Challenge 2017/18 - # 33, Shakespeare in Trail

It is always exciting to finish a quilt and make use of it. My very latest finish is Sharkespeare in Trail.

About 5 years ago I re-connected with a customer from my quilt shop, Needleworks. She tracked me down asked if I would help her finish a quilt for her husband. Since then we've gotten together often to quilt and eat and we even retreat together. Once her husband's quilt was done, Brenda wanted to do something else. She showed me a picture she found on pinterest and asked if I'd help her do it.

I said of course...........

Brenda and I sew with Arla and the three of us decided to each make this quilt scrappy. The plan had been to make a pile of blocks and share with each other, but Brenda soon raced ahead of us and got hers done with out any sharing!!!!

Brenda's finished top. We had this quilt top hanging on the railing of the retreat centre we were staying at 3 times. Each time someone saw a mistake. This one (bottom left corner) we missed. Just before Brenda brought it over to me to quilt, she showed it to another friend who saw the whoopsie! Thank goodness for friends who are brave enough to say "that doesn't look right"!

I worked on my quilt top while I was at the retreat. I started arranging it on a design wall.

Then had to move to the floor and stand on chairs to see the pattern clearly.

Finally the top was done and I moved onto another project.

It's the beginning of 2018 and I need to finish something!!!! I found my border fabrics and planned to do 3 strips of fabric with a mitred corner. I sewed the border strips together, measured and cut carefully....then realized that I hadn't cut for a mitre! Sheesh!

So, instead of swearing and sulking, I simply made a faux mitre corner. If you look closely you can see my seams.

I took the finished quilt to my daughter's this weekend and asked the hubbys to hold the quilt over the deck railing while I took a picture. Holding still was a challenge!!!!

I am trying to create a signature all-over design that includes feathers and that I can scale and with a few adjustments make a nice border or sashing design.

I used a single layer of wool batting in this quilt.

The backing fabric was an ugly light pink and grey print that I over-dyed. Only if you look closely and know what you are looking for will you see the original print. But at clearance prices.......It is perfect.

Here's a brilliant way to trim a quilt. Use the table on the longarm frame. A nice flat surface and the quilt is fully supported.

I usually sew my binding to the back of the quilt and fold to the front and machine stitch in place. It is faster and I don't wear out my arthritic fingers by hand sewing the binding in place.

Brenda and I are waiting for Arla's Shakespeare quilt to be done. Then we'll have our own little quilt show and share all 3 finished quilts.