USA Quilting 1

I got my least favorite part of the quilt process done yesterday - the sandwiching of the layers.

I was going to use a white backing, but the fabric I had available was white-on-white one of which was too thin and the other to painty. I opted for a red Ikea cotton sheet that I had already pre-washed, but needed ironing.

While I was wishing that I had some really white batting in the stash, it occurred to me that easy stitching was priority because of all the piecing.  I decided to use another piece of the wool I've been saving.  Interestingly, I think that the patterning of the white-on-white backgrounds stands up more with that cream colored layer.

I also discovered at this point that despite my careful stitching, the outer border has a little bit of a wave to it.  It's the result of having a bias edge of triangles all around the outside.  That problem should quilt out with this somewhat lofty batting.

I pin basted and started with a block near the center.

Windblown Square for North Dakota

Algonquin Square for Rhode Island.

After the outline stitching, I plan to do some echoing like this but in a way that merges with or flows to the stitching of the next block.

Third finished block for Sunday was Salt Lake City, for Utah (obviously).

 You may remember from a previous post on this quilt, that there are several rows that got off-grid from the others.  I can see now that there's going to be some clever stitching to camouflage the problem.

This block, for example is about 1/4" smaller than the one below it, but lined up on the right side. It's only noticeable when you try to line up the center points of each block.   A little "fool the eye" quilting and no one will notice.

William Morris Skirt?

The most recent sewing debacle  got me thinking that I really needed to start with some baseline of success.  This 6-panel skirt that I made this summer was my first attempt to make a muslin, adjust, and save the muslin as a new master pattern.

For some bizarre reason (unknown to me), I have started getting a fashion magazine called InStyle.  Ironic since I buy about 4 items of clothing per year.

I was flipping through it and ripping out inspirations when I saw this!  A QUILTED mini.

Even though I have great gams for my age, as a public service, I choose not to wear anything this short.

But the concept got me thinking.

I was imagining something quilted in  Baroque style leaves...

but then, it occurred to me that Michele Hill has some great William Morris style floral and leaves already in a handy format. In a book I happen to own.

And they are on my "to do" list.

This would be my FMQ template drafts of the front panels of my new skirt.


Only remaining debate: What color?