Slowly but surely
(Trusty Fisher Price dog on back of quilt for scale.)
Slowly but surely, I am making a quilt. This is the baby quilt kit I got in February, intended to be a learn-as-I-go first quilt. I was under the weather on Sunday and spent the day handquilting on the couch. I'm very slow, but fortunately I enjoy doing tedious, repetitive tasks. (Seriously. I do.) The quilt top is a simple grid of 4-by-4-inch squares. I quilted the grid, close to the seams, and now I'm bisecting each square diagonally, making diamonds. (Clearly I've not yet learned how to talk about quilting.) 
My stitches are definitely improving with practice -- both in their uniformity and in my ability to actually sew in a straight line. They're certainly the stitches of a beginner, but they're really not bad. I'm almost done with the quilting now and getting ready for binding. Exciting!
p.s. Too funny. I just found the blog of the Etsy seller who put together this lovely kit, and she has instructions for making this very quilt. Probably a good thing I just plowed ahead without these instructions, though, since they include "head to a quilt shop to have it machine quilted for you" and then attaching the binding entirely by machine! No way, jo-zay -- it's old-school quilting for this lady. Pass the thimble.
18 comments:
man i have been hitting refresh here all morning, i was just about to email you and say ISN'T IT TIME FOR AN UPDATE!!! so yay! an update!!
as to straight lines: i use blue painter's masking tape as a guide for lines. you put it a smide away from where you want the line and use it as a guide. (you can use it for either machine or hand quilting as a guide.)
looks great, i can't wait to see the whole thing!! :)
that's "smidge" not "smide". doh! typing too fast on a very tired morning...
There is something truly special about a hand-quilted baby quilt.
I know I'm not the only one filled with joy when you include your Fisher Price toys, but, well...I am. Filled with joy. Thank you.
It's adorable! I want to learn to quilt so badly - I've got all the supplies for a baby quilt, but I'm afraid to start. Your squares lined up perfectly! That's where I always go wrong...
this is totally making me want to take up quilting again. great job!
So very cute! You seem to be a step ahead of my crafting plans! I've been dreaming of sewing another quilt! Enjoy!
Your quilt looks very cozy and comfy. I, too, love to do tedious tasks - really I do. It keeps the mind calm.
It's lovely! The dog really makes the effect. ;)
I can't wait to see this finished! I remember when you were working on sorting out the squares, and it almost convinced ME to take up quilting (and I hate hand stitching).
How's the Mookster?
baby.....
It's beautiful! And it looks very cozy.
It's coming along really well! I tried quilting once. I came to the realization that it takes far too much patience for me. Heh. Jealous of your mad skillz!
Alison, I love your quilt and I love the fact that you shun the sewing machine. I am old fashioned (and old!) and I am appalled by machine quilting.
For straight lines I mark with disappearing marker and a little stick that's 6 inches long measures a 1/4 inch on all sides (I don't know what it's called and I bought mine like 30 years ago).
Me again, I googled quilting notions and the thingie I mentioned is called 1/4" seam guide and it still costs $1.99!!!
Lovely! I have the materials to do some hand quilting, but I've not been quite game enough to start it!
It looks SO good! and so cushy. NICE
Take it to a shop and have someone else do it for you? Huh? Now, I made myself a quilt years ago, and I made the entire thing on my sewing machine, but it was queen size, and it took me three years. But I made it. If I had taken it somewhere else for someone else to quilt it, I wouldn't feel I had the right to say I made my quilt. I'd say I pieced my quilt top and paid someone to finish it. Isn't that cheating?
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