I have been shoving everything aside lately to finish up the Memory quilt before I head back to work….tomorrow! yikes! Where does a year go?
I am so happy with how it turned out. I couldn’t get pictures to do it justice. Maybe once I learn how to use the camera properly, but for now, here it is!
I designed it in my EQ7 and applied the closest colors I could for the mock up…..
I used a variegated thread from violet to fuchsia for the quilting. I stitched straight lined 3/8″ from the seams, following the strips and extending into the borders to make a large diamond pattern. I also echo quilted around the star in the center.
Working with all those stretchy knit fabrics was certainly interesting, especially since all the edges ended up on the bias. I had to make very sure that the white strips and the borders were exact measurements and ended up easing some of the clothing strips. The quilt lays flat and is square enough to make me very happy. Lesson learned, next time I am going to back everything is a super lightweight fusible interfacing then cut it out and sew it together. That way the clothes don’t stretch and it can be quilted any way I want. It doesn’t add much to the overall cost of the quilt, so I highly recommend it for those of you who want to try.
All that’s left is the label and applying the pictures to the border. I picked up some Avery Brand Iron-On T-Shirt Transfers. I found mine at Staples for $0.75 per sheet. I have used them before and they work great! The filigree shows through in the white areas, but it doesn’t detract from the pictures. Just make sure that you print on the best quality setting for your inkjet, and remember to flip the pictures! Oh, and check the ink levels. I wasted 2 sheets that way, one for flipping and one for ink.
My test strip using one of the misprints and a scrap of background. Works nicely, just have to make sure I apply pressure for the full 2 minutes.
I have a list of things I want to finish for the year. I was putting off my UFO roll call, but now I think is the time to get it on here. Maybe it will motivate me! I post the list later this week.
If you are interested in a memory quilt, or know someone who is, please feel free to contact me! staceydayquilts (AT) yahoo (DOT) com
For now,
Happy Quilting!