Disappearing 9 Patch Quilt

I have another finish for this month. This quilt was to be supposed to be a quick project before I decided to add a 1/4" sashing between the blocks. This was inspired by Rachel Griffith's Impromptu quilt pattern at PSI Quilt. She even has a quilt along currently in progress. Anyway here is the quilt all done.

The pieced back worked out well.

Since the quilt was made up entirely of squares and rectangles it needed something to softer to break up the hard lines. So I a quilted it using a meandering stitch. This is only the second time I have quilted using FMQ. The last one was a baby quilt, this was the first large quilt. I thought it was a bold move considering any mistakes would show up clearly on the solid blocks at the back. I was extra careful to form proper meandering lines. Didn't turn out too bad after all. I do feel a lot more confident now. Probably will venture to learn a few other FMQ designs I like. 

I used the stripped fabric from the same line for the binding which was machine bound using the lumpless binding method and added a label to the quilt.

More about making of this quilt: here & here

While I was in the yard I snapped a quick picture of some flowers. The light is a bit too harsh for a good photograph but oh well it is a great day to be outside.

Linking up to: Plum & June & Finish it up Friday & TGIFF

Blogger' Quilt Festival Entry

This is the second time I have submitted an entry at the Blogger's Quilt festival over at Amy's Creative Side. If you are visiting this blog for the first time welcome. This year I am entering an improv quilt that was a recent finish. I just blogged about it in my previous post but here goes for those of you who haven't seen it.

The blocks were made as part of a workshop where we had to pick scraps from a brown bag and had to use every piece of fabric we pulled out. At the end of the exercise I was left with one big block which I cut the block into four blocks in a slightly staggered manner. The strip to the right balances out the quilt top.

The quilting is inspired by Jacquie Gering's recent quilt. I quilted it using a wavy stitch on my Bernina and a walking foot. I love the texture it produces.

A close up of the block

This also happens to be my first signed quilt. I added the lettering in the binding itself. I also used lump less binding for this quilt which gives a nice finish to the quilt. I am definitely going to use this technique again.

You can read more about this quilt here.

Improv quilt entry #40

Random fabric scraps and Kona bone

size 56" x 65"

Throw Quilt Category

Last year's entry

A Friday Finish

It's been a while since my last quilt but am glad to have finished one more. The process of making this quilt started a while back when I made some improv  blocks with my quilt guild. The blocks had very humble beginnings. You blindly picked from scraps thrown together in a brown bag and used whatever you pulled out. In due course some of the blocks were given away, others exchanged and the rest evolved into this.

I was left with one big block which I cut up into four pieces in a slightly off centered fashion. Then added a few colored strips here and there to balance out the quilt top. For the backing I used more leftover scraps from other projects. I also added a very skinny strip to the top left for some visual interest.

I was wondering how I should quilt it when I saw this post on Jacquie Gering's blog. I knew instantly that the wavy quilting would be perfect for this quilt. I used stitch #4 on my Bernina and the walking foot to produce this effect. The wavy lines are quilted 1 inch apart. I absolutely love the texture it gives the quilt. You will see a lot more quilts quilted this way in the future. 

Labeling a quilt is a concept I have long struggled with. I wanted something that would enable me to sign the quilt but not interfere with the design of the quilt. I considered a lot of options. Scoured the internet for the perfect label, tried to print and embroider my own labels but in the end a dear member of my quilt guild Robin Buscemi provided me the perfect solution. Use the alphabet on my Bernina to stitch a message on the binding. It's perfect. Subtle, non intrusive and yet enough room to say whatever your heart desires. It adds a nice artistic touch. So here is my very first signed quilt.

While making this quilt I realized I do not like to work under any imposed timelines. I produce my best work when I work without any duress when I truly feel like working on the quilt. However I realize one can only have this luxury when quilting is pursued as a hobby. When it's ones livelihood...matters are a bit different.

Linking up to: Finish it up Friday & TGIFF