I didn’t get as much done as I had hoped. But I’m still happy that I made some progress on my second Joyful Meadows quilt. One block done and 8 more to go! I have all the pieces made, they just need to be sewn together. I’m using some older Cotton and Steel fabrics. I love how they are looking together!
This weeks goals are basically the same as last weeks goals. I want to finish my Red/Navy/Blue/White Joyful Meadows Quilt top! I also want to quilt more of my Rainier Echoes quilt.
QUILT ALONGSCHEDULE Jan 12, 2021 – WEEK 1 – Cut all the pieces Jan 19, 2021 – WEEK 2 – Make ALL the Flying Geese and trim Jan 26, 2021 – WEEK 3 – Make the Half Square Triangles, finish trimming Flying Geese from last week Feb 2, 2021 – WEEK 4 – Make 4 of Block 1 Feb 8, 2021 – WEEK 5 – Make 4 of Block 2 Feb 15, 2021 – WEEK 6 – Make 1 of Block 3 Feb 22, 2021 – WEEK 7 – Finish our quilt – Finish Quilt top, Baste, Quilt and Bind!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE Join my Facebook group and post your weekly progress photos OR post your photos on Instagram with the hashtag #JoyfulMeadowsQAL
I will film weekly video tutorial in the Facebook Quilt Along group and answer any questions you have!
JOYFUL MEADWOS QUILT
Usually when I start designing a quilt pattern, I don’t have fabrics in mind. But with this Joyful Meadows Quilt Pattern I knew exactly what fabrics I wanted to use. I wanted something bright and cheerful and I wanted an echoed design. There is something about echoed designs that I love!
I used all Kona Cottons for the top of this quilt. The colors I used were (left to right) White, Honeysuckle, Persimmon, Duckling, Kiwi, Capri, Royal and Tulip.
This quilt is made up of a lot of flying geese, but don’t let that scare you. The pattern has to options for making your flying geese. The 1 at 1 time method and the 4 at 1 time method (made a little bigger than needed, then you trim to size)
I quilted this by lining my walking foot up on the edge of the design and basically outlined the design. I love the look this gives a quilt and it’s a really easy way to quilt a baby size quilt.
It’s the start of Week 5 of Finish those UFQs 2020 Challenge! Did you make some progress last week? I thought I would post a day early this week, since my Joyful Meadows Quilt pattern will be releasing tomorrow! 🙂
I decided to cut into a stack of fabric to make a second Joyful Meadows quilt! I know…I know, I really shouldn’t be starting new projects. But I just HAD TO DO IT!! haha I’ve started sewing all the pieces together.
But I did set aside a few hours to work on my Rainier Echoes Quilt I had left off on 6 months ago. I had spray basted this quilt and started quilting it during it’s quilt along, but had go side tracked on other projects.
So I realized, you shouldn’t let a quilt sit for too long after spray basting. I ended up needing to pull up parts of the top and re-spray it. So after I got it re-basted, I was able start quilting it again! I am using the seams as a guide and outlining the design. I love using my hera marker and rule to help me fill in the empty spaces.
THIS WEEKS GOALS:
I want to finish my Red/Navy/Blue/White Joyful Meadows Quilt top! I also want to quilt more of my Rainier Echoes quilt….maybe finish the quilting….but that might be pushing it!
LIVE CHECK IN VIDEO:
I will be filming my LIVE Check in video tomorrow Monday Nov. 30th at 2pm PST in the Facebook Quilt Along group!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
You can choose to work 10 minutes a day, 1 hour a week, 5 hours a week. It’s up to you!!
I was able to finish quilting my Joyful Meadows Quilt and sew all the binding on it! Yay!! It’s done! I’m loving this Petite Stripe in Black by Robert Kaufman binding with this super cute Rainbow Hearts and Stars by Andover Fabric backing Fabric! I think I need to buy some more of this backing fabric!
THIS WEEKS GOALS: Next on my list with the most done is my Rainier Echoes Quilt. I had started quilting it during the quilt along in April – May of 2020.
