Wednesday, July 29, 2015

The working title is Batik Starburst

The working title is Batik Starburst. This is the quilt made with the binding tool pattern, the one discussed HERE click to read about it later if you like.

I sewed the whole center section before I found out the black fabric was rotten. Since then I have heard many horror stories about black fabric gone bad.
I took the blocks apart, then ripped out the black from the batiks, leaving as much together as possible. When I found stable black fabric and recut each piece (insert curse words here) I began the process of resewing,  like partial seams. It worked but was a bit tedious. I learned something then...

I sewed that part on my Janome Gem travel machine. I finished on my beloved aging Bernina 1630.


The two blocks did not match. I am a stickler for cutting correctly. I am almost a stickler for sewing a good quarter inch seam. But... the two machines were just off by a bit, enough to make a difference. It explains why your friend's blocks aren't always the same as yours. The Bernina's seam is better, so I went back and tried to unpick the poor joins and match better.

This particular one was not having it.

I tried every trick in the book, and after 7 un-sewings of this particular join, I gave in and said, apparently this one, will. not. be. right.

I am not new, I am not without skills, but I ran out of patience! Quilt police, have at it!





Some seams just do not want to match, not with pinning, not with pressing opposite, not with anything.

Anyway I pressed the the blocks well, and trimmed the blocks down to 16 and 3/8 before the final construction began. They are sewn together in three sections at the moment ready to be quilted.
After all the hassle I decided not to border it to make it King sized. It's fine, just the way it is.
Now I want you to do something... Look at the top picture, see the top and bottom center blocks? The blue and green ones? On the first picture the two blue ones are together and the green ones together.

On this picture I mixed them up.
This is the final layout... it just felt better, know what I mean?

All pictures are pre-ironing and pre-trimming of blocks, it looks nice and regular and flat and square on the wall now, but I haven't taken more pics.

What I love...
1.the shading of my scraps from light to dark.
2.The fact that I used scraps not yardage (and the bin is still too full)
3.Color! Brilliant color, glowing color, not organized by rainbow order.
4.I salvaged the quilt when there were times I considered tossing the whole mess away
5.It's a pattern I never would have made but for wanting to do a project with my bee

What I learned
1. Scraps chosen carefully can do a great job in a quilt
2. Black fabric is often more unstable because of the chemicals used to make it
3. Use the same machine to piece the whole quilt if possible
4. It's okay to use a pattern even if one is an art quilter and works originally, ahem.
5. Sometimes good enough is good enough and one moves on

I am now busy figuring out how to best quilt it. I want to try black batting this time, and will quilt the whole center top to bottom sewn together into one 8-block section, the side four blocks as separate sections then join as usual.


30 comments:

PugMom said...

Love the quilt! And why am I not surprised that we sew on the same machines--I have a Gem Platinum for travel and my much loved Bernina is a 1260. I have several projects coming up with black backgrounds. Guess I will wash the fabric first (sigh) and give it a good tug before I cut and sew with it.

Heide said...

Gorgeous! I just finished something similar this summer. I set it out to the quilter and we decided on quilting it in variegated thread with stars and swirls, turned out perfect.

The Joyful Quilter said...

Good call on the blue and green bits! They looked strangely static in their matchy-matchy state. Looking forward to seeing this quilted!

Jayne said...

It is beautiful and I'm so glad you decided to change the black fabric. Also, great choice on switching the blocks!

Anne said...

Sticklers of the world untie! But I agree with you, after 7 rippits, some mismatching is just meant to be. I'm amazed you kept trying that long, I usually give up after about 4.
Thanks for the information about black fabric. I had not been aware of that.

Norma Schlager said...

I like your list of loves and learned. I often say that I learn something with every quilt I make. I have a friend who is an award winning quilter who would say that after three tries to match, it was meant to be and just leave it alone. What might be glaring to you will probably not be noticed by anyone else.

The colors are glorious and they really sing against the black, as much trouble as that black was.

gayle said...

Black batting is an excellent idea.
And I love your love/learned lists. Thought-provoking, to say the least.
As far as the mismatched seam, after a couple of tries, just call 'Galloping Horse' and move on. (It's a technique from knitting - if it can't be seen from a galloping horse, it doesn't exist...)

