Goal check in:
My August goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes was to finish a top I'd begun in the springtime. I'm very pleased to report that it is pieced and ready to quilt!!! |
| FreshofftheFrame.com |
Ta DAHHHH!!!! (I think it will make a sweet baby quilt, don't you?)
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| Metro Rings top, ready to quilt FreshofftheFrame.com |
Ever had this happen?
Sometimes when a quilt is squared up on the frame it refuses to lay flat. |
| Client quilt, accurately pieced but slightly stretched. FreshofftheFrame.com |
The fabric needs to be controlled so the hopping foot won't push ripples into pleats that get stitched down - ugh - BUT that's impossible to do from the back of the machine when stitching a pantograph (the plan for this quilt).
After considering some options, I broke out my spray bottle and spritzed the ripply areas with a fine mist of water. Once the fabric was quite damp, I patted it into place and let it dry completely.
The difference is quite dramatic!
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| Client quilt - after spritzing with water and leaving it to dry overnight. FreshofftheFrame.com |
Once the quilt is bound and washed everything will look quilty and perfect!
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| FreshofftheFrame.com |
WARNING: Try this at your own risk! This technique has worked well for me, but be aware - there is always a chance of disaster. If you decide to try it, be CERTAIN the fabrics are colourfast. (It is very risky to do this on batiks, for instance, or on red and white quilts - eep!!!). You must KNOW your fabrics!
Quilts, Fresh off the Frame
"Quick" custom quilting involves no ditch stitching, and fillers are freehand where possible. The fillers must still complement the piecing, but they are larger in scale and cover larger sections than more intensive custom would.
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| Kool Kaleidoscope, front FreshofftheFrame.com |
As you can see from the back, there is still tons of great texture on this fun piece!
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| Kool Kaleido, back FreshofftheFrame.com |
Got to try out my new puzzle panto on this bright beauty!
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| Puzzle panto FreshofftheFrame.com |
Its owner intends to trim, fold, and wrap the backing around to the front to create the binding. I trimmed away the excess batting from around the top to make that even easier!
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| Trimmed and ready for "self binding" FreshofftheFrame.com |
This quilt called out for the ABC panto, don't you think?
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Modern Twist worked well for this happy, strip quilt!
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An earthy batik strip quilt finished things up for the week.
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Life Snippets (or, what goes on "between" quilts!)
In a "full-circle" moment, my grandchildren and I baked peanut butter cookies using my grandmother's old fashioned recipe.
Memories of my childhood are so vivid - sometimes it amazes me that I'm the granny now!
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| FreshofftheFrame.com |
L loved the mixing and rolling, and R was tickled to be the cookie squash-er!
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R also loves helping in the garden. It was fun watching him dig potatoes - such excitement! He wanted to unearth the whole patch, but we only needed a few for supper. He had to be satisfied with picking peppers and chocolate cherry tomatoes, instead. Ha!
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| Pepper Paloosa!!! FreshofftheFrame.com |
Later that evening I remembered our apples. I wish I'd thought of them while I still had helpers! They would have loved picking them, I'm sure.
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| Battleford apples are delicious! FreshofftheFrame.com |
Three times a week I walk along the river as a warm-up for my time at the gym. I'd rather walk this path than use a treadmill any day!
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| View of the Peace FreshofftheFrame.com |
We camped with some friends on the weekend. On Saturday we'd planned a fossil hunt, but the weather wasn't wonderful. In the end, we thought it would be more fun to explore a nearby town. We weren't disappointed! Among other things, the Cultural Centre offered a weirdly intriguing exhibit by a local artist.
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| Art by Christina Cedar. FreshofftheFrame.com |
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| Art by Christina Cedar. FreshofftheFrame.com |
Happily, the weather cleared up in time for the most important part of camping - the evening campfire!
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| FreshofftheFrame.com |
I haven't made time to add a widgetty-thing here, but I'm playing on Instagram these days!
If you play there, too, look me up under my blog name, freshofftheframe (You'll know it's me when you see my usual mug shot!) Let's play together...Follow me, and I'll follow you right back!
Linking up with:
A Lovely Year of Finishes August Finishes Party @ Fiber of All Sorts & Sew BitterSweet DesignsMain Crush Monday @ Cooking Up Quilts
Monday Making @ Love Laugh Quilt
Try, Learn, & Grow!
Carole
Your Metro Rings would definitely make a gorgeous baby quilt, it's so pretty. And you look like you've been incredibly busy with client quilts, can't believe how well your water spray worked, and that kaleidoscope one is very impressive. Your garden produce looks delicious, I bet your grandchildren love visiting, and I love your cookie squashing technique, we are going to have to try that here!
ReplyDeleteNice pics and quilts as usual. Well done for meeting your goal!
ReplyDeleteThe baby quilt looks great; congratulations on meeting your goal! I also really like the fancy print the cookie squisher leaves behind - almost as beautiful as your quilting!
ReplyDeleteAs always.....love, love, love your work. Yes, that will make a beautiful baby quilt, even for a big baby like me. Thanks for sharing the other photos. It's nice to see a little of your life. I'll have to scout around my kitchen for unique dishes to press cookies.....great idea.
ReplyDeleteLots of pretty quilts! Love that first one!
ReplyDeleteThe metro rings is beautiful! And thanks for the tip on making quilts lie flat...I'll keep it in mind.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite part of camping is the campfire too Carole. :)
ReplyDeleteMetro Rings makes a lovely baby quilt! I had not thought of using a wedding ring like pattern for that.
Your quilting looks wonderful - as it always does! I'm going to keep your mist spritzing tip in mind.
Cannot wait to see your metro rings all quilted up! I have used that mist trick on more than one occasion - it works like a dream! I actually just used it on a border that was not wavy until I quilted it. . . How does that happen??? I had never tried it post quilting but it worked - the wonk went right out of it! Just spritzed it while it was on the design wall. Went flat almost immediately. :)
ReplyDeleteso much goodness in one post :-) Love your metro rings! I can't wait to see how you quilt it. Your river walk warm up ~ it's just breathtaking. Why one earth wouldn't you want to warm up out there instead of the treadmill?! (until it gets cold...) ahhhhh
ReplyDelete(I'm really proud of you for working out regularly! :-)
YOu've motivated me to get my metro rings done as yours came out great! It is so wierd to think of ourselves as the granny now....ya feel too young to be your grandmother's age! LOL!! I enjoyed your post.
ReplyDeleteYOu've motivated me to get my metro rings done as yours came out great! It is so wierd to think of ourselves as the granny now....ya feel too young to be your grandmother's age! LOL!! I enjoyed your post.
ReplyDelete