Wednesday, February 2, 2011

WIP: Works in Progress Wednesday

Here is a progress report on Spoolin' Around (what do you think of the name? I'm pretty happy with it, so if you think it's too dorky, um, don't tell me...)

Anyway, use some imagination at this point and envision the white border on all four sides rather than just the top and bottom. I didn't have time last night to sew the last two borders on. Oh, and also ignore those ripples on the top and bottom borders. Not sure what is going on there. I carefully measured the  quilttop and borders. They are both the same width. Anyway, I'll work on that too.
Things changed a lot in the last week. Last Wednesday I was still pretty set on doing a small inner border and then a larger border using the challenge fabric. Then Jessica left a comment with a GREAT suggestion (thanks, Jessie!) and from there I ended up with a 1/2" inner border. And let me just make another observation here. Do you ever buy fabric for no known reason, other than "you'll know it when you need it"? Alexander Henry has a few colors called Heath, a wondeful blender fabric.


The brown colorway was the perfect solution when I was making border decisions. The challenge fabric has a lot of negative white space, and in a few places it would butt up against a tipped-over spool, and I didn't like the white against the white. So I needed something to separate it, and this was perfect. A solid would have been too jarring, but this brown and white "mesh" fabric was a great transition. So I'm saluting the decision to buying fabric just "because." Because at some point it might come in really handy.


Next came a 1 1/2" border of the challenge fabric and then a 4" white border. I had tossed around the thought of appliqueing a needle on the bottom border and big stitching some "thread." Instead, I am going to big stitch a needle, and then the thread will wander around all of the white borders. I'm thinking variegated thread?

My next dilemma is the quilting around the spools. I was thinking of quilting 1/4" inside just the brown spool part with brown perle cotton. Alternatively, stitching around each spool with white perle cotton.

Further decisions, which I won't have to make for at least two weeks: I got this companion print, which I could use for the back, or the binding.
Oh, and I kind of snuck this in on the bottom border. When I cut the selvage off, I had only cut 1 1/2" so it was a little too small to just sew it in to the border. Oh, well...


I'm linking up at Naptime Quilter for Workshop in Progress and Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday. Check out what everyone else is up to.

I just had a random thought. Yesterday I mentioned that Mark's fused glass plate appeared in a quilt magazine put out by Alex Anderson and Ricky Tims. Have any of you ever watched The Quilt Show? After Alex did eleven years of Simply Quilts on HGTV, she and Ricky Tims teamed up for a web-based quilt show. I renewed my membership recently, and I received a free gift certificate for a 1/2-year membership. I can give it away to a friend who is not a Star Member of The Quilt Show. And it doesn't even involve your postman trudging through the snow. I just email you the info and you go from there. If you are interested, I can give you the information. It is entirely free to you. So as a giveaway, anyone want to be my friend? Leave a comment to enter. I'll pick a winner on Friday morning and get the info to you.

26 comments:

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Grandma G said... #

I'll pass on the membership, but I just have to say I love your spools!

(Spoken by a non quilter, for what it's worth.) ;)

Brandie said... #

Love how it is coming along. I really like the brown mesh type fabric. It really seemed to work well between the spools and the challenge fabric.

Candace said... #

Love how your spools came along. I like the variations in size and widths. It's really quite fresh and inventive.

Great job1

Anne at Film and Thread said... #

That is just looking SO wonderful! Love it! It has come together so fast.

(not entering the giveaway)

Crystal said... #

Cindy, this is beautiful! I love how the brown "spools" set off the beautiful colors of the "thread". I'm so jealous of your selvedge quilt...I want to make mine now but I still don't have just the right idea.

I'm sure you saw this:
http://twinfibers.blogspot.com/2011/01/selvage-star-quilt.html

Isn't it gorgeous? I want to make it but not really because it looks like so much work. Plus, I'd have to make more than one star because I want my selvedge quilt to be a bed quilt. Have you seen any good inspiration selvege quilts lately?

Terriaw said... #

Love your spool project! I love how that thin inner border looks.

Jen said... #

That inner border is blended perfectly! I had to go back and take a closer look, wow! I love the name too :)

I love your idea about how to quilt it. I think going subtle in the spools is nice while doing decorative in the border is cute! Varigated thread would look great!

I would love to watch The Quilt Show, so please enter me in the giveaway. Can't wait to see the next step of your quilt!

Elizabeth Dackson said... #

That's too funny! I just bought a bundle of that Heath myself, just because you never know when you might need a little. I love the name (really!) and I like the idea of the brown quilting, I think it would look really nice. :)

beth said... #

I love your spools and you can enter my name.

Anonymous said... #

What a FABULOUS use for selvages, I love the look they give your spools of thread! How adorable!!!!!

Carla said... #

Cindy, your quilt is looking so great! Thanks for the tip on the Heath fabric....I'll be looking for that. You probably do this, but just in case......I always measure my quilt top through the middle...not the ends, to come up with the measurement for the border....No ripples!

Lee said... #

I just love this quilt. And I think it's PERFECT that you included the selvedge from the challenge fabric in the border! Love it!

Thanks for linking up to WIP Wednesday, have a fabulous week.

Amy Friend said... #

I love that inner border. I love the idea of a spool quilt too. I would like to make one at some point.

Lisa said... #

Love the name! And your quilt is coming along fabulously! I love the 1/2" border. The companion fabric would make a great binding. Can't wait to see the finish!

lindaroo said... #

I want to make a "Spoolin' Around" quilt, it's great fun! And I totally learned something when you explained about the transition border.
I've poked around the Quilt Show website, and I'd love to win a membership!

Marcia W. said... #

Your spools are beautiful - fresh and innovative in the design.
I've never had a membership to TQS so please put me in the draw. Thanks.

randi said... #

oh, i just love that little inner border. it's perfect!

Jen said... #

love this cindy! it's looking fabulous! I also love the dots for the binding or backing!

felicity said... #

Spoolin' Around - LOVE IT!

I would probably choose the second quilting option (white perle around the whole spool) to define each spool. I like your needle and thread idea for the border, too.

Marit said... #

This is looking so good - love all the variation in the spools and how the focus fabric binds it together! Sounds like great ideas for quilting, too. Very tempted to make some spools, now...

JHNickodemus said... #

It looks fantastic! LOVE it! I like the stash fabric in there too! Its a nice frame. Kind of like Tanya said, it makes it look like the spools are on a shelf on a wall! Yay!

Jennifer said... #

This looking wonderful!! I love that inner border; that was a great idea. Now, aren't you glad you buy fabric just because??

Jennifer :)

Allison said... #

This quilt is coming along so nicely. Your borders are great, and I like the name, too. And yes, I buy fabric that I know will be perfect for the right project someday, even though I don't know what that is yet :)

LOTJE said... #

Love to be looking at this design through the WIP! Nice & Fresh!
Have you considered white quilting just inside the white parts of the spools; maybe even alternating machine quilting and hand quilting per spool?

Jody said... #

I think your inner border looks really good! I actually like the fabric you have for your binding...as the colors work perfectly with the top. I'd love to enter your giveaway as well:)

Thanks!
jodym7@yahoo.com

Cheryl Arkison said... #

I'm not much help on the quilting front, I love the ideas you suggested. Especially the needle and thread idea.

What a great blender fabric! I need to find some of that.