I had a productive weekend! Maybe not so much as Lisa, who has been on her annual Quilting Retreat, but still, I did all right. What you see in the picture above is the center part of the Flowers for Clara quilt, a pattern by Bonnie Blue. I love this. LOVE this. This is a quilt that I will use and be proud of for years and years. It positively dances.
It isn't finished yet though. I plan to add a narrow black containment border, and then an 8 inch wide appliqued border of flowers on the tan background fabric. I have reviewed a fabulous machine applique tutorial by Barbara Brandenburg, and cannot wait to get going on this border. If you are leary of machine applique, please check out Barbara's tutorial. She makes it look so simple.
Thanks to all of you who urged me to bite the bullet and get those rumply borders re-cut and re-attached. It wasn't that horrible of a project. I took the borders off one evening when I was watching tv, and then trimmed them down to fit better. I remeasured my quilt top without stretching it one single smidge, and ended up with a border measurement that was 1 1/2 inches less than what I had sewn on in the first place. Let my error be a lesson to you all: when measuring a quilt top with half square triangles (or any other type of bias edges) DO NOT STRETCH the fabric at all. If you do, you will end up with borders that are too long, and therefore wavy and rumply and practically unquiltable.
I will have to really watch it when putting the borders on Flowers for Clara. If you notice, we have many half square triangle bias edges.
I've got all my red strips cut for the Red and White Snowball challenge, and most of my lights. I have decided to use a different method for making my 2 1/2 inch half square triangles that allows me to use 2 1/2 inch wide strips instead of the 3" square method used in the pattern instructions. (See yesterday's post).
I'd love to get started on my November Schnibbles as well, but I am feeling like I have a few irons in the fire hear! I will be lucky to finish my October Schnibbles!
Nicole your Flowers for Clara is absolutely breathtaking...I just love it...you're right. It dances! Glad you bit the bullet and fixed the borders, that quilt is too pretty to put in a bag and hide it in the closet! Looks great!
Posted by: Carol | November 10, 2009 at 04:59 AM
Oh Wow!!! What a sight to behold. I love this Nicole and a HUGE congratulations to have this together, to this point. Oh I'm in LUV!
Posted by: *karendianne. | November 10, 2009 at 05:20 AM
Flowers for Clara is so fabulous! Can't wait to see the borders.
You had quite a productive weekend!
Posted by: Karen | November 10, 2009 at 05:24 AM
All I can say is WOW - Flowers for Clara!!!!
Posted by: Mary on Lake Pulaski | November 10, 2009 at 05:26 AM
WOW, Clara looks lovely!
Posted by: Cara | November 10, 2009 at 05:40 AM
Love all of your projects, but Flowers for Clara is amazing. It really does dance, doesn't it? It's such a beautiful quilt -- I can't even imagine how gorgeous it'll be with an applique' border!
Posted by: Magnolia Bay Quilts | November 10, 2009 at 05:54 AM
Whoa - you certainly accomplished a lot this weekend! Wow! I love your Flowers for Clara quilt!
Posted by: Lisa D. | November 10, 2009 at 05:57 AM
Your Flowers for Clara quilt is right up my alley. I absolutely, positively love it even without the border! Good job on the borders, too, by the way. Nancy in WI
Posted by: Nancy | November 10, 2009 at 06:04 AM
You have been so productive! Good for you for biting the bullet on the wavy border. It looks really good.
Posted by: Lori | November 10, 2009 at 06:06 AM
Both quilts are positively stunning! I thought about your red toile quilt this weekend as I was sewing borders on my Cindy Lou Who...and I just kept praying for them to not be wavy! Congrats on getting it finished, so that you can take it off to the quilter with that pretty Chelsea Manor backing!
Posted by: Dianne | November 10, 2009 at 06:16 AM
You did good. Can't wait to see those borders. That's going to be beautiful.
Posted by: Susan Ramey Cleveland | November 10, 2009 at 06:46 AM
Where do you get that ruler?? I'd love to have one but my LQS doesn't carry them
Posted by: Mandy | November 10, 2009 at 07:16 AM
beautiful as always... so jealous of your dedication to completing a project. I tried your one hour a day goal and am still trying to find that one hour. Lovely! You continue to inspire.
Posted by: Veronica | November 10, 2009 at 08:42 AM
Really beautiful quilt Nicole. This is definite an heirloom. I am so busy right now that I don't know when I'll get started on the snowball quilt. But the lights that are arriving from my swap partners are wonderful. They just look so good together! BTW, I stopped by my LQS right near my house to get the Easy Angle ruler and it is closing! She decided over the weekend to close the shop and everything is 50% off! I am devastated as she does my quilting too but I did get my ruler for half price!
Posted by: Chris@Cats on my Quilts | November 10, 2009 at 08:45 AM
I can't wait to see your plans for the border. I'm loving pieced centers and appliqued borders. Do you have any Kim Diehl books, she does a lot of invisible machine applique.
Posted by: Sharon | November 10, 2009 at 08:54 AM
Flowers for Clara is a stunner without the borders! I used my easy angler to make 120 hst yesterday! Thanks for the tip! I got my Picnic pattern and am mulling over what to do about the November Schnibbles.
Posted by: Thelma | November 10, 2009 at 09:13 AM
I love your Bonnie Blue Flowers for Clara quilt...I've not done a Bonnie Blue pattern yet but want to! Those borders on your other quilt look absolutely perfect now too!
Posted by: Sherri | November 10, 2009 at 11:12 AM
Flowers for Clara is awesome! I had to go to Bonnie BLue's site to see what the border was going to look like. What a wonderful quilt this will be. A real treasure. Looking good!
Posted by: Allyson in Alaska | November 10, 2009 at 11:51 AM
I also LOVE your Clara quilt! It's beautiful!!
Posted by: Rita | November 10, 2009 at 12:02 PM
That Flowers for Clara is quite beautiful. It came together so much nicer than when it was just laid out. Thanks for the hint for Barbara Brandenburg's machine applique tutorial.
Posted by: Christine Thomas | November 10, 2009 at 12:24 PM
Your quilts are stunning. You are an amazing quilter.
Posted by: Michelle | November 10, 2009 at 12:50 PM
Great job on reattaching the border to the red and white quilt! I love the Flowers for Clara quilt also. I love all of your projects!
Laura T
Posted by: Laura Tawney | November 10, 2009 at 08:00 PM
Flowers for Clara is gorgeous, jigging and dancing for sure. Congratulations on getting it together so quickly! It is amazing how many different ways a triangle square can be used.
The borders are back on, yay! I haven't had too much trouble with wavy borders but that probably won't stay true forever :) Will look forward to seeing it quilted, bound, and into someone's heart soon.
Posted by: AnnieO | November 10, 2009 at 08:13 PM
Oh Bonnie Blue...I love you!
Oooo read about the computer woe too...hope all is resolved very soon!!!
Posted by: Mary Flynn | November 11, 2009 at 07:47 AM
Beautiful!
Posted by: Jocelyn | November 11, 2009 at 01:55 PM