Big Finish - Winter Dresden Quilt

If you've stopped by my blog before,

or followed me on Pinterest...

or Flickr...

you may have caught a glimpse of my

Winter Dresden quilt in progress.

I joined the Bunny Hill Scrappy Plate Club

way back in January.

{Uh-Oh...I think I was supposed to have a finished quilt by...March 2012.}

I had the wisdom and foresight to make mine a Christmas-y/winter quilt,

so I set a goal that was more my speed...

to finish it in time for Christmas.

{I did it!}

This quilt was soooo enjoyable to make from the free pattern by Bunny Hill.

I had the most fun stitching the Dresden plates,

and I've got a couple of extras for making some matching pillows.

But for now,the quilt is just right for snuggling on the couch

with my little dog, Ginger.

I've had a few questions about how I quilted mine.

I use my regular sewing machine - a Pfaff 2040

that I've had for about 12 years.

I use spray basting to hold my quilt sandwich in place.

I almost never start quilting the same day as I spray,

and I don't have issues with the needle getting sticky.

I use the time-honored "fluff and stuff" technique.

I just focus on quilting the area under the needle,

not worrying about all the rest of it.

The first step is to stitch stabilizing lines,

in the ditch, with matching neutral thread...

along every border and sashing line

vertically and horizontally.

That leaves the blocks and the borders ready for

more creative free motion quilting designs.

I switch to invisible thread at this point,

so I don't interrupt my favorite fabric prints.

I made a petal design on the blades of the Dresden plates.

Then I stippled the centers and around each plate for every block.

{It didn't take that long, and I love how it looks on the back.}

For the skinny border, I just made a wavy line.

For the corners and the centers of the outer borders,

I drew a holly design, then traced it onto some Golden Threads paper.

I made 8 layers of the paper and stitched the design
on the whole stack at once,

with only the needle...no thread...to mark the pattern.

{See the holes making the design on the left?}

Then I laid the paper with the design on top of the quilt and stitched away.  

When I was done, I patiently picked the paper off.

{Yeah...right.  I had some tweezers, which helped.}

It doesn't show up a lot, but it's my favorite part.
Here is a view of the back.

To finish the border, I added my OTHER favorite part...

lots of free-form feathers.

{The Scrappy Plate Club pattern used scalloped edges,

but I kept mine straight instead, since this is a lap quilt.}

I like the binding print, which matches the skinny border.

I am just delighted with my new quilt, and the fond memories of 2012.

Linking up to Sew Well Maide's
TGIFF Linky party!

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Zakka Style Rain Cloud Mug Rug

Welcome again to the weekly edition of the

Zakka Style Sew Along!

{For more information, visit LRStitched.}

This one is the perfect project for a rainy day...

the Rain Cloud Mug Rug.

{For my mug rug, I did not stray far from the one featured in the book,

made by contributing artist Christie Fowler.

I thought hers was so adorable!}

Here is the one I made...

There was one major departure...

I did not use even a scrap of linen for my mug rug.

{I hope that's legal!}

For the background

I chose a solid in Mist from Amy Butler.

  

That reminded me of a piece of Amy Butler's
Midwest Modern

that I'd recently purchased.

The tiny gray polka dots were perfect for the fussy cut cloud!

It's called Optic Blossom Linen.

{Hey..."Linen"...does that count?!?!?!}

For me, the most fun part was machine quilting the wind and rain lines!

For the rain lines,

I used masking tape to mark a few parallel slants.

I stitched those first, using the white thread.

Then I filled in with some more rainy lines, in gray thread.

{I just eye-balled my windy swirls, modeling them after the book photo.}

I'm pretty pleased with my machine binding...

I used more of the Optic Blossom for that.

{I just love the little bits of sunshine that the yellow brings!}

I love the back just as much as the front, actually...
that's a piece of Nicey Jane by Heather Bailey,
in soft blue with yellow.

This is a gift for my sister, Susie.
I got to give it to her in person today!
I owed her a mug rug, because she's made 
a few cuties just for me.
Here's the latest...for teatime!

I put my little eamylove label on the back, so Susie knows
I made it, just for her!

I hope it will bring a little smile to Susie, even on rainy days!


{Love you, Susie!}

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