Queen of Hearts

Off with that Thread!!

Well there was a completely unexpected 8 months hiatus and I am rather glad that I don't rely on my blog as a source of income, I'd be completely broke.

Well to be honest I haven't had much to blog about other than working at home, working at my job, working in the garden, working at my parents house and working on my sewing machine (NOT quilting.. I pouted a lot) I am sure repeated blogging about how much I work would be rather tedious and a bit whiny. I've got nothing to whinge about at all, ever. I'm blessed and grateful for my home & family (even on 'those days' where I could happily run off and join the circus where I am sure it would quieter).

I did manage to sneak in a few hours here and there to do some quilting and finally finished piecing the quilt I planning in March 2013.. oh that sounds rough in written form.. too much procrastination? 

This is my version of Katie's Quilt
  http://quiltingtutorials.com/browse-by-skill-level/beginner-quilting-tutorials/katies-quilt-easy-quilt-precut-fabric/

By Jenny Doan of Missouri Star Quilt Co.


I didn't use the recommended charm squares or jelly rolls, so there was a lot of cutting for me to do and some of my cutting was a bit 'off ' but I persevered and managed to salvage some of the worst bits and used them on the edges so they aren't noticeable.

* I refuse to waste good fabric just because I was sitting with my quilting ladies giggling while cutting which, by the way, is not conducive to proper measurements or cuts.*

My favorite part of creating this quilt was putting the strips together and seeing the pattern come to life, I've done strip quilts before but this was different since there were so many pieces that had to go just so and a small misalignment could throw off the whole pattern. A lot of effort went into this quilt and the look on my daughters face when the top was finished made the effort more than worth it, it always does, doesn't it? I can't wait to show you the backing fabric she chose it is just perfect.

Admittedly the biggest reason why I had to put this quilt aside is money in two forms; I scored a few jobs that paid me to alter some jackets & vests, which I was very thankful to get as it paid me enough that I was finally able to afford the backing fabric and batting for this quilt.
I do have plenty of scrap backings & fabrics that I could have sewn to make a pieced backing, but not for this project; this was my eldest daughter's birthday present and she was the dictator of the batting (extra fluffy and plush), fabric & pattern as part of her birthday present. I got to dictate the timeline lol.

I also am dictating the quilting patterns which I call the Queen of Hearts (Off with that thread!!!)
I have to say it is swiftly becoming a favorite of mine, the large patch blocks are 16 squares or to confuse things 4-2x2 squares sewn together which made it rather easy to create a somewhat geometric pattern using fluid shapes.

The hearts themselves are done differently than echoed shapes, I did them from the outside in instead and wow! I love the look and feel of the quilting, with echoing the quilting tends to be very small, stiff and flat, doing it this way had the opposite effect which I thought was a bit surprising, also the different style of the hearts as you go from outside to inside give the quilting layers of interest, no two shapes are alike yet the form a seamless whole.

I keep wanting to describe the backside of this quilt, I think I will leave it until I can get decent pictures of the secondary heart pattern & back fabric otherwise there is nothing to anchor the words too and it looks like I am just talking out of my rear.

Until next time.

:)