Tuesday, December 18, 2018

A Finish in the Nick of Time

It's gotten cold regularly since Thanksgiving. Funny how that happens. I recognize the air cooling but don't need extra layers until... Bam! It's freezing. Now the bed has an extra winter quilt, my sweaters are front and center of the drawers, and I'm sipping hot tea throughout the day. However, one hardy hummingbird shows up at the feeder several times a day. He must use so much energy in this cold weather.

I've secretly been planning this quilt for the other grandmother of my our darling granddaughter. And finally, it's done. And gifted. Just in time for Christmas. Hooray.

Chinese Coins XII quilt with tulips

Once it was quilted I had some trouble choosing the binding. Green? Blue? I really liked the mottled blue and white {left side} but it's a stripe. Sewing it next to the striped border didn't seem right. Also, while there are busy {and older} prints among the Coins, the  borders and sashing are more crisp. Oddly enough, the blue stripe is only a year or two old; one of the newest prints in this group. So it's not the age of the fabric but rather the style.

The same applies for the busy green prints on top and right. They are just too busy.

Binding choices

The green leftover binding at the top looks best. Some of the greens inside the quilt are a bit more chartreuse but this matches the outer border stripe. The length is a bit short so one of the other greens was added.

I started the back with the center fabric in the spring colors MFG {my fellow grandmother} likes. It matches the purple and blue sashing on the front. There wasn't quite enough {as usual} and this older shirting plaid was the only thing that seemed to blend. It came from the NYC garment district a decade ago. The hues don't work with the front very well but this can just be a two-sided quilt. Aren't they all?

Chinese Coins XII quilt back

Any of those busy binding choices would have worked better with the back but the front is the star. The back will just have to clash a bit.



Spiral and loop quilting detail on Chinese Coins XII

Quilting designs added more fun. Spirals, leaves, loops, and fans. 


Free motion quilting fans, loops, and leaves on Chinese Coins XII

I {sort of} matched the thread with the fabric: peach and yellow were closely matched, light blue thread for blue and purple, green on the border.


FMQ on Chinese Coins XII quilt shows better after washing

These Coins were part of my final push to empty the scrap bag. One top worked very well but the next did not, so I cannibalized those strings, surrounded them with solid sashing, added tulip fabric for fun and ended up with this charmer. Much better.

Quilt Details
Size: 40" x 42"
Design: Chinese Coins
Batting: Mountain Mist Blue Ribbon100% cotton
Thread: blue and yellowAurifil 50/2 cotton, peach and green Gutermann cotton 
Quilting: walking foot SID and FMQ motifs


FMQ on Chinese Coins XII shows better after washing

Christmas Stocking for G3

The newest Christmas stocking is almost complete. Oriental Trading Company had some darling glass beads screaming my name. My idea is to add the same one to each "family group." {DH, my offspring and I will get the Owls. Dibs.} BTW, the grandchildren are numbered here so G3 is my third.

Glass beads from Oriental Trading Company

My goodness! I wish my kids' stockings were as adorable as the ones my grandchildren are receiving. {Although they looked like the "bees' knees" when I made them. It just shows my beading and bling-ing skills improved over the years.}

Special items like these are only readily available with the advent of the internet. I've no idea what local shops might carry them now or who did in the past. Finding something seemed very random; you had to be walking by a store and it caught  your eye. Once you became proficient in the craft or recipe or whatever, you knew where to get the supplies but it seemed harder for novices to even realize they needed better supplies.

Isn't that what happens with any new endeavor? When we first try knitting or quilting or any other craft, the toughest part is finding good quality materials. Or even finding the materials at all. The internet has made it much easier to source them. Now we can search by photos, too. What a wonderful world and an exciting time to be alive.

With peace and goodwill to all.

Enjoy the day, Ann

34 comments:

Quilting Babcia said...

So bright, cheerful and charming! I love how you windowed the rows of coins with the bright solids, and the tulip fabric is the icing on the cake.

Millie said...

I like that term, MFG! I made my MFG a quilt and gifted it a year or so ago. My son, DIL and granddaughter live in the other side of a duplex from MFG and when I visit I stay on the MFG side. So I had been keeping my eyes open for ideas for a quilt. I finally decided and was working on it when my DIL confided her mother would love one of my quilts. Since my son and DIL and GD have I think, five of mine. I told my MFG that I’d be happy to make one but had to finish a couple of others first. But all the time I was finishing the Jewel Box diamond quilt for her. She has it now and loves it.

patty a. said...

