I know you can't see the stitching in the border. I'll show you a picture of the back of the quilt when she is finished. The white thread should show nicely in the blue backing fabric.
When I pieced this block, I pressed the seams open so I was unable to stitch in the ditch. I quilted in from the seam not quite 1/4th inch. I love the texture this created. And yes, the octagon shapes are supposed to all have the same measurement of edge. Even though I paper pieced this block, they can still get not perfect. That's OK, it's just give my quilt character.
Have you noticed that the half triangles that are every other row is the same on each side? When the triangles were pieced you had a choice of two ways. First way, piece one block and cut it in half but then you don't have a quarter inch seam allowance. Or the second way, which is what I did, piece each half separately.
The above row was row 2 1/2 of the Nearly Insane quilt (for my own use I call the rows with the side triangles half rows). I had finished the quilting by Wednesday. Thursday afternoon I sat down to just stitch a few stitches and I couldn't stop quilting! Friday I quilted a lot too and I finished row 3; this week was a twofer so here are those blocks.
I didn't show you the outside and zigzag borders. They always look the same.
I'm sure I won't get 2 rows quilted this week. Spring has slowly arrived, the temperature is warmer, the grass is green and needs to be mowed.
Linking to Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, Oh Scrap, Show & Tell Monday With Bambi, Em's Scrapbag, Esther's Wednesday WOW!
12 comments:
Your quilting is lovely. I really like all of those blocks, but I agree with you on the one that you aren't crazy about. It seems so different from all the others. On the whole this quilt is gorgeous though.
The snowball block is my favourite...your quilting adds such lovely texture. This hand stitching thing sure is addictive!
the more I see this quilt in the blue/yellows the more I love it - I am beginning to think it was the colors the designer used that turned me off to the quilt when I had the book (traded it off and no longer have it now) I could not begin to imagine it in any other color for some reason
Gretchen I love your quilting on this row! I love that paper pieced block you quilted not in the ditch and each block has it's own character so nicely... I can't wait to see the quilt out of the frame front and back! Won't that be some fun picture taking too :) Thanks for sharing your progress! Kathi
Hand stitches add so much depth to these already striking blocks. On Thursday afternoon, you may have gotten in the ‘zone’ as you kept on quilting. A good thing!
Your octagons look perfect to me. Great progress on the quilting. Such a beautiful way to finish off a fabulous quilt
You really made a lot of progress on your quilting this week. It really is lovely work. Thanks for sharing with Oh Scrap!
Your hand quilting has really made this quilt. You should be so proud.
You are outdoing yourself! Such beautiful stitches - Enjoy the nice weather!
I admire who hand quilting, and your is just perfect.
Lovely hand quilting, very delicate. I love this quilt!
Thank you very much for your inspiration this week at the Show and Tell Monday !! Bambi
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