Hello!!! I finally finished up the quilted baby matt I mentioned recently….
This is where we left off in the last post….
You may recall that I had everything bagged up, in order, (sad!) ready for each of us at college to sew a strip and therefore all have a hand in making the gift…
Here it is pieced together and basted to a fleece inner and yummy Egyptian cotton backing. (Basting quilt sandwiches is a beast!!)…
I saw this trick ages ago on Martha Stewart’s site and thought it was super clever. You run a strip of masking tape from corner to corner…..
Sew either side of it (I loooooove this walking foot!! Borrowed it from college. Really helps stop the layers moving about)…..
Peel away the tape and hey presto…straighter and more even quilting lines than I could ever hope to achieve by eyeballing it….
Then lay a strip of tape along each of your newly stitched lines and repeat the process….
Keep repeating this step working your from the middle outwards…..
I then repeated the whole process crossways as well….
Trimmed the piece….
Quick shot of the back….erm…
Ooops! This quilting malarkey is trickier than it looks!
I used some of my thrifted bias binding for the edging…
along with some gorgeous toggles I found recently, and created loop ties from bias tape…
So that it can be rolled up…..
and fastened, ready to pop into baby’s bag!!
Overall I’m really pleased with the end product and really like this colour palette. There are a few little wobbles here and there that I have resolved (after reading this) NOT to keep pointing out, and focus instead on what I like about it, and the fact that for a first try, it’s not bad!!
As an interesting observation..it’s funny that 6 people using the same machine and working to the same seam allowance, can sew so differently! I suppose it’s a bit like asking 6 different people to knit one garment. You’ll get very slight ariances in tension. Perhaps it’s the same with sewing seams…but this was tricky to line up when piecing everything together because each strip had been sewn by a different person. Weird huh??
Anyway, I have another of these to make for my cousin. If it turns out like this one, or better, than I shall be a very happy bunny indeed
What have you been up to? Elliott isnow napping soI am away to dosome work on the draftalong…..finally!
Px
Love it! And I love the roll it up toggles too x
Awesome! looks really good, all your step by step pictures make me think, maybe I could make a quilt.I enjoy seeing you do some many different kinds of projects. You are a adventurous seamstress. Looks beautiful!
This is beautiful! And the tip with the masking tape is ingenious! Thanks!
Ooh, ooh, ooh! GORGEOUS! I have a walking foot that I’ve never used and a friend about to have his first baby. I love the toggles. How very, very clever. And where would Sewists be without masking tape?!
Aww, this is far, far too cute! I love it – that colour combo is lovely and the toggles are a brilliant idea. Gorgeous work!
Very nice! I love the masking tape idea!
Its so lovely! And I love that you added little toggles to tie it up – that’s a really great touch.
What a lovely quilt! I really like the colour scheme and the way you added toggles, great idea. I have been thinking about making a quilt for a friend’s baby for a while now and you have definitely inspired me to give it a go! Also, I love the quote from the link about not concentrating on the flaws of a make…I am such a perfectionist and often get myself down about tiny errors or imperfections that nobody else would notice if I didn’t point them out!!
That is a lovely first quilt and a great idea to all participate in making it.
And Well Done to you for co-ordinating it all. As you say, working with strips produced by lots of different people sounds tricky.
It’s a beautiful present for a new baby 🙂
You’ve done a great job P x
So lovely Portia, your friend is very lucky. x
Thanks for sharing Martha’s masking tape trick. I’ve only done stippling on my quilts and would love to make lines for one.
The toggles are an amazing touch.
hm.. I have never made anything quilting, but one day I will have to try!
I liked to see how you did the back, always wondered how to do it..
you have expanded my knowlegde;)
I love those toggles! Have to keep your post as a “favourite” for the future! Also, the masking tape thing – genius! I’m going to try it out! Thanks 🙂
Super cute. I love how you added the toggles so it can be rolled up. I am sure the recipient will be delighted to receive this. (Quilts are so funny the way they appear so simple, but it can be quite a task to put one together from start to finish).
It’s beautiful, and mama and baby will love it! That Martha Stewart is full of bright ideas….. 😉
Lovely little quilt and tape is great tip.
I could never sew a straight diagonal without it, lol! Px
Brilliant!!!!