Cowboys Quilt Finished

The Cowboys quilt for my son's former roommate is quilted and bound. Next week I hope to deliver it to the recipient who lives on the West Coast. Hooray! Here's the previous post with information about making the top.

Cowboy Fireworks quilt

The quilting doesn't show as well in the straight on detail view as in the low angle views that follow but you can see the variations of the quilting lines better.

Cowboy Fireworks quilt detail

Originally I planned to use the darker blue thread for quilting. Too dark. The white is too light. But the medium blue is just right. Funny. I always try to get light and dark fabrics (since we tend to purchase mediums) then drive myself crazy thinking I will need to change threads frequently. But I'm finding that medium threads blend better across all those fabrics.

Thread choices for Cowboy Fireworks quilt.

This was my third attempt to use the lovely YLI 40/3 variegated thread in Seamist. My machine hates it - even when it's only in the top and not the bobbin. I finally switched to Sulky Blendable 30/3 variegated thread. It's a similar range of blues. Cindy Needham told me thread sizes vary by manufacturer and I certainly agree now. The Sulky should be heavier than YLI but in actuality, they are the same thickness. What a puzzle. There are so many threads to use that I can choose another. (YLI makes some of my favorite threads; this is the only one I've ever had issues with.)

A friend who hand quilts thinks it would work beautifully for her so I've passed it on.

I considered quilting very straight lines since the blocks are squared up before sewing them together but decided free-hand straight-ish lines fit better with the free-hand cutting of the pattern. I started sewing lines about 2-3 inches apart and came back and filled in until it looked done. Spacing ranges from 0.75-1 inch. The quilting didn't look good while I was sewing (with my nose very close to the lines) but I really like they way it looks on the finished quilt. So... don't put your nose right on the quilting lines and you should like it, too!

Here are the quilting lines as I was sewing.

The planes on the back of Propellers and Planes were such fun I've decided to try to work harder on the backs. Usually I find large rectangles of fabric, sew them together and call it done. This time I made a simple medallion of the pieces instead. Continuing one blue border to the edge looked interesting.

View of the back of Cowboy Fireworks

Blue remnants made great binding, cut 2.25 inches, folded in half and attached by machine. I've started pressing the binding after I sew it to the back (and before attaching it on the front.) It certainly makes it easier to wrap the binding properly.

Quilt Details

Size: 68" x 85"

Pattern: Peppermint Pinwheels from Cultural Fusion Quilts

Batting: Mountain Mist Cream Rose 100% cotton

Thread: Sulky Blendable 30/3 variegated cotton

Quilting: Free-hand channels

Look what I saw early this spring! For the past decade egrets have chosen to nest in the trees on this street. Who knows why. It's the furthest from the shore of any colony. The rookery is home to about 20 percent of the egrets in the Bay Area. Closing the street to cars provides greater safety for the birds because any younglings that fall (or are pushed) from their nest can be rehabilitated by wildlife personnel.

Egret nesting closes a road in California.

Last week when I walked by again, these lovely birds were busy setting up house. You wouldn't want to park on the street; they protect their nests by pooping - smelly and acidic. I stayed on a cross street that is not closed. No bird poop conditioner for me, thank you very much.

Egret landing in a tree near their nests.

Although they are elegantly graceful and snowy white, their voice is not nearly as attractive. They make an odd gobbling sound. Oh, well. I can't sing on key either.

Egret flying.

Enjoy the day, Ann