Taken in the shade; the sashing and borders are not quite this white |
I planned to use Warm 'n Natural, but then perhaps when I was going through my stash to find a suitable backing, some leftover from Dayna's quilt slabs of Quilter's Dream wool reached out their wooly paws and tapped me on the arm, and I thought, hmmm, I wonder. Well, read on and you will see how wonder-FULL it went!
The first slab nicely fit the top 3/4 of the quilt. Then I laid a relatively wide long piece down to see if it would be wide enough, and it was plenty wide enough! Snuggled it up against the main slab when I got to quilting that point in the quilt, held it in place to the backing with a couple shots of Sullivan's Quilt Basting Spray, smoothed down the top, and finished quilting.
Because of the ditching down the sashings and inside seam of the border, and the allover flowers and leaves and loops meander, I knew that join would get criss-crossed plenty. And it did. You can't tell where it is at all. May I say how much I am LOVING wool batting? Quilts like butter! Nice definition! So light but gives a lovely warmth. Makes me think of woolly sheep...and green hills of Scotland, and mists and Jamie, ahhh...wait, what? Where am I? Ah Outlander, both the books (I'm re-reading Dragonfly in Amber), and the TV series, you have my heart and my imagination totally and completely yet again...
Where were we? Ah yes, wool batting.
The backing:
I no longer have my piano, but is that not the "Simple Gifts" tune if my musical mind hasn't left me... |
Perfect colours to go with the front. But music? With a floral and garden-themed quilt? Well Auntie Joyce's husband, my mum's brother, Uncle Frank, is a musician. He conducted Besses o' the Barn band for several years, wrote or maybe still writes music, writes wonderful poetry (check out his blog, Poems for Proles), wrote a couple of episodes for "Coronation Street", paints, worked in textiles, in short, he is one über-talented man. This is a piece left over from a cushion I made for my beloved 'second mum' and piano teacher many years ago. It's the perfect backing, and there was JUST enough; yay that this is a small lap quilt.
Pocket on the back made from trimmings from the front for a 'hanky' and label from a chunk of labels fabric from another aunt! |
Some really lovely texture, and so soft a drape |
Pattern: Fairy Steps by Pam & Nicky Lintott
Size: 31.5 X 37.5"; 30.5 X 36.5" after quilting
Fabric: From stash and Clothworks "Provincial"
Batting: Quilter's Dream wool
Quilted: on my Avanté
Threads: pieced with Gütermann; quilted with Essential in pale pink. May I just add how very much Avril and I LOVE this thread? She was still threaded from Sunny Days, so I simply loaded this quilt, checked the tension as I ran my straight lines across first the batting and then the top to secure the top edge. Perfect. And then not one break in the entire little quilt. It really blends in well on both the coloured fabrics as well as the ivory ones.
Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts, always love Lorna's linky.
And with My Quilt Infatuation, lots of eye candy there too with Kelly.
Note: Since I now have over 200 readers (egad, like how) I must live up to your devotion by giving some content, n'est-ce pas? As in educational methinks. I have several tutorials here but whilst (channeling my English roots here) applying the binding on Fairy Steps, I took several photos to show you lovely readers what I do to bind a quilt. It's nothing revolutionary in the least, but always good to see techniques and hopefully take away tidbits that might help you. I'll have that for you tomorrow. I was going to add it to this post, but that would be much too lengthy even for me! My next installment of May is for Makers is forthcoming toute de suite (Clearly I'm also channeling la France thanks to Outlander being set there in this second book/second season). On that May is for Makers note, my own pattern for Blue Skies & Sunny Days is DONE!! I am so very grateful to Tish for her wizardry in EQ7: she made me some very professional-looking diagrams for the pattern. It should be available (and on sale of course) within a few days, eep!
Please remember to visit those bloggers on the Crafted Appliqué blog hop at Buzzin' Bumble that is still running until June 4! Here is the schedule. Giveaways every day! Open internationally. I love that both my giveaways are going overseas, the book to Ireland and my dogs/cats pattern to The Netherlands! Small lovely world.
MacGyver's flipflop-encased toes (yeah they're that brown!) just visible, snort.... |
Still with me? Rocco got most of his staples out yesterday, although there are still two spots, at the top and at the bottom of his incision, where they need to stay. We go back next week to get these last ones out. Poor poor darling; the vet tech had removed the ones at the top but didn't like the looks of the incision, so she called in the vet to check it out, and he agreed, and put in two new ones. Rocco cried/whimpered just once, but my heart broke for him. He was exhausted when we got home, more walking than he's done in a few weeks. They all grinned to see his pibble yoga frog pose though!
I'm definitely jealous of Rocco's frog pose; that is something I am definitely not capable of doing (I won't say ever... but certainly not right now!). Lovely finish and thoughts behind this quilt; is the next one you are planning also going to head overseas?
ReplyDeleteMy poor nephew Rocco! :'(
ReplyDeleteAuntie Joyce will love this, my über-talented sister! Methinks you inherited all ofUncle Frank's talent; in turn he inherited our Nana's talent!
This is a great pattern. Congrats on finishing your pattern!! Poor Rocco.
ReplyDeleteGreat quilt! I might use this with some jelly rolls that I have. I have only used will batting once. I'm going to have to try it again.
ReplyDeleteGreat post as per....😀 I love to hear your stories and see your pics, especially pleased to see Rocco posing, he must be on the mend.. sure that Auntie Joyce will love the quilt. Looking forward to seeing your pattern, go girl 😁 and. Congrats on the 200+ followers. Xx
ReplyDeleteI think that music backing is perfect for your Aunt's quilt. I love that little quilt! Wish I could use wool but unfortunately I'm allergic to the stuff, even those cute animals it comes on.
ReplyDeleteAnother great finish, way to go! Yes I love using the wool, if only it wasn't so expensive. It gives such great texture/definition to a quilt.
ReplyDeleteI clicked on the thumbnail on Kelly's blog and then squealed because it was you!! Another fun post. Such a pretty quilt--and perfect for an English auntie, I'd say. That does look like Simple Gifts on the back. How perfect! Ha, and I saw what you did there with the "wool gathering" in the middle of the post. Now you've got me thinking about Outlander. I haven't read the books but I keep seeing snatches of the show, and even though I haven't a clue what's going on, I'm always immediately drawn in. I'll be looking forward to your binding techniques 'cause I'm always looking to tweak that task. And give a hug and pat on the head to Rocco from me. Poor puppy having to get restapled. Ouch!
ReplyDeleteYour Fairy Steps is just adorable! Of course you had me at purple and green! And yes indeed...that is the music to Simple Gifts...I was humming the notes as I looked at the photo! I haven't tried wool batting yet but your glowing reviews of it makes me want to try it. I'm sending good thoughts to Rocco...but I'll admit I'm a bit jealous of his flexibility....and envious of how cool his tumtum must feel on that floor! Safe travels to your mum.
ReplyDeleteThat quilt is perfect and your Aunt Joyce is going to be so tickled to receive it! I love how cuddly wool batting is!
ReplyDeleteYou have so many things going on that I'm spinning just reading about it Sandra!
So glad to see Rocco is doing pretty well despite the re-stapling. (yikes!)
What a beautiful quilt. I love the flowers you added in the border. It sure looks cuddly.
ReplyDelete