Why is it that when I have carefully measured everything, and measured each unit at each step along the way to make sure everything is still on track, that is when the final result isn’t the size it should be? There must be quilting gremlins kicking around here somewhere.
After gnashing my teeth at finding that my carefully paper pieced border (I didn’t have enough fabric to change tack after all) was 3/4” too long on all sides, and checking my math again and again and again, I took in several seams just a smidge until all the smidges ate up the extra length. I couldn’t just cut off the extra because I needed the pattern to match at the end to turn around the corners. I then added an outer border to stabilize the bias edges on that pieced border and ta-da!
I’m waffling about the width of that last green border. I may make it about a 1/2” narrower, but this is where it stands now. I also wonder if I should have used a different scale for the pieced border, but I’m not changing it now! I have no idea how I want to quilt this so one of the other two flimsies I have on my shelves will push ahead of this one for quilting.
This makes three unquilted flimsies waiting in line, plus the Canada quilt only 1/3 hand quilted. I know that isn’t very many by some standards but that’s more than I usually have so I need to step away from the piecing, move on to deciding how to quilt the flimsies and start basting.
On the other hand, I have 1100 1-1/2” scraps that want to be joined into 10” blocks…I know just how I want to set them too…
Wow, everything is gorgeous, you have been busy! I try to do piecing during the day, then have a project to hand quilt in the evening after dinner. That keeps me on track!
ReplyDeleteYour quilt is beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI hate when quilts shrink - I'm dealing with that right now.
Despite all your trials it looks fantastic! I really like that pop of orange in those stars. I get jittery when I have too many projects not completed.
ReplyDeleteLeave that quilt alone! I think it is gorgeous just as it is! What are you going to do with the 1-1/2" scraps? I have a bunch of those, too. I was going to use them in some made fabric ala Victoria Findlay's "Sew We Quilt" blog, but is you have a setting that would work better....
ReplyDeleteLiri
From all the beauties I've seen (and your Craftsy shop), I think we may be seeing the beginning stages of a quilt book writer? I LOVE the border scale. It's perfect. And unless you'd questioned it here, I never would have looked twice - just thought it perfect! I tend to make outer borders wider, but usually I'm trying to make the quilt just a touch larger, so yours looks fantastic. As for the border being too large, I'm going to chalk that up to the (hated) paper piecing...my paper pieced stuff never works out right... Fantastic quilts. Now go sew those bits together because I'm so curious what they'll be. Save the hand-quilting for winter when you want to sit under a big quilt and keep warm!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilts and congrats on the finished tops! Mine tend to get stuck at this stage too..... I hate the basting/pinning part.
ReplyDeleteIt's a beautiful quilt! And I think the border is fine as it is. The colors are great - love the orange.
ReplyDelete