25 April 2010

short stories


A finish! I have been following Penny's quilt-along. It has been a lot of fun.

All the fun Heather Ross prints in the center of the blocks gave name to this quilt - "Short Stories".



Here the quilt is on display for the photographer. You can see the curtain clips holding the top edge. I used them to wall baste this quilt, and am quite happy with my new technique:

the quilt was hung on the wall, secured by the clips, top facing the wall

I used some painters tape to stretch it out and fasten the sides and bottom to the wall

the backing was aligned (center length and width) to the top and pinned to the top edge with quilters safety pins

then I just kept smoothing out the back and pinning ...



In addition to the 'quilt as you go', I quilted in the ditch between the blocks, and added some additional L shaped in the ditch quilting in each block a well. The batting is Warm and White 100% cotton.

My blocks ended up 13.25" from a start at 14.5". I think calculating an additional 1.5" to your finished block gives you a bit of room for squaring up your blocks.

The finished quilt measures 66" * 80". It is backed and bound with some of my favorite fabrics from Denyse Schmidts' "Katie Jump Rope" line.


Thank you Penny for hosting this fun quilt-along! Next time I may try making these blocks in a courthouse style. They are a lot of fun to make...

; )

23 comments:

Nina Lise@Mrs Moen said...

Love it, and all the happy little fabric pieces! You really have a wonderful fabric collection, Marit.-)

Sally Tharpe Rowles said...

That is beautiful... congratulations on a project well done.

Quiltycat said...

I love it too! Your sense of colors is great! I was interested in this quilt-along idea but I was a bit worried about the backing...I will try your way!
thanks
nichi

Harmony Hopes Studio said...

I just love looking at this quilt. Your colours and balance are perfect.

sewtakeahike said...

I's absolutely lovely Marit! I love how you chose a theme instead of just random fabrics for the centers. It really pulls the whole quilt together nicely. Thank-you for sharing your technique for making your quilt sandwich as well. As you can tell from my photo of the back of my QAYG I had a hard time keeping the fabric from bunching, which normally would have made me insane and I would have started over, but on a quilt the size that I made, I just gave up and quilted it anyway.
You have a wonderful way with fabrics Marit!

Janet said...

What a wonderful finish, the binding looks so good. I especially love the Heather Ross fabrics for centers.

Sarah said...

I love your quilt! The colors you chose make the quilt look likes it glows.

shellysquilts said...

Hey Marit, Your quilt is gorgeous! Well done! I'm sure you will only have sweet dreams sleeping with it. Congratulations! Happy quilting!

sew katie did said...

It's wonderful. I love HR prints. I would love to do some string blocks in the quilt as you go manner.

MichelleB said...

Another wonderful quilt! I don't think that you can do anything that is not fabulous.

Your basting method sounds very interesting. I've spray basted a quilt while having it hanging on the wall - but I could see where I might have problems with that method if the quilt were a big one.

Tonya Ricucci said...

Wonderful - congrats!!!

Allie said...

I love it - what a happy quilt!

Sharon said...

Your quilt is so great! Happy fabrics and colors, and I like that you have a theme (without it hitting you over the head). Great quilting too. I've really become a fan of the straight line quilting.

Mari said...

Oh, that looks great, Marit !!
Can`t wait to get started with mine. Maybe on Thorsday ?? See you then.

beth said...

I love your quilt!!! That's one quilt along that I thought I might join..but...so many quilts...so little time.

KateKwiltz said...

Wow! What a fun quilt! I like the wall basting idea, too -- though I'm sure the kitties weren't very happy about it! :)

Kelly Cline said...

OH those are gorgeous! I have something like this started, but as many projects go I start another. I'm addicted to hexagons right now! Stop by my website later this week for a Kaffe Fassett giveaway!

Sophie said...

This is great, thank you for sharing your lovely blog. Keep up the great work!

Evelyn said...

That looks awesome! Great job. I especially love the name you came up with!

Cathy @ CabbageQuilts said...

Wow Marit these are stories worth telling! I love it, a beautiful work of art xo

Andi said...

Such a gorgeous quilt Marit!!

peaknits said...

This quilt is gorgeous! I have doing this quilt as you go along as well with munki munki and HR prints for the middles - I have decided to stop at 9 blocks and make a happy wall hanging - but seeing yours makes me think, hmmm - maybe I should keep going. Fabulous!

Em said...

Turned out spectacular and with a mentor like Penny and your talent, I would expect nothing less. Love your use of white!