But I kind of want to make another Joyful Meadows quilt top since the pattern will be released in 1 week…hum…what to do what to do…Maybe I can work on both!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
You can choose to work 10 minutes a day, 1 hour a week, 5 hours a week. It’s up to you!!
Last week I was able to baste and start quilting on my Joyful Meadows Quilt! I love using spray baste because it keeps all the layers stuck together. I used a mixture of Sulky Temporary spray and Spray and Bond Basting Adhesive, because that’s what I had on hand.
I did a quick and easy outline the design type of quilting. I lined my walking foot up with the edge of my seam and followed it. I have completed the center and just need to work on the outer blocks!
I also worked on finishing up some pot holders, which aren’t on my list, but they are in my pile of to finish.
THIS WEEKS GOALS: This week I want to finish quilting this and finish the binding! I need to order paper patterns on Nov. 23rd, so I better get busy!
HOW TO PARTICIPATE:
You can choose to work 10 minutes a day, 1 hour a week, 5 hours a week. It’s up to you!!
My goal is to spend a couple hours (at least) a week on my older projects and then that will still leave me some time to work on new things also. Because its so hard not starting new projects!
Last week I finished my Joyful Meadows Quilt top! This pattern will be in my shop November 30th! This week I hope to get it basting and quilted! I’m going to use a Red marker on my list this month and a purple marker on my list next month to see how much I am accomplishing since I started this challenge!
I founds some beautiful Rainbow Stars Hearts fabric by Andover Fabrics. I think this will be the perfect backing to this quilt!
You can choose to work 10 minutes a day, 1 hour a week, 5 hours a week. It’s up to you!!
So it’s that time of year that I start looking a my ever growing pile of unfinished quilts and decide, hey I need to finish those!! I know I’m not alone….I’m talking to you! A lot of quilters are SO excited to start a new quilt, their previous quilt tops get thrown into a pile.
Last year I had set up a Finish Those UFQs Challenge in my quilt along group. I thought it might be fun to do it again this year! I know it helped motivate me to finish some of my quilts. I hope it helped you too!! This year I’ve made a PDF Quilt Project tracker with 20 spots for projects (5 more slots that last years pdf). If you have more than 20 unfinished quilts, just print more than one sheet!
You can download the FREE Quilt Project Tracker here
To accomplish my goal, I plan to spend at least 1 to 2 hour each week on my UFQ’s. This way I can still work on new projects, but I’m still chipping away at my unfinished pile.
You can choose to work 10 minutes a day, 1 hour a week, 5 hours a week. It’s up to you!!
Each Monday morning I will film a LIVE Check in video in my Facebook Quilt Along Group to let you know what I’ve accomplished and see what you guys are working on!
Finish Those UFQs 2019! Nov. 2st – Week 1 – Write your list and share your list in the Quilt Along Group or on Instagram! Nov. 9th – Week 2 Nov. 16th – Week 3 Nov. 23nd – Week 4 Nov. 30th – Week 5 Dec. 7th – Week 6 Dec. 14th – Week 7 Dec. 21th – Week 8 Dec. 28 – Week 9
Follow me on Social media to see what project I’m working on! Facebook or Instagram
Last year I had 8 quilts on my list to finish. This year I only have 6…that may be because I haven’t been sewing as much this year. Since the pandemic hit and the kids have been home, its harder to find time to sew. I have 2 quilts on my list this year that were on last years list. Hopefully I can get most of these finished!
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Wow! That Quilt along went by so fast! We are on WEEK 5 of the Starlight Mountains Quilt Along with the National Quilters Circle! We have all these beautiful blocks, now it’s time to turn them into a comfy quilt!
This week you can download the Finishing instructions. These will give you instructions on how to sew your top together, add your borders and how to turn your quilt top into a cozy quilt!
Things you will need to finish your quilt: Backing Fabric (at least 6 inches wider and longer than your quilt top) Quilt Batting (at least 6 inches wider and longer than your quilt top) Basting Spray or Basting Pins Binding Fabric These are helpful but not necessary: Hera Marker to mark out your quilting lines Walking Foot (Helps pull your quilt from both the top and the bottom)
Finishing our Quilts!
