Remember that old Girl Scout song? 'Make new friends, but keep the old...' That's kind of the plan for my quilting this year. If you're a long-time reader (or maybe, not so long), you know I've started many projects that have never made the finish line. While some of these fell by the wayside at critical decision points, many were wall quilt-sized and planned for particular spots in my home. But as you also probably know, I've moved unexpectedly a few times over the last eight years and that's really the reason why many projects have not been revisited ~ they weren't really going to fit in the new place.
So now we're in a home that could really take a number of wall quilts and what do I have? Lots in progress and few of interest to hang. When preparing the house for the wedding festivities last summer, we had most of the interior painted my favorite Dover White, and I was reluctant to hang things on my pristine walls while still considering some furniture purchases. I joked that we were going for a spare, Scandinavian look around here for summer. But once late fall rolled around, for the umpteenth year I regretted not having at least one red & green quilt to hang.
Over the last week, I've done an inventory of all of my in-progress quilts, large and small. Some hold no current interest and I packed those away for future consideration. But many really need to be finished ~ I want them finished ~ so they're back in the queue. Some need another block or two to be appliquéed, like this one. Several need borders to be designed. A couple are waiting to be basted and marked for quilting and one is so close to being finished that, although it needs some surface embroidery, the edges are already bound! You may be surprised to see what pops up around here in the next few months. Finished.
Speaking of which ~ Molly's wedding quilt. Yeah, I know, you probably thought they've been sleeping under it this winter. I gifted them the top in July but I've been putting off the layering and basting. A queen sized quilt is a daunting task. However, today the backing is being washed and prepped and I'm going to dedicate a couple of hours a day to it until it's finished. I'll be hand-quilting this, fairly closely and hope to get it finished before the weather gets warm, a distant dream this week!
Although I had decided on a batting for this (my usual Quilter's Dream Request), I'm open to recommendations. Do you have a favorite, thin batting preference? I've been hearing a lot of recent chatter about the Mountain Mist Cream Rose batting. Any thoughts?
oh I remember this quilt, yeah! glad to see it out again.
mollys quilt is going to be fun to hand quilt , revisiting all those fabrics would just be fun! I do like MMCream rose a lot and my machine quilter will use it on the long arm for me, that means she will baste my quilts for hand quilting :)
the request is harder for her to do but she does it. I love both for hand quilting , MMCR is a bit thicker but not much at all and still easy to quilt.
Kathie
Posted by: kathie | January 23, 2013 at 01:57 PM
I just love your applique that you're working on and so many of us have quilts to finish up....and then we start something else that catches our eye...and then we go back to another! haha
I love the wedding quilt. THat just looks wonderful. I pieced and hand quilted the double wedding ring for our daughter nearly eight years ago and what a delight that was.
Anyway, on the batting, I have used both you've mentioned and I really do love the Mountain Mist Cream Rose...and also that I can get it locally around here. But I have found that it machine AND hand quilts very nicely! It's one of my favorites. Otherwise I'm a huge fan of the wool battings.
Posted by: Sue | January 23, 2013 at 02:13 PM
Love the applique that surfaced. I am a Hobbs 80/20 fan but right now I'm hand quilting a 100 x 100 with QD Request, only because I needed the size. It's quilting up very nicely. OK, past projects, I'm still waiting to see your wagon wheel and sunflower pieces. I hope they surfaced and are in your queue!
Posted by: Sharon | January 23, 2013 at 03:47 PM
Your red and green blocks are wonderful!! I look forward to seeing them become a top :0) I adore the red polka dot trail going through Molly's quilt. I like Tuscany silk batting for handquilting - it's nice and thin and easy to needle but I haven't tried the MMCR. That's a big quilt to baste - good luck!
Posted by: janet | January 23, 2013 at 04:10 PM
What's your quilting design plan for The Wedding Quilt? I've heard such good things about MM Cream Rose though I've yet to use it. Too many tops and not very many finishes around this house. That will change this year, so I'll be interested to see how you progress with your UFOs. I'm especially keeping an eye out for the wheels on black!
Posted by: Linda in NC | January 23, 2013 at 04:14 PM
Both projects are lovely! The wedding quilt will be stunning with hand quilting!
Posted by: LeeAnn | January 23, 2013 at 04:38 PM
The only batting I've ever used is Warm 'n Natural and I love it. It's pretty thin but that's my preference. I can't wait to see the parade of finished quilts!
Posted by: Carole | January 23, 2013 at 05:04 PM
A nice red and green applique quilt is something I would like to make too. I have plenty of patterns to choose from to make one but other projects call out to me too. Your blocks are very good.
Posted by: Karen Beigh | January 23, 2013 at 10:59 PM
Oh Jan, you have some lovely quilts there, so close to finished! Keep going - looking forward to seeing progress.
Posted by: Meredithe | January 24, 2013 at 02:00 AM
Ooooh, now I can't wait for the next few weeks to see some of your quilts -- you're always such a huge inspiration and I want to make everything you're making (I'll have what she's having LOL.) I'm particularly hankering (haha) to start an applique project -- my last one took forever but I loved the process. Have fun with Molly's quilt -- it's such a beauty (another one I want to copy) !!!
Posted by: Thimbleanna | January 24, 2013 at 09:21 AM
ooh, excited to see some blasts from the past popping back up. even more would love to see what ones no longer hold your interest. just love your ufos and blocks etc... hand quilting a queen-size? don't envy you that. i use the QDR so no help there... I keep hearing how fabulous wool is to needle, but I'm allergic so haven't given it a try.
Posted by: Tonya Ricucci | January 24, 2013 at 05:31 PM
The Wedding Quilt is outstanding and so fun! I tried the Rose Cream batting for the first time and really liked how nice and thin that it was...and that I could get it at JoAnn's with a coupon!! I heard that Hobby Lobby has it in white also. Stay warm under that quilt while you are doing the handwork!
Posted by: Carla | January 26, 2013 at 05:49 AM
My favorite is Hobbs wool batting. Yes, it is puffier, but it quilts up very easily and it's great to sleep under.
Posted by: Janet M | January 26, 2013 at 12:33 PM
I love using vintage Mountain Mist batting. I happen to have a bag now, the tag on it is from a department store in Seattle that probably stopped selling fabric in the 70's. It is paper thin, 100% cotton - it has a soft glaze finish on it. I always look for it at yard sales & thrift shops.... you have to quilt it pretty closely, but gives your quilt that light-weight vintage feel. I'm not going to be doing any hand quilting in the foreseeable future so would be happy to share/trade if you are interested in trying it.... I loved going back to re-read the dover white post... how funny!
Posted by: Pam Cope | January 26, 2013 at 07:01 PM