Finally, with a little encouragement from quilting friends I bit the bullet and starting at the left side, just pressed all the seams, one row at a time, up and to the right.
After digging through all my donated fabric, I found some that would work for the backing but all the ones that might make a nice outer border were too small.
Thursday, I decided to go to Nippori "Fabric Town" and see if there was anything in one of those shops that might make a good border.
I didn't find anything like I had in mind but I kept going back to a colorful piece that looked as if someone had tossed the color at it and splattered it around. This quilt is for my boss's expected baby and my boss is an art teacher at the pre-school. Though I taught art for a number of years, my style was big on representational drawing, so I am always amused at this teacher's approach that is what I would call "paint-flinging". Much of what the kids do is just that ... dumping or pouring or spraying colors at the canvass or paper. And, since she uses acrylic paint, most of my non-prep time is spent cleaning up after the class. Well, the fabric was made in Japan and not as expensive as the imports, and since I didn't find anything else that would work, I bought a couple meters of the wild print.
Saturday, after english class,I went up to the empty apartment and laid out the quilt with six-inch borders added. On top of that I laid out and pieced some thinsulate batting. Then I laid out and cut the backing for piecing. It was so hot and humid that I was mopping up the dripping sweat from the floor, so brought the backing back down to my living room to do the sewing.
Sunday afternoon I went back up and laid out the backing, then started basting from the center out. By the time it was almost too dark to see to thread the needle I decided to call it quits. The power is off in that apartment and I thought I had enough basting done. I brought the quilt back to my sofa and put it in the hoop, deciding to work from the center outward.
Now I have a couple more rounds to go and then I will be able to mark the outer border. Maybe I will use a feathered design or one I have drafted and made into stencils. The baby is due in the fall but I am glad to be far enough along that the pressure is off and I can enjoy the process.
I still have the floral quilt waiting in line. Next on that will be piecing the backing. Now I am contemplating what I can use for take-along work. In two weeks I will have lots of train-time into town and back for a week of Vacation Bible School. The feed-sack blocks are still waiting to be arranged but since they have already waited so long for their time to shine, a bit longer shouldn't bother them. At least they are now a "Work In Progress".
I dither over seams, do I iron them open or to one side? Then if it is to the side, what about the next block, as if it goes the other way they join up more easily. It is so hard to imagine your heat, we have rain, 6C this morning, sunshine yesterday, and so little snow for the skiers.
ReplyDeleteI dither over seams, too - and usually cross my fingers that my "pressing plan" will work. Sometimes I have to twist a seam - but I don't worry about it too much - it's inside - and the batting absorbs the extra thickness - so it's all good. I'm looking forward to seeing the border fabric that you chose - ;))
ReplyDeleteI press my seams as I make the blocks. Most of the time I don't worry much about the seams. We just got over a heat wave, with high humidity. Thank goodness my sewing room was reasonably cool.
ReplyDeleteYou are doing well if the baby isn't due until September! Of course I can understand wanting to get the quilting done before the hot weather really steps in! It has been a coolish summer so far but from tomorrow I hear that we are in for sweltering! Don't keep that quilting on your lap too long!
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