I am always excited when I finish a quilt, but when a quilt seems like it's free there is always a special excitement. A charm pack of Be Jolly came with the layer cake that I won. So that part really was free.
The green fabrics I added were left over from my Christmas tree skirt, and the Kona White was originally purchased for some pillow cases I decided not to make. Plus the batting was Frankensteined together left overs from my boys' Christmas gifts. So this quilt seems free to me, even though I did originally purchase some of the supplies. :)
I decided to go with a simple quilt keeping the charm squares whole, but adding sashing and cornerstones. The cornerstone fabric is from the Merry & Bright line by Kimberbell Designs. I love how the light green squares pull the charms together and bring out the lighter green in the fabrics. Luckily I had plenty of the green polka dot fabric from the Be Jolly line for the binding.
I have decided to call the quilt "Be Merry" as it combines the name of the two lines and is one of the phrases on one of the prints.
One of the things I did differently on this quilt is zig zag the edges of the quilt top after basting, but before quilting. This enabled me to quilt right off the edge and back on. It worked perfectly with this quilt because I spray basted it and have Warm and White batting which is stiffer.
I love how the spirals look on the front...
And on the back. Even with sewing down the edges before quilting there was only one little pucker. I am sure once this quilt is washed that it won't be noticeable.
This quilt may also serve some dual duty as a background for some future pictures on my blog. :)
It is also the first time I have hand sewn a binding down in a long time. I enjoyed every minute, but realize that I do love the speed of machine binding.
All in all, I am loving this new addition to my Christmas quilt collection.
Quilt Stats #122
Quilt Name: Be Merry
Pattern: Charm pack with 1.5 inch sashing and 3 inch borders
Fabric: Be Jolly charm pack with Merry & Bright green, and Kona White
Amount Used: 4 yards
Batting: Frankensteined Warm and White
Size: About 41 x 47 inches.
Date Finished: December 2015
What I learned:
- I am getting better at dealing with the pinked edges of the pre-cut fabric.
- I liked zig zagging around the edge after basting before FMQ.
XX,
Jasmine
P.S. I will be linking up with Crazy Mom Quilt and Can I Get a Whoop Whoop.
P.P.S. Look for my Sneaky Sewing Success post
What a great quilt, Jasmine! A free quilt does feel good - I feel like it is 'free' if it is mostly made from my stash .... it's sitting right there, I didn't go to the store, that counts right? ;)
ReplyDeleteAs I was reading your post I was wondering if you were going to post about the boys getting their quilts! I'll be watching :)
It is fabulous! So crisp and festive.
ReplyDeleteIt looks great and I love your quilting, of course! I'm working on a Christmas quilt too :)
ReplyDeleteHurray for quilts made from fabric you won. It is so delightful to finish a quilt that you know you used what you have and didn't go shopping for. Plus it makes room on the shelf for when you do buy something new! It is a wonderful finish!
ReplyDeleteI love making "free" quilts, to me it's like winning the lottery! :) Those cornerstones really grab your attention and add a lot to the quilt. And I really like your spirals, they look great front and back! I have sewn around the edges of the last couple of quilts I've made and I love having that 'finished' edge to work with while quilting. Using the back as a backdrop for photos is a great idea!
ReplyDeleteI too love the 'free quilt' feeling. I have a few of those on my list to use up some strings, LOL A simple pattern but your quilting makes it sing out Be Merry alright! Bet your boys just loved their quilts you gave them for Christmas :-)
ReplyDeleteI love it! Such a lovely addition to your Christmas collection. Can't wait to see how much the boys loved their quilts.
ReplyDeleteAs for the zig zag, it's what you do when you long arm too. Well, not zig zag, but a serpentine stitch down the side so you can keep it all straight.
Rosemary B here
ReplyDeleteI love the quilt. Excellent idea to zig zag the edges.
LOL I love the "frankensteined warm and white" It works so well.
Be Merry is sure a sweet Christmas quilt. And achieving this finish for "free" is such a bonus. Love those swirls in the quilting! Wishing you and yours a very Happy New Year!
ReplyDeleteA great last finish indeed, Jasmine - love it - a Happy New Year to you all :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great way to finish out 2015. I love how it feels "free", that is really fabulous. The texture of your quilted waves is great, and I can see how it would work out as a great background for future photography.
ReplyDeleteA beautiful finish, a Merry result!
ReplyDelete