fabricologist

fabricologist

Wednesday, February 28, 2018

Big Bed Quilt Check In

So I am checking in on the last day of February to share my big bed quilt progress with you. Here is what we have so far:
 Last fall I started to piece my queen size quilt. I had fabric I loved and found a pattern that would really show it off.
I figured out a layout that would work for all the prints in this quilt and photographed it so I could refer back to it as I went, and I drew a map of the placement as well.
And I ended up with this lovely quilt top. At which point I hit a wall and folded it up and put it away. I knew I would eventually return to it, but when?

And then Rachel rescued it. She proposed a Big Bed Quilt Along. So I decided to join her and get this thing done. Since I had the top finished, I needed a back and I really didn't want to piece it, but all the wide backing I had seen was awful.

Rachel to the rescue again. She has a sponsor called Pineapple Quilts that has LOTS of 108 inch backing fabrics and they are great! So I found one I loved that would go well with this top and ordered a 3 yard chunk.

My goal for February was to get the backing and get this beast pin basted and ready to quilt. I finally did that last week and a wee bit ahead of schedule, I found a thread  and began quilting.
    This green cross weave is the backing I selected and it is perfect for this quilt.
 Here is the top all pinned and ready to go. It took about 3 hours to pin the whole thing and there was furniture moving to accommodate it on the living room floor.
And now here are the first bits of quilting. I chose a variegated thread to quilt with, just for fun. I emailed Rachel to ask advice on the quilting motif and we agreed on this one. It took me most of a day to do the first two rows from top to bottom. I broke a needle and I can't believe how much thread it took for just these two passes.

So if I only do two rows each day I work on it, I have ten days of quilting left. Yeesh that sounds awful, but I am hoping it gets better.  It is very heavy as well and my shoulders can only take so much. So, wish me luck. I know I can get it done.

Talk to you soon.

6 comments:

Melody A. said...

it is going to be beautiful!! job well done and Pineapple Quilts really does have an amazing selection of backings!! Happy Sewing from Iowa

Marion said...

This is very beautiful and those 10 days will be over before you know it. All the best.

Karen S said...

That is a huge effort. Well done getting it on the go again. Even just getting is basted is a marathon. Good luck with your quilting plan.

Charlotte M. said...

It is one of the best selections of extra wide backing fabrics that I have seen. And a bunch of them were available in 3 yard increments for a great price!

Charlotte M. said...

Thank you. I am hoping it flies by and is done with little pain.

Charlotte M. said...

Thanks Karen. I know I will be so very happy when it is done! And just having a plan feels good.