Finally! A Friday Finish!

I finished this batik jelly roll race top a month or so ago, but finally had the opportunity to quilt and bind it this week.  I think the collection is called blueberry.  In all honesty, I'm not sure I will use this pattern again.  It was easy enough, but there isn't enough variety between the strips and the changes between strips are oddly placed.  Even so, this quilt is growing on me.  The more time I spend with it, the more I'm liking it.

You can see the quilting a bit better in the second picture. I did in the ditch between the strips and a wave through the strips and the outer border.  I used a smokey blue thread, but I went through two spools (one full and one not) and part of a third.  I also realized that I don't have much variety in my thread collection - mostly white or darks (green, blue, purple and red).  I'm going to have to remedy that.  

Anyway, I was having some difficulty choosing a binding.  I had bought some 90" natural flannel for the backing and had enough left over for the binding as well.  I like using flannel for the back for added warmth and softness, but the natural cream color would be striking against the dark outer border.  So, I asked the hubs' opinion.  Essentially, the choice was between the fabric for the backing and the fabric for the border.  He said the border fabric would be better and he was right. It was perfect!

This is, by far, the biggest quilt I've ever made and completed.  All in all, I'm pretty happy with it... and the cats are thrilled! ;o)

Yeah!

I am in between teaching sessions right now.  My last set of classes ended September 16th and I finished grading their final assignments on Friday Sept. 21st.  My next session of classes doesn't begin until October 8th which means I do not have any teaching obligations until October 7th when I have to prep the online classroom(s).   This also means I have a little more time that I can spend in the sweat shop which is good because the holidays are just around the corner!

The timing couldn't have been better. This last week was incredibly stressful.  I had two exams and a class in three days.  One of the exams was in Statistical Methods which is not my strong suit.  I get the math, I just don't get the interpretation (what does getting this number mean? I have no clue).  I've gotten a tutor as a result of my grade on that exam.

Anyway, I needed sewing therapy.  I've been working on a Jelly Roll Race quilt.  I'd heard you could finish it in an hour.  I think those people who said so are on crack.  There's no way you could finish it in an hour - two or three possibly, but definitely not one.  It took me an hour to prep the strips and sew them together end to end.  Then another to create the bulk of the quilt and another 15-30 minutes (approximately) to cut and sew on the borders.  Here's the flimsy on our bed. (Please excuse the boxes and totes, I am slowly working through the closets and prepping for a charitable donation.)  Obviously, the double-wedding ring quilt is the quilt we have on the bed during the summer - so ignore that peaking out as well.

I used Coffee Cake Treat Strips that I had found on sale ($29.99 instead of $39.99). I'm still not sure how I feel about the quilt top.  It's pretty, but not what I was expecting.  I really thought there would be more diversity of strips together.  Instead, most strips are placed every other strip which is a bit too close together for me.  I bought that fabric collection because of the neutrality of the colors.  I think it will be a nice addition to the living room.  We have a fleece blanket on the couch promoting the hub's favorite NHL team, and an afghan for my recliner which is fine for the fall/spring, but in the dead of winter, the afghan's composition (holes between stitches) makes it not as cozy as the fleece or a quilt. 

Fabric.com was having a sale a couple of weeks ago and I bought a nice 90" wide cream/natural flannel for the backing.  I will quilt it next weekend.  I'm really looking forward to this quilt this winter! 

Then it was on to the next project.  This one has a deadline and I needed to complete it while I'm on "break" from teaching.  I'm afraid this is all I can show you right now, but not to worry.  Once I send it out, I will post pictures.

So far, I'm pretty pleased with the project.

Giddy

A couple of weeks ago, I read on one of the quilting blogs I follow that Hancock's of Paducah was having a serious sale on a recent collection by one of my favorite fabric designers, Fig Tree & Co.   I seriously love her stuff!  Anyway, the fabric was on sale for 53% off or $5.98/yard!!!  I bought 13.5 yards worth and 2 charm packs for $5.98 each (since the charm packs are normally $10 each this was a steal). What a bargain!

I did not buy any of the blue fabric.  I'm not sure why, but it just did not fit in my vision of this quilt. I'm planning on making the Elizabeth quilt from Miss Rosie Quilt Co. It's an older quilt pattern - coming out in the spring of 2005, but I love it and I think this collection will be perfect for it! I just love the colors.

Obviously, I won't have time to make this until this summer when I'm not in classes, but I want to work on it now.  I'm that happy with the fabric.  I think it will make a perfect quilt for the back of the couch this winter.

What do you think?