31 
Tagsi made a quilt!!
Though I’ve neglected to blog much about my recent forays into sewing, I have been sewing a lot in the last year, getting more confident and more skilled with every block. But I’d yet to ever complete an actual quilt, and I knew that until that happened, I wouldn’t have any credence with actual quilters. I was just a “piecer,” not a “quilter.” I changed that in the past week.
That’s right, I made my very first quilt in one week (from first cut to the binding—the planning had occurred ahead of time). Why the rush, you ask? Well, because I’d been scared to start, and then I decided I had to just DO IT, all in time for my cousin’s bridal shower …
I am beside myself with love for the quilt. When it was tumbling around in the front-loading dryer, I watched it go around and around, and I saw the bursts of color on the bed of gray, and I felt, I don’t know, the most intense sense of pride. It’s been a long time since I felt that way about an FO.
But I’m getting ahead of myself in the storytelling. Let me back up.
First off, my good friend Brett Bara has a book coming out soon, Sewing in a Straight Line. Because of my insider status—we worked together at our day jobs while she was busy writing the book—I’d seen a stacked strip quilt of hers, and it got into my head. It seemed so fresh, and so doable. Modern but not too crazy. Something I hoped my cousin Kelly, a graphic designer, would appreciate.
I sketched out what I wanted on graph paper, making it about 60×68. That’s not bed sized, but it’s decent for snuggling up with on the couch, I figured. I sat on the sketch—made with all the fabrics here for me to decide on the stripe order—more than two months ago! But I only finally got up the nerve to start cutting them last Saturday night.
Once I started cutting, there was no turning back. I was a woman posessed this week: any waking moment was spent thinking about, talking about, or reading about this quilt and quilt techniques. I’d read so many tutorials before, and I’d edited a few quilting books in my time as a crafts editor, but I needed more information, more reassurance.
A few tutorials were incredibly helpful, and I referred to them a few times.
- Red Pepper Quilts has a tutorial for machine-sewing the binding to the back. I discovered that I am waaay too much of a novice to make this work for me, but it was educational, and I got good links to other articles on working the binding.
- This tutorial gave me mitered corner confidence.
- Caro has a great post on tacking down a binding by hand, which is what I spent the afternoon on Saturday doing as quickly as I could. I understood how from (dressmaking) sewing courses I’ve taken, but this served as an excellent refresher with pictures you could really “see.”
My deadline was this Sunday (today), the day of my cousin’s bridal shower. I had a few stumbles on my way to the finish line, to be sure: I ran out of gray fabric, and Purl (which is near my office) didn’t have ANY more gray. I had plans that prevented me from getting to City Quilter to get the grays until a day later. When I started the actual quilting, I discovered that I hadn’t pinned enough, and things were shifting. So I actually took out the three lines of quilting I’d done, re-pressed the whole thing, and re-pinned my quilt sandwich from scratch. I can’t even tell you how many times I stabbed myself with the needle while hand-sewing the binding, or scraped my leg with a pin as I wrestled the whole quilt through the machine.
But at 4:45 on Saturday, I pulled my thread through the very last stitch along the edging. I had finished! And in plenty of time to get it washed before we headed out to our dinner reservation (at Babbo—likely the subject of a future post). I had done it!
I learned SO MUCH about quilting in this process. Of course, it’s not perfect by any means. There’s clear stripes of quilting that are, well, badly done. But it’s still about the most perfect thing I’ve ever made. I was so happy to give it to them, and they seemed thrilled to receive it.
31 Responses to i made a quilt!!
aw! how very perfect! and i can hardly believe this is your first quilt, but you have a bee quilt coming up soon, right? still, i love the stacked stripes. so modern and still very fresh with the colors and prints. excellent job!
it is a piece of ART! i love he greys with those vibrant mixes you chose. it is gorgeous and for me i prefer the hand stitching and imperfections it feels real and made with love then. what a great gift! i did my first 2 easy square quilts last year , but this inspires me to go bigger and bolder and make one for me!
That is such a cool quilt! Brilliant idea :-P
Yay! It’s fantastic! I can’t believe you just went nuts and did the whole thing in a week. Now one for you!
ooh this is a post I’m going to be referring back to soon I’m sure whenever I get around to tackling my very first real quilt. it turned out so so well!!! love it.
Once again, Minty proves there is NOTHING SHE CAN’T DO! Hurrah!
Congratulations on your very first quilt ~ It sounds like you truly enjoyed the quilt making process and I hope that this is the first of many more quilts to come!
It’s beautiful in every way. A thoughtful and lovely gift.
Oh wow! This is a triumph! I know that feeling of wanting to actually do the quilting part to cross that line into becoming a quilter. I only did my first one a few months ago. Yours is stunning. You’re so right about the fresh and modern look of strip pieces working together. Well done!!
it looks great, dude. I really love the colors.
but scraped your leg with a pin? does that mean…you basted with straight pins? (I use safety pins! But maybe I am misinterpreting what you’re saying there.)
p.s. I was assuming you meant while quilting! but maybe you mean while piecing – in which case doh yes I use straight pins for piecing. NEVER MIND.
It’s Gorgeous! Hurray for your successful first quilty quilt! Also- you have so summed up my own feelings about quilting here. Also also, so addictive!
that is a *beautiful* quilt. congratulations!!
!!! It’s gorgeous! I love that grey so much. It’s perfect for getting those colours to look so vibrant and delicious. You did an amazing job lady!
This came out beautifully, the colors and the modern take on the design, it will be something they’ll always treasure.
Stunning! I love it. Congrats!
Truly, truly beautiful. I am making my first quilt too at the moment and your links are very helpful x
Wow, I love your first quilt. It’s amazing! I used to walk by Babbo all the time, and never had the chance to eat there. Can’t wait to hear about it!
Beautiful. Simply beautiful.
Keep up the wonderful work.
OMG when I saw your tweets about this earlier in the week I had no idea it was your first quilt! I would have sworn that you were already an accomplished quilter! Well, there’s no denying it now! It’s beautiful!
WOW. I LOVE IT! Congrats on a gorgeous quilt. I totally want the exact same one for my apartment! My whole place is neutrals with touches of bright pink . . . looks like you designed that just for me!
It’s beautiful!! Well done. I just love it. I love crinkly quilts such as this one, and the stripes are gorgeous and vibrant.
i absolutely ADORE it! the graphic style, the colors, the stripes. and made with love? perfection.
That is so, so gorgeous!! I love how modern it looks, and it’s just amazing.
dude. this is amazing, what a really fabulous gift. i can’t believe you finished it so quickly (as a non-quilter in my head, quilts take FOREVER AND EVER)… and this is, I think, exactly the kind of quilt that would get me inspired to learn how to sew.
Wow, that is *so* beautiful. I love the modern style. I covet it!
Wow, the stripes, the stacking, the whole quilt-off deadline.
Amazing, congrats. You are so the triple threat:)
Wow, I love this. What a special present!
I would CRY if I ever received something like that. It’s so amazing and just so pretty to look at!!!
I LOVE it. Like you said it’s modern looking, and the colors are great!! I would love a gift like that!
It’s completely freaking gorgeous. You win quilts!
– I hope you’re not getting tired of my coemmnts. These are fantastic. I love these so much! You’re doing SUCH an awesome job capturing families at home! This is lovely!