Quilt Sandwich: First you will need to make your Quilt Sandwich. You will need to cut and sew your backing fabric to make it fit under your quilt correctly. Make sure it is at least 3 inches wider than your quilt top on all sides (quilt top size + 6 inches). Trim your selvage edge off after joining your pieces.
Make your quilt sandwich by first laying down your quilt backing, wrong side facing up. Tape down to a hard surface, making fabric taut. Next lay your batting on top. Smooth out with your hands, do not stretch. Then lay your quilt top right side up, smooth out with your hands.
Basting Your Quilt:
Spray baste: My favorite way to baste my quilt is by using Spray Baste! It makes basting so much easier. If you have allergies, this is probably not a good option for you. Find a place where you can lay out your quilt. Make sure to tape the backing fabric taut to the floor (or large table). Here’s great spray baste tutorial by Emily Dennis of Quilty Love. Spray Baste Tutorial
Pin basting: You can use safety pin about 3 to 4 inches apart (about the width of your hand). I like to use the large curved basting pins. This takes a little longer than the spray basting, but is a great option.
Quilting your Quilt: This step is totally up to you!
For my original quilt I used my walking foot and quilted about 1 inch apart. I used my hera marker a 6×24 inch ruler to mark out my line on the borders and larger finished pieces in my quilt top. I used my seams as a guide. I like to sew about 1/2 from the seam, this helps avoid the bulk of the seams.
Hand Tie your Quilt: Some prefer to tie there quilt. Suzy Quilts has an cool way of tying quilts. Check out her Tutorial!
Hand Quilt: Here’s a wonderful video tutorial by Suzy Quilts all about How to Hand Quilt.
Machine Quilt using your Walking Foot: Emily Dennis from Quilty Love has a great tutorial on how to Zig zag quilt your quilt with a Walking foot. Click here I love this method of quilting, it give your quilt great texture.
Free Motion Quilting: Free motion quilting can give you great texture and if you aren’t great at quilting straight lines, this would be great for you. Suzy Williams from Suzy Quilts has a great Free Motion Quilting Tutorial. Click here.
Binding Your Quilt:
Binding is the fabric strip that goes on the edge of your quilt. It covers all of the unfinished edges and rounds out your quilt.
You will want to make sure to square up your quilt before you attach the binding. Cut off the extra batting around the edges and make sure your sides are straight and corners are squared.
Most quilters will cut 2 /12 inch by width of fabric strips and then sew them together at the ends at a diagonal. Then press the strip in half, so that you are wrapping 2 layers of fabric around all of your edges.
You can machine sew the binding to the front of your quilt and wrap it around to the back and hand stitch it down. Or some prefer sewing the binding to the back of the quilt, wrapping it around to the front and machine stitching it down.
One of my favorite binding tutorials is by Suzy Williams of Suzy Quilts. Go check it out!
I’m so excited to see everyone finished quilts!
How do I participate?
Make sure to Post your finished quilt top photo in The NQC Block Challenge Facebook group OR Post your photos on Instagram using the hashtags #HappyCloudCreations and/or #NQCQuiltBlockChallenge
Yay!! It’s the last week of blocks and then next week you will get the finishing instructions!
This week we will be making 3 of the Large Star blocks! If you are making a larger size make sure to check the cutting instructions located in the Quilt Along Group!
Make sure to join The NQC Block Challenge Facebook group OR Post your photos on Instagram using the hashtags #HappyCloudCreations and/or #NQCQuiltBlockChallenge
This week we will be making 6 Mountain Blocks for the throw size quilt! If you are making an alternative size, make sure to check the fabric requirments to see how many blocks you will need to make!
Make sure to join The NQC Block Challenge Facebook group OR Post your photos on Instagram using the hashtags #HappyCloudCreations and/or #NQCQuiltBlockChallenge
