A Quilty Kind of Day

Tuesday was a rather rare kind of day. I spent most of it quilting. I'm not exactly sure why, but I haven't been using my sewing machine a lot lately. For some reason, starting last Friday, it has been calling my name. I've really been enjoying getting some quilty projects done.

Tuesday I trimmed and put the binding on the quilt I quilted on Friday for FNSI. I absolutely LOVE this quilt. And since I can't remember the last time I finished a quilt, I took lots of pictures of it. Enjoy.

We move next month - heading back to Michigan - and there's not much here in Idaho I'm going to miss. However, I am going to miss using this fence to take quilt pictures.

The back. The brick fabric on the left wasn't all one piece. I had bought a stack of them cut up into 8 or 9 inch squares at a guild yard sale several years ago. They seemed to go with this project so I sewed them all together and it was almost enough for the back.

Doesn't it look nice with our couch? 

So, this quilt was suppose to be a gift for my husband's supervisor here in Idaho - I have often referred to it as Luke's quilt. He has the same couch as us, so I was happy that the two looked so good together. I left the quilt spread out and when my husband came home and I told him I was going to give it to Luke, he actually looked disappointed. Turns out he likes it. And since it is extremely rare that we both like the same quilt - we're keeping it! I'm so happy.

My Tuesday sewing didn't end with finishing our new quilt. I got out this UFO that I started in Michigan almost 3 years ago. I quilted the center panel last year during the UFO challenge but had run into a snag when I attached the bottom panel. It went back on the UFO list and I think it's number got pulled in May this year. I got most of the bottom panel quilted but had to set it aside for other things. Tuesday I finished quilting the bottom panel - until I ran out of green thread. Then I attached the top panel - this included, adding on more backing fabric and then batting, which I had already pieced/ cut out and then sewing on the row of blocks. I even started quilting it, getting all the white and purple done. Yeah, I'm in shock too. Just need to finish the green, yellow and blue sections and then I can add the last borders. Binding strips are already cut and waiting. I might actually finish this monstrosity.

Side view. It looks good on our bed but it will definitely be a gift. Just not sure who I am going to give it too yet :)

Some of the quilting on the bottom panel. I use my free-motion foot and try to be as straight as possible but I know I'm not. It's the overall effect I'm looking for, not perfection.

See that one green triangle that isn't quilted? That was the only green left on the bottom panel when I ran out of green thread. Made a trip to JoAnn's yesterday and picked some up. It has since been quilted.

Some of the quilting on the top panel. Only the white and purple are done.

The first three borders, cut and waiting to be attached.

I also cut these triangles on Tuesday. They are the final border of the quilt. This quilt is going to be huge! I had originally started it to give to the woman that taught both of my kids preschool when we lived in Michigan a few years ago. I think I had all or at least most of the blocks pieced when we moved here 2 years ago. I have considered still giving it to her but it seems a little late for such a grand gift. Been trying to decide who I'm going to give it to now.

One last thing. When I was in JoAnn's yesterday I bought this batting. It says "NEW" but I'm not sure how new it is. Has anyone else used this before? It says it is "drapeable" which kind of intrigues me. Some of my quilts, even after being washed a few times, still feel kind of stiff and don't drape like I would like them to. It's suppose to cost $34.99 for queen size but it was on sale for $14.99. Figure I can't go wrong.