Quilt-Finished

  

I have been working on a Missouri Star Quilt designed by 3 Dudes Quilting. You can see a video here.  For me, the hardest part of any quilt is the actual quilting.  I don't turn my finished quilt tops over to a professional quilter.  A lot of people do.  I don't for two reasons.  One, it's my quilt and I don't think I can claim it if I have someone else do part of it. Two, it is expensive to have a quilt finished and I am cheap.

If you have been following my blog, you will have seen progress on this jelly roll quilt. ( A jelly roll is a roll of strips of fabric cut into 4 foot lengths. all the fabric goes well together and it is a way to make a fabulous quilt in less time.  Check out the video!)

I had to take a break.  I was tired of quilting.  I made some baskets, I made some pillow cases for Ryan's Case For Smiles and I was ready to finish the quilt.  Plus, I had decided I wanted to gift it for Christmas, so I had to get it done!

The fabric isn't pink.  It just looks like it in this light.

 

You can see the stitch in the ditch, and free motion quilting detail best on the back of the quilt.  I used a thread that blended in with the back, but you can still see the detail at the right angle.  

Even after you finish the quilting and the binding, you aren't quite done.  You need to snip off any stray threads and to clean and iron your quilt.

  

The fibers from the batting in the middle gets on top of the quilt when you are working with it. At least mine does.

  

I like to a use a sticky roller over both sides of the quilt to pull off any stuck fibers.  And the occasional me hair!  I like to press my finished quilt to make it crisp looking and get rid of any wrinkles.

  

Then I am done!  I always take a picture of a finished quilt.

   

And now I can start on the knitting project I have been thinking about.

Quilting Again

Years ago I bought what is known as a jelly roll when my favorite quilt shop was going out of business.  A jelly roll is  a bunch of fabrics that all work together, cut into strips for quilting or other projects.  Then I started making my fabric baskets and the jelly roll sat on a shelf in my craft room.

I have sufficient baskets, so I decided to take a shot at a new quilt.

My friend, Doris, showed me a fun way to use jelly rolls to make a lot of fabulous quilting squares.  This technique was originated by 3 Dude's Quilting by way of Missouri Quilting.  You can see the video here

  

Take four strips and sew them together.

  

Cut them into squares.  Place one square with the strips running vertically.

  

Then cover that square, with the right sides together, and the top square running horizontally.

  

Sew a 1/4 inch seam around all four sides.

  

Cut the square from corner to corner, making four triangles.

  

Press them open and that is the basis of the finished square.

  

I have been having fun trying different ways of putting these squares together.  I have tried using two squares from different strips.


  

Next I tried two squares from the same strip set.

  

I like them all!

I have quite a few finished squares and will spend then next few weeks making up all of my strip sets into quilt squares.

  

This technique is quick and I am having fun putting them together.

  

Sadly, now I need to go back to the fabric store to but the rest of the fabric to finish the quilt top.  It is always a risk going to a fab ricin's store.  I may need to buy some extra fabric for more baskets.