Feature of the Week "My Favorite Project" by mama-abroad

Bucsnpats · 04-04-2007, 07:39 AM

**Note**
If YOU would like to be featured and show off your favorite project, please PM bucsnpats with your masterpiece. Anyone can participate. Members will be randomly selected each week. Remeber to include a picture and instructions!!

"My Favorite Project" A QUILT by mama-abroad

Instructions for making the quilt are pretty complex, as it requires a pattern. However, it kinda goes like this:

Wash and iron all material. Allow for 1/4in seams on all cuts.
Cut material for 9-patch and 3-stripe squares into 2.5 in strips
Sew strips together in 3’s, according to the pattern you want
Cut the newly sewn 3-striped sections into squares (for the 9-patch squares, cut across into 2.5in wide strips, then sew together in 3’s to make the 9-patch square)
Cut white squares to size. You should now have all equal size blocks, of white squares, 3-stripe squares, and 9-patch squares.
Sew together the blocks in rows. Make sure you lay out your squares in the pattern you want, and sew the rows together accordingly.
Once rows are all assembled, they can be joined to complete the “face” of the quilt.
Cut border material to appropriate length and width for the quilt. My quilt has 3 borders, each one a bit longer than the last.
Cut the material for the back of the quilt. Depending on size, you might have to sew together a few pieces.
Insert batting between the two layers, and pin together all over (as in picture).

Now comes the actual challenge!! The quilting.

The layers of the quilt are held together by the quilting process – in my quilt, I have traced along the rows diagonally to make a crisscross pattern. Then I traced around 2 borders. Then I added quilted designs in the plain squares. Since I am a beginner, I didn’t want to make them stand out too much and had the thread match the material on the front. Next time I would make it contrast so the fun designs stand out more! (although they’re nicely visible on the back). I also added some fun quilting detail to the outside border, using a pattern that I traced on with a special quilting pen. All curvy quilting lines are done free-hand on the sewing machine and it takes plenty of practice to get it right! I made the figures by tracing them onto tracing paper, pinning the paper in on the quilt, and sewing right on top of the lines. It worked!

Sew on one side of the binding, and hand-stitch it around the other side to create an invisible seam.

QUILT IN PROGRESS

QUILTED PICTURES IN BLANK SQUARES

DETAILED BORDER QUILTING

FINISHED QUILT

Bucsnpats · **Additional comments from mama-abroad**

I wanted to add mama-abroad's additional comments about the above quilt:

"It’s a tough project to do alone – I think that sewing the face together should be possible for anyone who can use a sewing machine, but getting the quilting done is more difficult. Many people who make quilts like to make only the face and then send it out for the quilting to be done by someone else. There are some amazing patterns out there and the project can be as easy or as difficult as you want to make it! I know that many towns have quilting shops that surely have lessons for beginners, and they even have ready-made kits with all the material cut and ready to assemble, which would save lots of time.

I made this quilt during my summer break while pregnant with my son. It’s his gift from me and was certainly an enjoyable project. I didn’t even know how to use a sewing machine when I started!! A mother of one of my students is a quilter, and she offered to barter: 3 hours quilting for 1 hour math tutoring. I spent 2 mornings a week with them for about 6 weeks over the summer, and it was great fun! I’m looking forward to making another quilt, and this time I’d like to be less structured and do a patchwork. First I should probably buy a sewing machine, though!!"

newlywed0610 · 04-04-2007, 07:47 AM

Wow!!! I can't believe that's your first quilt. You have a gift!!

Bucsnpats · 04-04-2007, 08:08 AM

Great job Mama-abroad!! I love it!!

I have always wanted to make a quilt!! I just showed this to my 11 yr old dd, and said do you want to make a quilt with me??? Her eyes lit up and she said "OK". We will see....