Today I wanted to start the baby quilt. I had a Doc day so I didn't get started until the afternoon. It took me awhile to cut out the blocks, I am a bit slow and since I am clumsy, I want to make sure I don't cut my fingers off;) I am making a baby quilt for my grandson who is expected next month, nothing like waiting till the last minute.
The pattern is an irish chain baby quilt that I found as a free pattern at Connecting Threads. I thought it would be easier to do a pieced quilt, then trying to do applique this late. It will also be more practical for a baby.
I measured carefully, I watched my seam lines as I sewed them up but I still came out crooked. Since it is an irish chain, I want them to be perfect, so they line up properly, but that doesn't look like it is going to happen with my sewing, lol. Do you know any tricks or ways to make them better?
I am using these for the chain part of the quilt and the animals in a row for the border. I will save the larger print for the curtains. The Fabric comes from the Down Under line by Shelley Comisky, a prize that I won from Henry Glass Fabrics.
Another project I am working on is, a new runner for the Patriotic Challenge at This-n-That Fabrics. I am making it for my dining bureau so it is long, but I need to make it thinner so I can add a border and then I will add appliques to the ends. I definitely think this is one piece that needs antiquing;) The Fabrics come from a jelly roll that I won from Minick and Simpson, just using the red, tan and blue strips.
7 comments:
Deb, it happens to the best of us. I always like to have a little (1/4" at least) extra so once the block is sewn together I can square it up just perfect! I would say double check and make sure you are sewing with a true 1/4" seam allowance. Sometimes just a thread or two off can make a huge difference in how they line up! Especially if some are sewn with a true 1/4 and some are scant, and some are a little large, your block sizes will all vary! At this point, if you have the all sewn I would sew those four together ... And get all your others put together the same way, and then measure them ALL and square them up to the same size and then put together to form the quilt. Does that make sense? If not just shoot me an email! :) xo
Your baby quilt is going to be so cute! I love that fabric! :0)
both projects look lovely.... I have no real hints about the joins... I find sometimes they just don't meet!
Hugz
The colours are lovely! As for accurate piecing, starch is the key for me. I like my fabric stiff, sort of like a sheet of paper, less shifting. I use Stay Flow, which is a liquid starch (Love Best Press Lavender but at $50.00 a gallon, I'll stick to Stay Flow). I mix it 1:3 parts water. You might want to check you quarter seam.
The baby quilt is going to be so cute!
The baby prints are so sweet. I love the kangaroos! You might be able to straighten up the blocks a bit when you lay it out to quilt. And they might naturally straighten out as you join the blocks into rows.
Oh Debbie what a sweet baby quilt. I will be maing my first baby quilt for my GGD who is due in August. Right now I am working on a Poncho and when it is done Want to make some burp cloths. Hugs, LenZie
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