Today I've been SEWING!!! It has been over a month since I have worked on a quilt but today I spent a good part of the day at the sewing machine. Tetsu was barely out of the house this morning before I was sneaking into the sewing room (Takumi snoring away) and taking the sewing machine, the iron, the cutting board and roller cutter and fabrics for the 365 Challenge and setting up house in the living room. It has been years since I controlled the sewing machine with my knee (this used to be my regular mode of control) but though the knees are a little more creaky, I managed to do my sewing from the floor.I had only one more row of entries to put together and then I was ready to sew all the strips. Since this is leap year I had 366 entries which left me with two more blocks to write on. (23 blocks multiplied by 16 strips.) I summed up the year on one block "A whole year full of memories. Some sad, mostly happy. All designed by God and directed daily." I wrote on the very last block the quote from Dr. Seuss "Don't cry because it's over. Smile because it happened."
From then on, it was just a matter of sewing the strips together and ironing them. Because I had added borders around all the week entries, my strips didn't come out even so I added extra fabric here and there but all in all it pulled together nicely.
What do you think? It is a very colorful quilt. It measures about 200 centimeters by 235 centimeters, quite a large quilt. Does it need borders? Should I just call it quits and put it together in sandwich form now?
I am pleased with the colors. I hope the ink will hold on the journal entries. I used the Pigma Micron pen which is supposed to be permanent but it still looks fainter than when I started. I'll probably quilt free hand Baptist fans on this unless I get very inspired to do some machine quilting. I think it is probably too big for that endeavor.
Yeah! That is a big load off my shoulders and now I can think about other things without worrying that this will forever be an unfinished project!
From then on, it was just a matter of sewing the strips together and ironing them. Because I had added borders around all the week entries, my strips didn't come out even so I added extra fabric here and there but all in all it pulled together nicely.
What do you think? It is a very colorful quilt. It measures about 200 centimeters by 235 centimeters, quite a large quilt. Does it need borders? Should I just call it quits and put it together in sandwich form now?I am pleased with the colors. I hope the ink will hold on the journal entries. I used the Pigma Micron pen which is supposed to be permanent but it still looks fainter than when I started. I'll probably quilt free hand Baptist fans on this unless I get very inspired to do some machine quilting. I think it is probably too big for that endeavor.
Yeah! That is a big load off my shoulders and now I can think about other things without worrying that this will forever be an unfinished project!
10 comments:
It is beautiful! I'm sure the pigma pen will last -- I've used it for postcards and trading cards on fabirc for years and never had a problem...
I am so glad it has the feline seal of approval.
Moggie has to have hairs on everything before it is even finished. Her approval is given in stages. I am quilting some dolphins to make a bag and what do I find....some stay hairs..Moggie has had a little sleep on it somewhere.
I am still writing mine! The writing probably got lighter as you actually used the pen. I find that happens the more I write with those pens. I am excited to think I will actually have it finished some day!!
Fantastic! I would think a thin plain border would frame the quilt and give it a finished look. Just a thought!
Fantastic! I would think a thin plain border would frame the quilt and give it a finished look. Just a thought!
I think is it lovely! I'm a border girl myself..but I HATE putting them on! lolol
I love your quilt! I would love to make one. I had never heard of this quilt until I read about yours. Are there directions available? Did you cut your pieces all at once, at the very beginning?
Thank you for sharing your quilt!
Janet
I love your quilt and the colors are so pretty. Your kitty seems to be enjoying it also. Could you send me to the instructions...would like to give it a try. :>)
Thanks for sharing!
I think it looks great - and what a wonderful momento of your year. If you are worried about the ink, you can try pressing it with an iron to heat set it.
congrats on your flimsiness! If you do machine quilting, I'd recommend that you avoid all the words - just do sew straight lines in the bordery fabric. even hand quilting might make it really hard to read words if you go over them. I'd recommend you do a bit of testing before you commit. Its not like this needs much quilting - the important bit is your words. Maybe make it a summer spread (no batting or quilting) and just do a few ties here and there to hold it together.
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