This a baby quilt for my youngest nephew.
He's eight years old now.
Oops.
This thing had been sitting in my scrap fabric box, 75% finished, for all that time. It bugged me every time I got into the box. I'd made one using the same pattern (from an old Kaffe Fassett quilting book - I don't remember which one) for his older brother. I hoped to get a second quilt out of the leftover fabric, but I just didn't have enough, so I lost steam and never finished it.
But my procrastination over the shirt inspired me to dig it out this week. I added one more strip of blocks to the length to give me an odd number on each side (9 by 11 blocks) then pieced together some leftover muslin for the back, made a sandwich, and did a quick stitch-in-the-ditch quilting.
The bias strips for the binding were already cut years ago, so all I had to do was sew them together, trim, and attach them to the quilt. I decided to do the final bit by hand, just for practice, since this is a very small quilt. I did that today while listening to one of the Thread Cult podcasts Lisa G. turned me on to. Then I finished up with a quick wash and dry.
I really love this combination of fabrics, and would do a full size quilt like this if I could find similar yardage. It's a combination of ticking, chambray, a navy and white plaid and various colors of madras plaid. Each square is 2.5" square before sewing, so only 2" square after sewing. Each strip alternates a blue piece with all of the different madras pieces.
Since I ran out of fabric, it's very small. It was 18" x 21" before washing, and it shrunk by a full inch in either dimension after washing and drying, so it's now 17" x 20". It's going to live on the back of my knitting chair, antimacassar-style, and I'm going to use it to protect my thighs from the computer when it gets warmed up and I'm wearing shorts!
Have you guys ever finished a project yeeeeeeears later? I've done it several times!
And there's still one more unfinished quilt in that box . . .
I love the colors in this! It's great you found a use for it too. I had to look up antimacassar. My grandmother kept crocheted doilies on the back of all her chairs and her couch to protect them. I never knew they had a name! This is a perfect segue-way to my unfinished project :). Since both my grandmothers did beautiful crochet, I borrowed a crochet book from one of them and bought soft pink, blue, and white yarn to crochet a blanket for my cousin's baby. Well, years later the partially (and by that I mean barely started) blanket was still in a bag. I ended up giving it to a crafty friend and she finished it for me when my daughter was born so I can't even say I finished it!
ReplyDeleteI have no idea how I know the word antimacassar, but I do! LOL!
DeleteThe thing I hate most about unfinished projects is the mental space they take up. It's such a relief to finally finish one!
You may of read this on my blog but I finished a maternity dress two years ago for a friend's whose impending-at-the-time child is now ten years old! However, I have worn it to work in the winter when I was overdue doing laundry a few times and desperate. ;) This after I unsuccessfuly tried to sell it in my Etsy shop.
ReplyDeleteThat's hilarious!! That beats my baby quilt!
DeleteWell hurray for a Finished Object, no matter how long it's taken! I have several stashed away - making me feel guilty! It's a lovely quilt, the fabrics work beautifully together :)
ReplyDeleteThank you! About 15 years ago, I was really into the quilt designs of Kaffe Fassett. I dug out the books I have of his a few months ago, and I'm not really into that style any more - except for this pattern. I've always wanted to make one with fabric cut from old oxford shirts, and I've got two put away for that purpose, but as my hubby hardly has any of them, it's going to take me a LONG time to accumulate enough! Unless I go to a thrift store I suppose!
DeleteThe quilt is lovely. Hold on to it and you can give it to him when his first child is born. You'll be ahead of the game;)
ReplyDeleteYou are not alone, I have a drawer full of unfinished projects.
Hehehe! I did think of giving it to one of my nieces to use for a doll blanket, but then I decided to be selfish because I like it so much!
Deletethe quilt is so cute! i love the stitch in the ditch quilting you did, what a great way to quilt without getting in the way of the design.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I almost did free motion quilting all over it just to practice, but then I had the same thought - it would really have gotten in the way of the design, and I wanted this fabric combo to be front and center. I'm really pleased with how it came out. And the straight quilting is SO much faster!
DeleteExcellent job, Gail!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Stef! I've been enjoying seeing it on the back of my chair these last few days!
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