I decided to start a new quilting thread. The first is pretty long, and dates back pretty far. link - https://www.gardenstew.com/threads/another-quilt-top.43252/ I thought a fresh thread would be a good idea. Here is where I am on the veterans' quilt, for the Quilts of Valor program. The program awards quilts to veterans in honor of their service. I need to finish it before the end of Sept. This one had a lot of starts and stops. I think it will turn out OK now. I opened up the Kenmore, cleaned and oiled the moving parts. Laid out the quilt backing, batting, and quilt top, smoothed and adjusted it all and safety-pin basted it all together. I added a leaf to the sewing table, for a larger work space. I sewed seven rows today. It's awkward, given the size and weight of the quilt, but it's going OK. There are other projects planned or started. If I can do it on time, a second veterans quilt. I have most of the pieces cut out. It is a much easier pattern. I don't know if I can finish on time, so I haven't told the coordinator about that. Also others. I'm crazy! One is a quilted wall hanging for over the sewing table. But for now, I want to finish this one soon.
All done! There were lots of challenges along the way. One thing I'm happy about, I pre-washed the fabrics (cold water) so the richly colored dyes wouldn't bleed onto the adjacent pieces. Then I dried them on racks before starching, and dried on racks again. After it's all sewn together and washed again (cold), I ran it through the dryer. The fabric and cotton batting shrink so each square is sort of pillowy, and it has a sort of antique look. The quilting wasn't perfect. But then, neither am I. Big quilt, heavy and awkward, small sewing machine.
Daniel that quilt is a beautiful design and so well executed. You are such a talented artist / designer.So many different venues you have mastered over time. That quilt is so worthy of a gift for anyone lucky to be gifted such an amazing quilt. I don’t know where you get the patience to sew and sew for weeks and months,. It’s like putting a puzzle together over and over. That’s the beauty of your determination and skill to complete a quilt with so much care and attention to detail.
That is absolutely stunning Daniel the colours and design are so bright and striking. You are so talented. Brilliant job, skilfully achieved.
That is gorgeous, Daniel! I just finished one of the grandkids quilt. I posted the picture in the other thread, though. I go in on Thursday to quilt a second one. I went in today, and am auditing my son's class. It's a free will class. (He's a philosophy professor). I go on T/Th. Thursdays will be very busy for me until I finish the quilts. I go straight from his class to the Sr. Center to quilt.
Here are most of the blocks for veterans' quilt #2. There is a deadline to finish the top by the 16th. I didn't tell them I was making it, but they have some vets waiting for their quilt awards, and that touched me. All I need to do is finish piecing the top. They will quilt it. I think. I did more of these stars, because I can do them fairly fast without a lot of mistakes. I laid a few blocks in the sashing fabric to see how wide it should be. I decided on 1.5 inches. I hope/think I have enough! Then I made the first batch of sashing, sewed it together. Unless something cones up, I think I can make the deadline. If not, it's OK, ready for the next round,
Quilt top for veterans' quilt #2 is finished. I'm pretty happy with it. Tuesday I take this and the earlier one I made, to the Quilts if Valor group. They will long-arm-quilt this. Much faster than I can do, and fancier too. Then both quilts will be presented to veterans in October, to honor them for their service. Not sure what to do next. i have another star quilt to complete, batiks on white, but a little tired of working with this type of star block for a while .
