When I started out as a newbie quilter, I thought it a good idea to undertake a postage stamp quilt to play with fabric, get to enjoy something improvisational. I enjoyed shopping for little bits of fabric, 10-15cm wide, from every shop in town. I used up scraps from a couple of earlier quilts, and using my old Bernette, tried to achieve a perfect quarter inch seam.
Like most of my projects, it turned out to be a little more colourful than I originally anticipated.
As I quilted, I discovered that all those fabrics played and stitched differently. Some were stable, some stretched. My quarter inch seams were irrelevant given the stretch in some cheap fabrics, compared with the batik scraps I used. And so I learnt to buy more expensive fabric (it's $30-32/metre in NZ), and stay away from budget fabric stores, unless they just happened to have some designer fabrics come in.
Luckily my youngest daughter loved the colour(s), and calls it her happy quilt. I go away on retreat next week, and the plan is to finally quilt and bind this one, in time for winter. Her love for the quilt doesn't go far enough to undertake that aspect herself.
Like most of my projects, it turned out to be a little more colourful than I originally anticipated.
As I quilted, I discovered that all those fabrics played and stitched differently. Some were stable, some stretched. My quarter inch seams were irrelevant given the stretch in some cheap fabrics, compared with the batik scraps I used. And so I learnt to buy more expensive fabric (it's $30-32/metre in NZ), and stay away from budget fabric stores, unless they just happened to have some designer fabrics come in.
Luckily my youngest daughter loved the colour(s), and calls it her happy quilt. I go away on retreat next week, and the plan is to finally quilt and bind this one, in time for winter. Her love for the quilt doesn't go far enough to undertake that aspect herself.
It will certainly brighten up her bedroom!
Lovely!
ReplyDeleteGosh, this is looking wonderful! I too have always loved a postage stamp quilt, just put off by all those 2 1/2" squares! Enjoy your retreat! Linda
ReplyDeleteSuper, I am sure your daughter will love it!
ReplyDeleteI am with your daughter - love all the colours! Great that you are going to finish it after all that work! Thank you for joining up with #scraptastictuesday
ReplyDeleteLovely quilt - hope you manage to get it quilted and bound so your daughter can enjoy it on her bed soon!
ReplyDeleteThis is an absolut adorable, beautiful and just awesome quilt. Love it, it deserves beeing called postage stamp quilt.
ReplyDeleteGreetings,
Sylvia