The new wedding quilt: Does it look like a quilt?

Does it look like a quilt yet?

This is the pattern that I have to follow to piece together the triangles and rectangles to make the pattern come "alive". It is rather complicated but if you mark them correctly with the numbers then you can follow along and piece it together.

A headache waiting to happen!

So here is what I have so far. It really is coming together. The major thing is to get the pieces correctly cut out (the right sizes) and to piece it together slowly to make sure the corners match up. Some of the rows are not perfect, but they look pretty good! I am looking forward to continuing along and see how it looks once the top is all finished! More to come!

Not too shabby!

It's another wedding quilt!!!

Well! It has been a while since I posted anything on my sewing blog! Some life changes, a move back East and work has really taken over.

But I am starting a new project and it’s another wedding quilt! My son Connor and his wife Kristen are having their wedding in January so mom has to make a wedding quit! They decided they wanted a more contemporary quilt with solid colors (black and shades of gray). So I have found the following pattern which I thought was going to be not only really lovely, but challenging as well.

I can’t remember where I purchased the pattern directions (it may have been at Keepsake Quilting) but I knew when I saw it that it was exactly what I had in mind. Managed to find all the quilting cotton at local Joanne’s fabrics, although I probably will purchase the backing from Keepsake Quilting online (they have some great 100% cotton backing fabric that is 108” wide.

This is going to look lovely!

Black, gray and light gray!

Stay tuned for updates on how the quilt piecing comes along. In the meantime I am also planning several trips in the coming future and that will be discussed on my travel blog!!

The Wedding Quilt: Complete!!!

Well after about 6 months of sore fingers and hands, the wedding quilt is finally finished!! Yay! I did the final wash and dry and went over the quilt to look for any mistakes or things I missed. I won't actually mail it out to Meghan and Don until after the holidays as I want the local family members to take a look at it. They may not get a chance to see it after I send it off to California!

I am really proud of how it turned out. I consider it a bridal quilt, although not one in the traditional sense because it is not white. But this is what the bride wanted and we all know that whatever the bride wants, the bride gets!! This was the first one that I actually designed the entire pattern myself. Normally the wholecloth quilts I have made used a paper template that I traced onto the fabric. This one I used several different designs from books and such, and incorporated it all together into one quilt. I am very please with the results!

A close up view of the border

The center "lovebird" design

A view of the all over quilt

My apologies if the pictures are not that great. I think it had to do with the lighting in the bedroom.

So there it is: only 6 months or so in the making! I loved how it turned out but not really ready to do another one anytime soon!

Now stayed tuned after the holidays for the mother of the bride dress I will be making for myself. No idea yet as to the color or style, but it will be fabulous! I get to wear a hat and gloves, just like the royal family (but without all the crazy family drama!!!)

Happy Holidays all!

The Wedding Quilt: Home stretch!!

Ahh the home stretch of the wedding quilt! Yay! I have been working hard to finish up the quilt so that the family coming to the house on Christmas will be able to see the finished product. I wasn't sure who would get to see the quilt once I send it to Meghan in Berkeley, so I want to have it done soon for all to see "live".

So we are basically done with the quilting part and starting on the binding. I like to use a narrow binding and not a really wide one. The wide bindings remind me of the ratty blankets that kids drag around when they are little, with the wide, satin bindings and I don't care for that look. It's just me, if you prefer wide bindings by all means, don't be offended! Now you can make your own bias binding in any color or fabric you like, but I actually prefer to use pre-made binding. It is easy and there are many different colors available today.

My preferred type of binding

I like to use extra wide, double fold binding and then open it up and press it flat. Then I fold it in half and re press it and it is the exact size that I like for my quilt bindings. It is easy to work with and if you need to make it longer then just stitch another package length to the first one. I think that I like this because once I finally get to the end of the quilting process, I want it to be done and over with. So easy is the way to go!!

Now there has been much discussion (at least I think there has been much discussion) about how to round the corners of your quilt so that it looks right. My favorite way to do this: use a dinner plate. Yes, a dinner plate! It is the perfect round-ness and you simply trace the edge of the plate with your pencil and you never miss! You can use a saucer for small baby quilts, a salute plate for twin quilts and a larger dinner plate for the larger quilts. Plate: not just for meals anymore!!

Trace along the plate with your pencil!

