Saturday, February 19, 2011

Spring Time Quilt Finished

I finished this little quilt that grew from the Spring-looking strips I put up on my design wall a few days back.



Here are the strips after I had added some to them, sewed them all together into a tube, cut them into 2 1/2" strips and them unpicked each row to line up as I wanted them.

I have been so inspired and encouraged by Wanda over at Exuberant Color.  I learned this technique by watching her at work.  Hers are a much more sophisticated mix of fabrics, but I think even these simpler fabrics look mighty pretty done up in the Trip Around the World pattern.
In the background you can see Ray (Horatio the Hornblower).  He is ruling the roost out there.  Our Miss Ru does love that boy.  She gets a real charge out of hearing him crow!  Funny.


I backed the quilt with a pink fabric with white lettering.


And I quilted it on the quilt frame with my new machine.  Absolutely no problems with it this time.  AND I even used the Connecting Threads Essential Cotton thread that I love so much with nary a broken thread!  Yippee!  I have no idea what I was doing wrong, but I think it's just that the Janome 1600P-DPX is just really picky!  The needle is round, so there is no flad edge to be sure you're lining it up correctly, and if it's not - you got trouble!

Obviously, I am still in training on the new machine, but I'm getting better.  You quilters who do such awesome and perfect work just amaze me.  Don't think I'll ever reach your level of perfection, but I sure am having fun playing around!

Oh, I almost forgot, Connecting Threads also has some nice quilt labels that you can download.

Speaking of playing around, I guess I'd better go put the chickens back into their pen before they finish destroying everything in our back yard!

Hope your day is wonderful, and that you are having a lot of fun!

Hugs and kisses,

10 comments:

Exuberantcolor/Wanda S Hanson said...

You did a great job on that quilt. I have been wanting to do the diagonal version out of flannels but just haven't found the right day to cut them.
How easy it to round up the chickens? I remember as a kid we had to try to catch one and it wasn't easy.

Susie Swanson said...

This is such a beautiful quilt. I am a quilter too. I am your latest follower and I love your blog.

Susan said...

That spring quilt is gorgeous! I am glad you are having success with your quilting, it looks great. I can tell you are having fun with it. Does Horatio let you know when your day begins and ends? You are such a good mama to those chickens!

Thimbleanna said...

Looks like you did a great job Elaine. Your post reminds me how surprised I was when I visited an old friend last spring and hanging on her wall was a quilt I'd forgotten I made her -- it looked a LOT like the one you just made!

onix said...

para ser una experta en cualquier actividad hacen falta tres cosas:practica, practica y practica

Stephanie Hughes said...

Elaine, it's so pretty. Just love it! Thanks for sharing. Hope you're doing well.

Millie said...

Elaine your quilts are so pretty, don't we love those 2.5" strips. Love seeing the washed pink back, great quilting.

Matrix Reimprinting said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
Oiyi said...

What a lovely looking Spring quilt!

Nanette Merrill said...

Sew perfect. I love diagonal blocks. This turned out perfectly.