Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

Here’s My Excuse

Was is just yesterday when I said I was off to sandwich the Crossword Puzzle quilt and it would be late this month before I worked on my UFO?

Here’s my excuse:

Yesterday after work I worked on sandwiching the Crossword Puzzle quilt.  My method involves my large ironing board (abt 24 x 60) and basting spray.  Typically I don’t have any problems.  However, for the first time I’m using a homespun for the backing and it is not as stable as I’m used to.

I got the backing on just fine.  Then I flipped the backing and batting over and spray basted the quilt top.  Took great pains to keep the batting “square” with the plaid.  Everything looked good.  So my next step was to mark the quilt.

Since the plan was to mark the stitching lines using painters tape (love that stuff) across the diagonal, I turned the quilt — but in doing so, I saw the backing was scrunched.  So, I flipped the quilt over backing up just to see how bad it was.

It’s too bad.  I’ve got to get those wrinkles out.  But how?  That’s when I walked away from the “current” project and back to my  “UFO Steps” project.  Except, by this time my husband was napping on the couch and I didn’t want to turn on enough light to see in case it woke him.

As a result, the only “legal” project for me to work on until either the seam on the Green & Cream quilt is finished or I finish quilting the Crossword Puzzle quilt is one of my August UFOs.

This is a project my mom started before we knew she was sick the first time.  My plan when I packed up this UFO (and the 3 others she left) was to finish them.  This baby quilt will go to one of her next great-grandbabies.

Working on the quilt last night I discovered that mom’s 1/4″ seam was off — by at least an 1/8″.  I could take all the stitching out and re-stitch it, but then it would be my quilt, not one from my mom and me.  So, I made an executive decision — instead of the 4-patches finishing at 3″, they would finish at 2 1/2″.  I just wish I made that decision before I made the HST and cut the rest of the quilt out.  This afternoon I trimmed everything to finish at 2 1/2″ and pieced the center together.

The center of the quilt 4 1/2″ smaller than it was originally designed, and the borders need to be narrower as well. I think I’m going to put on a 3 to 4″ border of the orange floral fabric and then possibly bind it in the green.  Time will tell.

Now to decide what to do about the Crossword Puzzle quilt — attempt to fix the backing or quilt it on the longarm.  Either way requires thinking.

2 Thoughts on “Here’s My Excuse

  1. choices choices! I am waiting to quilt on my buddies longarm. I have two that I think I can quilt at the same time so it will only mean one load time. Have fun with your UFO the month is still in the first part- no pressure for you, right?

  2. Pingback: Procrastination Challenge – Report 2 « Quilting and Stuff by Knitnoid

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