Tuesday, June 26, 2012

Finishing a Flimsy


I've gotten back to my Halloween Trips quilt top.  I need to get this one finished up soon.  I've had the top put together for awhile, but the holdup was the border. I finally decided what I wanted to do for the border.  Then I decided to find some fabric in my stash that would work, rather than go buy fabric.  I finally found a piece I've had for at least 10 - 15 years, and I had enough of it, if I was very careful.  Yay for shopping the stash!  The border is a little skinnier than what I usually like to do, and I did have to piece together some strips to have enough on the last two corners. . . . I just squeaked by!


I took my inspiration from Joe Tulips' awesome Zombie quilt, making some "stealth-mode" flying geese.  I have them by every corner, and they are all made with all the different black fabrics that are in the body of the quilt.  They're not all that easy to see, but fun to find when you do see them.  

Dunkel

I'm actually making this Halloween quilt to fit my bed, instead of being the same size as my design wall, which most of my quilts turn out to be.  When I was putting the top on the bed to check the size, I had some "help", of course.  So you're also seeing the quilt that is on the bed as well. (you can see the photo of that one here)  Sorry for the blurry photos - the kitties are getting good at avoiding the camera anymore.

Shade



Because this top is way too big for my design wall, I had to move furniture and lay it out on the living room "design floor".  Here I am starting the pieced back of the quilt. I just started putting pieces on top of the quilt top.  That way I'll know when it's the right size without having to measure.  Lazy?  Maybe.  (Yes, this photo looks weird.  It's upside-down from how I took the photo while I was standing on the staircase.)  I decided that I really don't need all those Halloween panels hanging around in the stash, but I still like them.  So putting them on the back of this quilt is a good way to use them.  Besides, I like 2-sided quilts.  

I'm almost done with the back now - it has taken me 2 weeks, off and on, to get this done.  Of course, the cats have frolicked though this layout a couple of times now, but it's generally the same.  The worst part of this whole process is trudging down the stairs to measure and lay out the pieces, then up the stairs to cut more pieces and sew, repeating endlessly.  This is much harder than just piecing the top, and I've often wondered just WHY I'm doing this! *sigh*  I know it will be worth it in the end, and I'm using up lots of bits from my stash, so I persevere.  I hope to have this done and in the mail by tomorrow. 

I wonder how many more trips up and down the stairs that will take?  Does that count as an aerobic workout? 

9 comments:

  1. It is a workout, but probably not aerobic. My doctor is happy with the steps any way they happen. She says there are studies that say any exercise is good exercise.

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  2. Great quilt!! And I love the back too. Just think how you are making your quilt in the way they did in the old days. It's "improvising," not lazy. Congratulations on your finish!

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  3. I have to do the same thing, trekking up and down the stairs to lay out things in my livingroom floor space. It's just so irritating! hehe Love your stealth flying geese in the border. Great idea!

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  4. Doesn't it feel good to get something finished! Looks wonderful.

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  5. That back is awesome. I love it when you can use what you have and make it all work!! It is like a challenge...and even better when you get it to all fit together. Love it.

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  6. YIPPEE! How cute! Good for you shopping from your stash! I love it when that fabric that has been hiding out in my stash f-o-r years finally gets a home!

    Of course, your backs are always brilliant! I've told you before your backs could be another quilt top! This one I really like!

    Way to go girl!

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  7. Fun quilt! I love the stealth flying geese! Or are they bats in the night? I am going to keep them in mind for a medallion quilt effort.

    I've been running (er walking) up and down stairs, too. Packing for Maine... stuff downstairs... stuff upstairs... and the bags they go in are in opposite places, of course!

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  8. Love that Halloween Trips quilts. I like the addition of the phantom flying geese. It really adds to the border design. Glad you had enough fabric to finish the borders. I like your Halloween bed quilt also, It is very visible that the kitties like it, too!

    Stairs are definitely an aerobic exercise for sure! Way to go girlfriend!

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  9. hello, kitties! love love love to them. whee for Halloween - so fun to look at those fabrics and figure out which ones I have too. Probably have enough Halloween fabric to make 10 quilts...

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