When I was making my last quilt, I messed up. I think I mentioned it, but if I didn't, somewhere along the way, I let the backing fabric fold over onto itself and I quilted through it. I had to rip out about 4 feet of quilting. It was not fun. So, after that experience I told myself that I will be more thorough with my pinning and will pay more attention to what's going on underneath the quilt while I'm quilting so as not to have that nasty surprise again. And that's exactly what I thought I was doing as I finished up quilting Rachel's quilt top from last summer (ah hem). So my alternate title for this post was "I am an Idiot", as the same exact thing happened yet again. Thankfully this is a smaller quilt, the area needing to be torn out was smaller, etc., but still - I was not thrilled with myself.
In the end it turned out alright though, as she is happy with it. This was a summer project from last year. All incoming kindergartners had to had to have read (or have read to them) a book and done a project to share with the class relating to the book. Rachel and I read The Quilt Story by Tony Johnston and then she got to work making the nine blocks for this quilt. The quilt was actually inspired by this quilt, which I had seen on flickr, which was made by a six year old boy. So while I wouldn't let Rachel use the rotary cutter or the iron, she did pick all her fabrics, tell me what width and length to cut them and assembled them all on her own. I added the red sashing, did the quilting, put her name on it, and bound it. Some of the steps I was responsible for only happened in the past two weeks. (See previous post mentioning procrastination).
I think my biggest hang up about finishing this was that the quilt in the story has a little girl's name on it, and I just didn't know how to add her name, which was something she wanted on hers as well. I finally went with satin stitching the letters on and then a bit of quilting through them. She seems quilt pleased with the end result and it was a fun project to work on together. Sarah will have the same assignment this summer, so perhaps we'll read the same book and take the time to start her quilt, as she really seems quite interested in sewing. Then again, perhaps I ought to let her blaze her own trial, as she so often does anyway.
1 comment:
What a wonderful project for the two of you. I just discovered your blog, through a picture that you posted on flickr, and I have to say, I admire all of the quilting you get done with small children in the home.
I had my two grandchildren with us for two months this summer, and most of my quilting and knitting ground to a halt ! My granddaughter went back home to an army base in Germany and began kindergarten. I wish we had done a project all the way through together, like yours, but atleast we tied her blanket together in my quilt frame. That should provide quite a nice memory I hope.
Rachel,.....treasure your quilt. You did a wonderful job !
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