My vintage Boston Commons quilt is completely finished. The binding and label are on. The best news is the red/pink bleeds washed out. I first blogged about this quilt in the July 12th post this summer, three months of quilting are reasonable.
I had some solid turquoise fabric which worked perfectly for the binding.
One of the corners was really short, it curved in. I tried to straighten it a little by cutting my binding 3" wide. The binding on the back of the quilt is 3/8" while on the front it is 1". This covered a lot of the uneven edge of the quilt and it really helped this spot.
Across the center the quilt measures 71-1/2" by 72-1/2" but when I fold it, the corners don't match.
This white center sashing was the section that was puckered the worst.
For now the quilt is draped over the Grace quilting frame, I love looking at the texture.
I need to replace the cloth leaders on the quilting frame with real ticking. The fabric I had on there isn't ticking and I have a problem with it pulling out of the rod. Ticking is a heavier fabric and should be more stable.
I had hoped blue Stars in the Garden would be the next quilt in the frame but it will take me awhile to applique those borders. A crib quilt will be next in the frame.
Linking to Patchwork & Quilts, Kathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, Oh Scrap, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away
Gretchen, this is gorgeous. I can't believe you finished this in 3 months!! I've enjoyed watching your progress with it. I'm amazed by the fancy quilting shapes by hand and I can imagine that this took a lot of practice. Do you recommend any books that can teach me the technique?
ReplyDeleteYour Vintage Boston Commons is perfect. Love the turquoise fabric for the binding. I can't believe you acquired this quilt top for $20!! It is amazing how your exquisite quilting has taken this quilt to another realm....just beautiful!
ReplyDeleteI am glad you are leaving this GORGEOUS quilt out to enjoy for now... I wish you luck finding the ticking fabric you like... I get mine (replaced it once when we moved for color coordination in our new home) on eBay for very inexpensive and tape it on my metal rails with Gorilla Tape and have had NO ISSUES :)
ReplyDeleteKathi
I bought my ticking at Zincks in Ligonier, it's an Amish fabric store, very reasonable prices and I could see and touch it before purchasing. The ticking is the #1 priority this week, get it on the frame and get the quilting started on the next quilt.
DeleteYou did a beautiful job on this one. Congratulations!
ReplyDeleteI am amazed at how your quilting has saved that quilt. It is gorgeous. The binding that you used looks like an perfect match with the fabric in the quilt. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI was very pleased to find this border fabric in the solids tub.
DeleteYour friends will be amazed at how good this quilt looks now. Great job!
ReplyDeleteYou $20 quilt turned out very nice. Good job on getting the corner problem resolved.
ReplyDeleteoh wow - what a quilting miracle. I wish I had been there watching you as you chose this project to save. I am so impressed
ReplyDeleteI'm an early riser so I'm the first person into the sewing room in the early mornings. That's the best time to dig through all the items for sale on the resale tables. That's when I found this treasure. I had several people tell me they never saw this quilt there. I can't wait to show this for show & tell at the next retreat.
DeleteThis is beautiful Gretchen! I can't believe you got the quilt for $20!!! I think you did a great job of 'stretching that corner". You really have a gorgeous quilt! ~Jeanne
ReplyDeleteWow very beautiful and quilted well!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful work! Your idea for the corner binding was a good one too.
ReplyDeleteYou really did this top justice! The imperfections in quilts don't ever bother me, just part of their story. This top I am sure is so grateful to have been saved and finished so beautifully!
ReplyDeleteIsn't it interesting how we quilters give feelings to quilts; like how this quilt told me she wanted to be quilted? Only another quilter understands, nonquilters just look at me like I'm crazy when I tell them some quilts talk to me.
DeleteBeautiful job bringing that top to life. I've been challenged by a few of these old wonky tops but they do work out. It's rewarding to save them. Thanks for tips for the Grace frame rails. I'm going to try some ticking fabric and gorilla tape on mine.
ReplyDeleteWell done! Such a treasure!
ReplyDeleteThat is really an amazing finish, Gretchen! The contrast between your unquilted photos (especially that white sashing in the middle) and after quilting is so striking. And to remember you got the quilt top for $20, too - wow! Do you have any idea who pieced it? I bet that quilter would love to see it now!
ReplyDeleteI asked Theresa, the lady who sold it at the retreat, if she had pieced it. She said she bought it at a garage sale and didn't know who pieced it. Im looking forward to showing Theresa the treasure she sold for $20. She'll be happy to see it quilted too.
Deleteit turned out great - I love the texture of the quilt - I knew when you got done with it that the ruffling that had been there wouldn't be noticeable. Great work!! and to think you got it for $20. I got my leader fabric at Hobby Lobby for my frame a couple years ago - I don't know if they still have it but I have seen it at two Hobby Lobby's in Arkansas as of last winter - they have a red/natural or a blue/natural and it is by the batting in both stores
ReplyDeleteWhat a spectacular job you did in preserving this old quilt top, Gretchen!! I think the maker would be well pleased to know how you transformed her somewhat-less-than-perfect piecing into something of a masterpiece. Well done!
ReplyDeleteI love how you saved this vintage top! It is almost as beautiful on the back as it is on the front. You solved all of the challenges it presented. Your friends will be amazed! Congratulations on a job well done.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great finish! I'm in awe of how smooth it looks now
ReplyDeleteDon't you love it when a $20 rescue finishes as a million dollar winner?!? It's really beautiful!!! :)
ReplyDeleteCongratulations on your beautiful finish! Always love seeing your beautiful quilting! You certainly got rid of those puckers!
ReplyDeleteThis quilt needed the touch of a master quilter to bring out its true beauty, this is simply gorgeous!
ReplyDeleteStunning. Really beautiful.
ReplyDeleteSo wonderful, many congratulations. You certainly worked your quilting magic on this quilt, puckers and all. But you were confident that you could deal with them, and you did! Ive certsinly enjoyed seeing this masterpiece come to life, one blog post at a time.
ReplyDeleteYou definitely saved this little beauty and did a spectacular job quilting it. What a treasure.
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking up with Oh Scrap!
Gretchen, you did an amazing job on that quilt! Seeing the photo of the unquilted white section makes my heart race! You quilted it so patiently and beautifully. Great job! And thanks for the help on my blog!!!
ReplyDeleteHey, that pucker-y section looks absolutely fine after quilting!! Did you even use regular batting? Nothing extra lofty? Your resolution for the corner, using wider binding, is brilliant. It mitigated the problem you described, but also looks really good on this quilt. I'll be looking more calculatingly at my quilts from now on before I trim them after quilting - maybe some of them would like wider framing with the binding step!!
ReplyDeleteI did use a polyester batting because I thought it would be puffier but it was not extra loft. I think this is the widest binding I've ever sewn on a quilt but it looks great. Happy stitching!
DeleteWhat a treasure! I'm so glad the bleeding came out
ReplyDeleteI was concerned about the bleeding but I ran it through the washer twice and that took care of the problem.
DeleteBeautiful work and it is done! I always love to say my project is done. Nice backing fabric and quilting.
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely quilt you have saved by finishing it.
ReplyDelete