I was hoping to have the finished patchwork quilty thing to show tonight, but even with my little helper, it is still not ready. I've been working on it for most of the day, with a dog walk in the middle to get me out for an hour or so. I am still walking my friends dog, as he is not up to being dragged around, with a gammy arm which he is not supposed to be lifting. She is a very strong dog.
Anyway, I'll show you where I am up to now. I am using a duvet cover costing £1 from a charity shop for the backing. Here I am trying to cut the edges off to separate the two sides. Heidi nearly got a manicure in the process.
I had to move some furniture around in the living room to make a space big enough to lay it out on the floor. It's a pale yellow colour with pink flowers. I smoothed it out as best I could, and pinned the corners to the carpet.
In the middle of the sandwich I am using a very old candy striped flannelette sheet. I don't know how old this is, I suspect about 30 years, I'm sure I had it in my first house. Smoothed out and pinned on the backing.
Oooh, I've got an itch, just a minute while I have a scratch.
Next the top, placing it almost to the edge on two sides, then trimming the excess on the other two sides. Next I set about pinning the layers together with safety pins. I had to buy a packet from the 99p shop because I didn't have enough. I found they weren't going in very easily, they were sticking in the carpet.
So I got a long flat piece of laminated wood and slid it underneath where I wanted to put the pins, moving it across as I pinned. It was much easier to do it this way. I only pinned into the patterned squares because I was planning on sewing only on the plain squares.
All pinned up and starting to machine sew. Heidi is on hand to supervise.
At this moment in time I am half way through it, so I am going to keep going over the weekend to hopefully get it finished. Looking good so far.
Have a nice weekend. Toodle pip.
I think Heidi's done a great job on the quilt ...must be tricky with paws!
ReplyDeleteJane x
Glad your quality control assistant did such a good job and hope she will allow you to do the rest by yourself!
ReplyDeleteCan't wait to see it finished. Boy, I hope you didn't trim the backing and batting(wadding/stuffing) to closely. I have and the top shifted while quilting and then I ended up having to piece in batting and backing.
ReplyDeleteHi Judy. No, I left a good two inches excess. Should be ok. The pins are holding it in place.
DeleteHa Ha! The lovely Hiedi helper cat! She's gorgeous! I am so missing having a cat about the house, missing my little Rosie posie puss.
ReplyDeleteI love your recycling and that candy-striped sheet brings bsck memories of my childhood. The sheets started off on he bed, became thin and worn in parts, became cot sheets,dusters,cleaning cloths, bike cleaning cloths, dog and cat bedding, the, if not impregnated with chemicals/polish, were torn up and put in the bean trench to rot down over winter with the rest of the kitchen compost!
I do like your use for it though, making your quilt cosy and light.
Have a great quilting weekend. xxx
Hi, love your alternative uses for worn out sheets. That's exactly what should happen with them.
DeleteThis is a VERY nice quilt - love, love the colors - very "modern" looking. The latest thing is not to sash round it but put a binding straight on. Are you going to tie it ?
ReplyDeleteHi lizzie. I am not familiar with quilting terminology. I have no idea what 'sash round it', or 'tie it', means. I will put a binding around the edge.
DeleteLooks great. I love the candy stripe always reminds me of sleeping at my grannys when I was very young
ReplyDeleteTwiggy
Love Heidi - my dogs are exactly the same - nose in whatever is happening and as for shopping they rifle through all the bags x
ReplyDeleteThat is going to be a great quilt, I admire you for getting all that hand sewing done. I use reclaimed bedding for quilt backs, they are so soft.
ReplyDeleteI can't wait to see the finished product.
ReplyDeleteLove from Mum
xx
You're quilt looks like it will be nice and warm and is very cheery. If you tie it, you take a large needle and either wool or heavy cotton (or embroidery floss) and tack it here and there through the three layers, tying the ends into knots. It will keep the layers close together and will not shift around. I hate binding and tend to finish some of mine by sewing it together envelope style and then turning it inside out. Lay your sheet on the bottom, then the top face up, then the back, face down. Sew it around the outside edges, leaving about a 10-12 inch gap. Reach in and pull the front out. All the raw edges will be inside. Sew the slit shut and your done. Then tie it, here and there. Hope your quilt keeps you warm during the cold weather. (p.s. sashing is a border)
ReplyDeleteLove the quilt. I also use recycled bedding as backing. Have a great charity shop nearby where nearly everything is 99p. Keep up the good work and carry on blogging!
ReplyDeletegreat start! those flannelette sheets are ideal for middles, I've just come home, so I am off to look for the next instalment.
ReplyDeleteoh my goodness WHAT a gorgeous quilt-so impressed!
ReplyDelete