Now once that is done, you simply cut along your tracing lines and then stitch the binding to the edges of the quilt. I machine stitch. I find I have more control that way and it holds better. Then I hand stitch the edge of the binding to the back of the quilt. It may take a while but it gives the front of the quilt a nice, clean look and allows you to manipulate around the corners.

Hand stitch the binding to the quilt

After that you are basically done! I have a few more tips and tricks for the final steps which will be on the next post. I like to go over the quilt to check out any "mistakes" and also put on labels and wash the quilt. Stay tuned: more to come!

The Wedding Quilt

I have been trying to work on the quilt in between work travel and normal "house stuff". I am currently working on the part in between the medallions which is the "filler" part of the quilt. (Don't know the technical term, I say filler)  I was going back and forth as to what design to use and finally decided on just a straight line. The main reason is that I wanted the feathered wreath medallion to be shown off. I find that to be a beautiful part of the quilt and I wanted it front and center.

These pictures are a little hard to see because of the late afternoon lighting, but you can see the straight lines filling in the design. I think that it looks really nice because it doesn't take away from the central design but simply adds to it.

Working hard and coming right along! That's a good thing because before you know it I will be working on the wedding gown! My trip to San Francisco is booked for middle November to meet up with my daughter to try on wedding gowns! We are going to have her try on several styles that she likes (that she saw in magazines) and then decide on what type of style to design for her gown. We will also visit the ultra-fabulous Britex fabrics, located in San Francisco. It is the orgasmic version of a fabric shop and a must-see for anyone visiting the Bay area! 4 floors of fabric heaven!!

Stay tuned for updates on the quilt as well as wedding gown updates and my upcoming trip. Finally a trip that is not for work but simply for pleasure!!!

Straight lines fill in without taking away from the design.

Hard to tell it's navy colored but it is!

The Wedding Quilt

So after a short vacation to visit the family, I have started back working on the wedding quilt! The feathered wreath medallions are coming along nicely! As you can see from the pictures, there has been a few more added to the quilt, with the stitching in between yet to be completed. I am not sure yet if I am going to do a simple cross pattern in between or perhaps incorporate different scenes from the kid's lives. (i.e.: a tea cup for Meghan and wooden shoes for Don!). Still to be determined. But it is really coming along and I feel like I am making progress!

Not the best picture but you get the idea!

A little better picture showing the overall design

A work in progress!

The Wedding Quilt

A good view of the feathered wreath

The feathered wreaths will be the main design of the overall quilt

Poor scared puppy!

With the lack of travel for work I have been able to work on the wedding quilt a bit more in the evenings. I have a few more of the designs done and have included a pictures. These were done last night during a great thunderstorm we had here in NW Indiana. Roxy is terrified of the storms so she proceeded to hide between the sewing table and the wall!

The Wedding Quilt

The lovebird design!

Shown below is the center section of the quilt which has been hand quilted with the design. The center is the only portion which will have this type of design, the remainder of the quilt will be a little different. I thought that the two lovebirds was a cute idea, with the hearts and all! Not traveling the last few weeks for work makes it a little easier to work on this at night. I am sure that will change soon!

The Wedding Quilt

My old PVC quilting frame. Still works great!!

Pins and needles ready for use!

The hardest part of the process!

Of course with my daughter getting married, I had to make the wedding quilt. It was a given. I have been making quilts for years and probably have made about 5 just for her. However, this one has to be different. Special. It is for her wedding!  (of course I am also making the wedding gown but one thing at a time!!)


She requested a wholecloth quilt. For those of you that don't know what that is, I shall explain! Most people think of quilts as tiny pieces of fabric sewn together to make one bed-sized quilt. That is one way to quilt, and I have made countless types of those quilts. But a wholecloth quilt is one large piece of fabric with an elaborate design quilted onto it. It can also be called a bridal quilt. I made one for my brother about 15 years ago for his wedding, all in white.

However Meghan decided that she wanted a navy blue wholecloth quilt with white stitching. So that is the one she will get! The design is traced onto the fabric and then quilted by hand using white thread. The tracing is the hardest part (IMO), mainly because I have to use a lightbox under the fabric (remember, dark navy colored fabric), and hand trace the pattern. Now leaning over the table for hours doing is just does wonders for my back, so I get a little cranky! But that is what my baby girl wanted, so that is what she gets!