The quilt turned out wonderful! I like the back because the quilt has that kind of making due with what you have look. I am sure she will love the quilt.

Pam said...

Lovely quilt Ann! Congrats on the finish. :)

Ann said...

How kind of you to write. Sashing the coins with windows worked so well. I think it helped that they are solids. And isn't it always the case that we find a wonderful use for the difficult fabric as the last bit is used up? I only bought a half yard of the tulips but never found a place where they worked. I've been cutting it into Coins since it was bright and pretty and just "taking up space." Oh, how I wish I had more now. Sigh.

Ann said...

What a lovely story, Lynne. It's such a joy to cover family with quilts. And to find new family that also like them. I love the way you tricked her about the length of time it would take. It's wonderful we both have such delightful MFGs!

Ann said...

Thanks, Patty. MFG sent me a photo of it in her guest room/baby room. I like funny fabrics and really enjoy my self-imposed guideline to use what's in my stash first. They certainly make interesting quilts.

Ann said...

Thanks, Pam. I'm on a "finishing" roll. Hooray.

LA Paylor said...

I want that tulip fabric! I like the little black pattern showing up in the binding. The embellishments are gorgeous and you can't buy them til someone makes them, so a person uses the materials at hand. I betcha your kids cherish their stockings, I would. I heard a story of a grown kid asking their mother to repair the old 1970's double knit quilt she made, they had worn it out and I didn't know double knit could wear out. They loved it for it's sentimentality.

Julierose said...

Perfect St. Nick quilt nice work--
Lovely little bon-bon beads...I will check out OTCo for my Crazy quilting blocks hugs, Julierose

Robin said...

Wonderful quilt. I absolutely love the tulip borders. What a delight.

Janie said...

Congratulations on your MFG quilt, very thoughtful gift!
Good improvisation, I enjoyed the story.
The glass beads are great and yes, supply hunting on the internet
is easier.

Linda @ kokaquilts said...

A wonderful quilt! And the tulip border is a great faeture!

Pamela said...

Fabulous finish! It is so bright and cheery.

Ann said...

I want more of the tulip fabric, too. Waah.
My kids love their stockings. They always look good on the mantle when they are a "matched set" no matter what style is used. And you're right. The way to teach children to love anything is to give them one and let them use it daily.
Merry Christmas.

Ann said...

Bon-bon beads. Love that name. They are like little candies. I hope you find something you like at OTCo. I had to use the search to find these among all the plastic.

Ann said...

Thanks, Robin. That fabric called to me to buy it; then gave me difficulties using it. Now that it's gone I wish there was more. Sigh.

Ann said...

Thanks, Janie. MFG is a wonderfully kind person. We don't chat enough but her comments are always insightful.

Ann said...

Thanks, Linda. Tulips made this quilt.

Ann said...

Thanks, Pamela. The quilt reminds me of MFG - sweet spring blossoming brings joy to our hearts.

Angie in SoCal said...

Just the right binding. Inspired quilting - congratulations!

Nifty Quilts said...

So many fun scrap quilts here! The tulips make this one for me. Love your whimsy and good color sense while using scraps.

mav said...

I'm Ann's QS in Colorado. I recall her making me shop for little light blue socks FOREVER! They were on the Christmas doll she gave me as a gift that year. Had that doll for a very long time. Thank you, Ann!

Ann said...

Thanks, Angie. I had fun.

Ann said...

The tulips brought it from ordinary. I wish I had more. Thanks for the compliments, LeeAnn.

Ann said...

I don't recall "shopping forever." In fact, I don't recall shopping at all. But the doll was adorable. I'm glad you liked it. Thanks for being a great sister.

Cathy said...

A celebration of Spring! Congrats on the finish. Such fancy quilting!
Those beads sure are fun.

Ann said...

Thanks for writing, Cathy. The FMQ was enjoyable. I haven't done any in a while.

Kaja said...

The tulips really make this one for me! A lovely gift.

Ann said...

They are the best part, aren't they? Hopefully, this reminds me in future to look for and use these large scale prints.

Mystic Quilter said...

A lovely finish for the year Ann! Now, did you actually empty the scrap bag ??

Ann said...

Ha, Maureen. Of course not. I think there may be two or three more of these in the bag. Happy Solstice and Merry Christmas.

Mel Beach said...

Oh I love this quilt!! Such a happy finish and the free motion quilting motifs are spectacular!

Ann said...

They aren't as good as yours but it was fun to use so many designs. No wonder you enjoy it so much.