Wednesday, March 6, 2013

BIRTHDAY BOWS Quilt As You Go Quilting

Hi all!

Put the Champaign Quilt on hold... only have the binding to sew but something fun came along.

Now I'd like to share how flattered I am. Less than a month after losing her father, my cousin's daughter told her mother that she loves my quilts and asked if I would consider making her one. So flattered and knowing her birthday is right around the corner, I got right on it.

After arranging and rearranging triangles, I finally came up with this pattern. I thought it would be a cute idea for the quilt because it will have pink and yellow bows all over.

I am sewing the layers together as the blocks are completed with butterflies, about an inch big (the technique is called "Quilt as you go" - QAYG). After a row's worth of blocks are hand quilted I will sew them into a row with a thin strip of sashing. After a few rows are done, I'll sew them together with sashing and then attach a quilted border around the whole quilt.

I am doing things this way and not the traditional way (one whole quilt top sandwiched onto a large backing) because space is getting limited around here and I am getting lazy. Moving all the furniture to sandwich on the floor and then crawling around the floor for a day just doesn't agree with these bones butt and back anymore!

This new QAYG technique really isn't all that new, but new to my blog. I read about it in a 1979 quilting book, but I am sure it's been around since the beginning of quilting. Definitely a fun way to assemble.

I hope you like this block; it's one of 24 blocks to be completed. Please visit again to see more progress.