Fiber Babble: Spring Mini Quilt Swap

Spring Mini Quilt Swap

July 01, 2009

In the dark, with her hand on his cheek, they slid into sleep. "Creation in Death" by J.D. Robb ♦♦♦♦◊

Because I am invincible, or maybe because I have a ridiculously high opinion of my time management skills, I joined the Spring Blooms Mini Quilt Swap, hosted by The Quilting Gallery.

Wanda got my name - she has cracked me up from Day One, she's so energetic and enthusiastic!

She included a note that said something along the lines of, "I tried many new techniques, with varying degrees of success." I think she did a great job - there's some stunning hand quilting in the border, the flower is machine quilted, she added crystals to center... and more!

Ooohhhh, sparkly....

Wanda very kindly included some extra binding fabric that I was able to use to make a hanging sleeve. It's off at one of the handwork angels' clouds right now.*

Here's a confession (though it's not a painful one): I get many more compliments on this mini than I did on the one I made to send off to my swap-ee, Janey:

Now, there's nothing wrong with this quilt, but when in the same neighborhood as the one from Wanda, it comes off a bit wall-flower-ish, doncha think?

The "flowers" are 6" square; the "Tallahassee" block from Quilter's Cache (I resized the block).

The color in the close-up below is much more accurate.

So, here's the bigga deal, though. See that little pink flange there? It's about 1/16th of an inch (about 3mm, if I read my ruler correctly).

Oh, and there's a Where's Waldo inner border (the same color as the binding) that is a wonderfully perfect 1/4". It really is perfect. I've never done such an incredibly straight and even inner border (even larger).

And the derned thing blends right in. :sigh:

I hit a bump in the road on this quilt - mid-quilting, I sent my Bernina off to a qualified service technician to fix it after taking it to a local, well-regarded (and no longer personally patronized) sewing machine dealer in town. There's a story there, as you can well imagine. In fact, imagine it and be sure to include more than one trip BACK to the first place and multiple spikes in blood pressure by yours truly (it truly is a trial not to rip some peoples' condescending, arse-from-a-hole-in-the-ground faces off, you know??).

Oh. 'Nuff said, I'd guess.

Anyway, I sent my machine 150 or more miles away before I'd completely finished quilting the mini. I have a backup lightweight travel machine (a Brother), but I'd never used it before. Though it's too late, the long story short is that I wasn't able to go overboard in the machine quilting arena as I usually do. Good news, though - J2 had an extra quilting foot that will fit the Brother, so if I get the urge to quilt something before I reunite with my faithful companion, hopefully I'll be able to do something more than feed-dogs-up straight and slightly curved lines.

Quilting Gallery is hosting a new swap, In the Good Ol' Summertime. Registration ends 6 July, the quilt needs to be mailed by 21 September. I won't be joining this one. No, really I won't.

But that's only because I've already signed up for a different mini quilt swap with a group of online friends.

Hear me roar.

*So, just to clarify: Stitchery is not handwork. Not like sewing down bindings is handwork. But in the interest of full disclosure, I did all of the handwork on the quilt I sent to Janey. By myself. And I didn't gripe about it even one time.

Labels: quilting

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3 Comments:

At 7/02/2009 1:13 AM,

Deb Babbled Back:

FB with your energy and weakened state.. I am sure I will see your name on the list.. I am there!! and I have 2 more to make you can do it!!
Luv your mini that you got what a talented girl!!
very cool mini you have made yourself they do look like wonderful flowers. looks like you copied the ones that are in the background awesome girl!!

At 7/03/2009 8:25 AM,

Darcie Babbled Back:

lol Am I hearing a Helen Reddy song or is it just my imagination?!

Love Wanda's quilt to you. Contemporary and lively. Very fun. Looks like she pegged you well.

And yours for Janey is every bit as lovely. Beautiful things needn't always shout and sing. Some need to whisper and hum. ;-) LOVE the hidden surprises. They all make the piece even more special and pretty.

Happy 4th of July, T!

At 7/04/2009 10:29 AM,

Carrie P. Babbled Back:

I love them both. I think you did a great job on yours and the special things you did on yours are great. Doing that flange is not easy. I have done it once.