will be for Lawrence for Father's Day.

(No, Lawrence isn't allergic to cats.  Yes, I will use the lint roller on it before I wrap it.)