This is my A Lovely Year of Finishes July finish. Since I have a complete inability to have just one goal, I set a primary goal and bonus goals.
The Primary (and ALYoF) Goal
Okay, so it wasn't done by the 4th of July. But it was done in July. And I'm all set for 4th of July 2015! Moreover this completed project was from a UFO that was many years old and abandoned. I had to make two additional blocks from kits I had and piece it together to make the table runner. I haven't free motion quilted anything since April, so it was a nice size project to get back to that. And I'm feeling brilliant for saving myself some time by recording the settings on my machine for FMQ so I turned some dials and was ready to go without any trial and error needed.
So naming quilts stresses me out. I have quilts named "My First Quilt" and "The Purple Quilt." Yep. Awesome, huh? I decided I'd ask for some help.
Me: You know what I'm bad at? I'm bad at naming quilts. Will you help me?
The Husband: I don't know what quilts are named.
Me: Anything… okay, go! (I show him a picture of the 4th of July table runner top)
The Husband: Frieda!
I laugh hysterically. For many minutes.
Then I show him examples of other named quilts, Western Kaliedescope and Shattered Rainbow.
He points out that he didn't know that quilts were named things like that and then declares, "I think you gave me a crazy task that I had no idea how to do it and I BSed my way out of it."
It gets better.
Then a few nights later when I was quilting it, The Husband and I were talking and I said something about it being a 4th of July table runner. "Oh! Then that's perfect, Frieda... like Freedom!" he declared. Um... wasn't that what you were thinking originally. "No, it was just the first name I thought of." More hysterics.
By the way, when I showed him the quilt label, he was entertained that I'm actually using the name Frieda. Speaking of the label. I made a cute label using Kelly's Cute and Easy Quilt Labels tutorial. It's awesome. I love it. All my future quilts will have adorable quilt labels. And fun names.
For the binding step, I've switched in the past year to machine binding. This was the first time that I used the tube method of making bias binding. I used this binding calculator as a guide. I think the pro of not needing to stitch a million 3 inch bias seams exceeded the con of needing to cut the length of the binding with scissors after stitching. I'm using a 2 1/4" double bias binding... I prefer the look of a 2", but I find that the extra width is helpful for machine attaching the binding.
The Bonus Goals
- Make party outfits for the kiddos to wear at The Boy's 4th birthday party. Check. The Boy and The Girl were well dressed in their airplane and helicopter attire for the celebration.
- Create a mug rug (or four) using turned edge machine applique. Ever so slight progress. I cut the fabric for the fronts and backs of these. The applique is intimidating me.
- Complete step 13 of the mystery quilt. Check. And step 14. And step 15. And step 16. The latest progress on this project can be seen in this post (as well as a peek at a new project).
- Quilt blocks 3 and 4 from the Building Blocks Quilt Along. Not so much. But I did FMQ some other stuff, so I'm back on the horse, so to say.
- Wash fabric for use in the Farm to Fabric Challenge. Check. It's washed. Now I need to make haste to make it into a completed quilt that looks vaguely like what I'm picturing in my head.
- Start visiting quilt shops participating in the Row by Row Experience. Check. Technically, I started. I went to The Intrepid Thread in Milpitas. Their pattern is lovely. Then life got in the way and I haven't been to another participating quilt shop this month. Oops. I have another month to collect rows. We'll see how that goes.
- Start, finish and mail a block for the Astronomical Quilts! Block Challenge. Check. Start to finish yesterday. I made a Wonky Star Block.
I'm linking up on the July ALYoF Finishes Party and to TGIFF at Quokka Quilts.
I'm linking up to Finish Along Quarter 3 Finish Party. Here is my full list of Q3 Finish Along Goals.
Melissa
Congratulations on your finish! I love your label. I am notoriously bad with putting labels on so I really love when I see them on other people's quilts!
sarah
Post authorThank you! I've never been good at it, but this is a method that works for me, so I think I'll be able to keep it up now. :-)
Marji
That is **awesome**! (hear the sing song tone on that?)
and I love that Freida has little stars quilted on her.
Long may she wave!
sarah
Post authorThanks, Marji! I had fun quilting her. (Fanciest free motion quilting I've done on a project this large.)
Cathy Winter
Love 'Frieda'! Especially the story behind her name. I too often ask my Husband and Sons to help name my quilts. The latest one my younger (by a single minute, but that still counts, right?) son is "Candyland", my Michael Miller 2014 challenge quilt. But 'Frieda's name trumps that!
sarah
Post authorGlad I'm not the only one who seeks out help with naming. Maybe I can make a quilt named Fred to go with Frieda. ;-)
Robin
I'm tired just *reading* about your goals. How do you have the energy to do all this, let alone chase 2 active kids around?
sarah
Post authorAs I explained to my mother-in-law, I sew whenever I can, even if it's 12" at a time. I'm pleased to have carved out a space downstairs, because if my sewing machine was upstairs I'd never get to use it. The kids art table is right next to my machine, so if The Girl parks herself to color, or play with stickers, or glue googly eyes to construction paper, I sit down and sew a bit. Oh, the sewing machine is also in view of the dining table, so for breakfasts and lunches if the kids are taking FOREVER to eat, I'll sew a bit then too. Thanks for stopping by!
Vera
Nice! Congrats on your finish! I like that quilting especially.
sarah
Post authorThank you, Vera!
Katy
Congrats on all your finishes, and thanks for making it easy for me with the links in your goal post :o)
sarah
Post authorThanks for the motivation!
Kelsey
I like Frieda :)
sarah
Post authorThank you, Kelsey.