Woven quilt finished!

Goodness, this poor kitty still hasn't got an official name. That's because we decide on one, tell the kids, use it for the day and say "Aww, that's not right." Why am I always thinking something perfect is just around the corner if I just wait long enough... The picture isn't great but can you see the kitten playing there under my quilt hoop? Makes quilting difficult but she seems very happy.

I finished my Woven background quilt. The weaving was easy, the fusing was easy. Choosing the applique pattern took some time but I finally came across a June 1997 Better Homes and Gardens American Patchwork and Quilting magazine and found the watering can pattern and fused flower directions. With all the fusing in the weaving I thought it was appropriate. There were more variations of flowers in the magazine but I stuck with the one type of flower.

Made flowers one day and fused a couple to the background along with the watering can and leaves. Then got on the sewing machine and quilted. With all that fusing in there the quilt was quite stiff which I'm not sure made it easier or more difficult to quilt but anyway a different feel. I decided I wanted more "fun" than just a zig-zag stitch up and down the curved lines so I started doing squiggles and circles with some variegated thread. My control isn't very good and the stitch size would jump from tiny to long. I really should take a class someday. Still with all the crossing and movement one can't tell too much and it did add some character to the background. I hope it will hold down the edges (that was the purpose in the first place!)


Next tacked the flowers onto the quilt "artistically" and sewed them down with a button in the middle. Raided my button box! I don't know why I had so many red and pink buttons. The tacked on flowers are double sided and they push away from the quilt a bit making it somewhat dimensional.

All in all a fun project that brightens up a corner. If I do this again I'd like to try some dyed background that is more subtle and mysterious like Liz's. She's working on her applique now and I'll give you an update when she gets done. It has been a nice to have a faraway mentor and friend and get to see what Liz can do with the same ideas.

Oh, a couple people wanted to link to Blurb for blog book making so I'm posting it again. It is kind of embarrassing to have my own book in my hands (I haven't even shown it to Tetsu!) but it makes me smile to riffle through it.