This is a quilt that my aunt (a different one - I have 11 aunts) asked me to make for a baby that was due March 2005. She gave me a pattern size for the quilt - it called for 2 pieces of fabric with the ruffle, but she wanted me to "spice it up" with actual quilt blocks in it.
The top itself went pretty well. The problems started with the ruffle. I had never made one (not even when I would try to sew clothes) and I had oh-so-fond memories of my sister ripping out a mile long worth of ruffle because she goofed and it broke when she was gathering... Anyhow, I sewed the two strips together, start to gather and pull the thread, and of course it breaks. I went through the process 2 or three times and finally ended up buying upholstry thread. I didn't care about damaging my sewing machine because I was using my el cheapo WalMart machine at the time and I was just a few weeks away from getting my Bernina.
The upholstry thread did the trick. I gathered it, sewed it down and attached it to the top. Then cutting the backing and batting to the size of the top, I sewed all the layers, wrong sides together and left a gap so I could flip it. I flipped it and set it aside for a week or so - it was a source of frustration at the time.
Then my Bernina came - with a walking foot - and I put it to use by stitching in the ditch and around the borders. That was the first and last time I used my walking foot; I got a surprising amount of puckers on the back, especially where I pinned. Wasn't impressed with the walking foot - I am much more pleased with my free-motioning foot. Could have you guessed? ;)
The end results of the quilt is beautiful. The ruffle looks fun and playful. The blocks look entertaining - I'm pleased with it. But I stay away from ruffles. :P The quilt arrived to the new mom in time - they had a boy, named Sam. Haven't heard anything more since, but I sure hope that kid enjoys the quilt and drags it around every now and then. :)
Not much has been going on. I'm drawing blank at what I've accomplished in the past week. I *know* I've been keeping busy though. I did get a bunch of library books - financial, quilting and some Prevention magazines. What do they all have in common? They use numbers. :D Although after reading some of the financial books, I went whining to my husband "I need more money!" cuz the book was giving me great ideas what to do (pay off debt, save up for a house, build a retirement fund)... but I don't have enough to do it all! :P
A little sewing has been done, but nothing impressive. I've noticed all over quilty-blogland there seems to be either big distractions/problems or no quilting energy for the past week or so. So let me raise my bottle of water to a toast for us quilters to get more needle time! :)
Leah
6 comments:
Nice quilt. I've used a walking foot on my Elna and Janome and haven't been overly impressed either. Have found the results just as good without. I too prefer the free-motion quilting :)
The quilt looks good. My mother used to have a ruffler attachment for her old Singer. It worked like a charm and fit on most machines. I almost never use ruffles but used to when I sewed for my daughters. THey loved ruffles when they were little. THe secret is to use many shorter lengths of thread insntead of trying to do it with one long thread.
Oh, how sweet! Easiest way ever to do ruffles is to use a long, shallow zigzag over plain old dental floss. Do it just inside your stitching line, and once you've sewn it in, the floss can come out, the zigzags stay and no one knows you didn't do the basting/pull up the bobbin thread method. You can pull as hard as you want to get really full ruffles, you won't break dental floss.
I've never made ruffles and I think I never will. The quilt did out lovely though.
Hmmm, a walking foot shouldn't do that. I LOVE my walking foot. Wonder what went wrong! But at least you love your free motion foot! That baby quilt is soooo cute!
Wow, it has been a while since I last saw your blog. I didn't realize I was a whole month behind! I blame bloglines. We could all use some more money. The more the better! I think the key is be happy with less, and to use whatever little you have wisely.
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