Nancy A. Bekofske said...

Stunning!

Joanne said...

I know what you mean LeeAnna! It just feels better!
I do quite a bit of plant rearanging in the garden until it just feels right!
This quilt top looks great!
LALAMO...I learned that from you!
Take care,
Joanne

Joanne said...

I know what you mean LeeAnna! It just feels better!
I do quite a bit of plant rearanging in the garden until it just feels right!
This quilt top looks great!
LALAMO...I learned that from you!
Take care,
Joanne

Joanne said...

I know what you mean LeeAnna! It just feels better!
I do quite a bit of plant rearanging in the garden until it just feels right!
This quilt top looks great!
LALAMO...I learned that from you!
Take care,
Joanne

Glen QuiltSwissy said...

I do like the bottom one better. It disperses the color better. Another thing I always do is use the same RULER when I cut out a quilt.

Nancy said...

I also have a Bernina 1630 as do both my daughters. (Yes, I found old ones for them, so they would not steal mine.) But even the same type of machine will not always match. I learned many years ago that if you start a quilt on a machine that is the machine you should use for the entire quilt. So if I take my travel machine to a retreat but don't get a project complete - I still use that machine for the finish when I get home.
But I also remember - you will never see it at a distance. Or while galloping on horse back. Or even in your pictures of the full top. Live is much to short to worry about a millimeter.
Quilts are to be enjoyed and loved. That will happen with the Batik Starburst. Love the colors.

Tails Around the Ranch said...

Totally love it! You are a far better (and patient) person than me. After 2 ripping out sessions, I'd be done. :) Kudos for sticking with it-it's beautiful.

Anita said...

This is a beautiful quilt! Just stunning! Visiting from "Let's Bee Social". :)

Mari said...

Pretty, pretty! And you are much more patient than I, but what terrific results!

Ann said...

I think it's a good recovery. Black fabric does not wear well, in my opinion but it sure sets those lovely colors off! I like your second photo better, too.

Jasmine said...

It looks beautiful, and I do like the final arrangement best. You did great replacing the black. Have fun quilting it.

Kaja said...

Good job salvaging this. I love the glowing colours you get with batiks. Will be interested to know what you think of black batting.

Preeti said...

What an eye-popping gorgeous beauty!!! So happy that you were able to let go and just enjoy working with a pattern - it is beautiful.

Lorna McMahon said...

This is such a lovely quilt, LeeAnna. You have so much patience! What a shame that the background fabric was no good. Looking forward to seeing how you are going to quilt this beauty!

Anonymous said...

Beautiful! I like your final layout better as well.

Michelle @ From Bolt to Beauty said...

There are so many lessons in this post for me! I had never heard that about black fabric. Do you remember where you bought it or who manufactured it? And black batting? I didn't even know that existed. Good for you for persevering with this troublesome project!

quiltedfabricart said...

I have never heard about black fabric going bad either. You did fabulous job even though it was challenging. I am impressed at the amount of scraps used and how they all play together so well. It looks like you went to a store and picked them all out. You must have quite a stash :-)

Penny said...

Beautiful

Claire said...

Did not know the problems with black--will be sure to use mine fast and not try to save it in stash forever. I agree that scraps can be used artfully. https://knitnkwilt.wordpress.com/

Amy Art Quilter & Fyber Cafe said...

I love to quilt with rayon, on black, I used lime green for contrast, loved it. also used dark purple, for a very rich look, and a yellow gold rayon instead of metallic gold. Give any of them a try. I really like the way the scraps blend together.

AlidaP said...

I didn't know there were horror stories about black fabric!!!
now I don't know if I want to know them or not...
I am scared not to know them and I will be scared when I know them... bottom line: I am scared :)
thanks for sharing though... wonderful quilt!!

Bonnie said...

Wow! That is a great quilt. Gold stars for doing all the repair work -- it is beautiful. I've had the same issue with machines sewing differently. It doesn't stop me from doing it on occasion! Good luck planning the quilting.

Kate said...

There's a lot of "WOW" in that quilt. As much of a hassle as it was, it's gorgeous!