Project Linus #8

I finished my challenge quilt! I just did simple quilting through all the block centers, and then added more diagonal quilting through the corner squares on each block. Those lines aren't continuously straight, because the width of the borders+sashing was wider than the squares. But I just connected the corners, so that the lines zig-zagged a bit. It ended up giving the quilting an interesting look!



For the backing, I used a really wild Alexander Henry print, called "Stylish girls" (I got 6 yards of it for $3 at that awesome garage sale a while back). I know it doesn't match perfectly, but you'll have to trust me that it looks okay. :-) I think it will be perfect for a "tween" girl.



Here's a shot with both sides. And look - I even got the Project Linus label sewed on!



Things I learned with this one:

• I tried low-loft poly batting for the first time, and found that it's not too bad to work with. I got some for free at a garage sale last summer, from a long-arm quilter who hooked me up with the local Project Linus chapter. I had been putting off using it, but I really didn't want to use that super poofy high-loft poly batting on this quilt. So, I tried the low-loft stuff. It was easy to work with, and it quilted up fine. My main complaint is that it's not opaque enough, and you can sort of see the back through the white (bleached muslin) on the front. From now on, I'll be sure to not use it for quilts with a lot of white.
• I was lazy, and I didn't take the time to trim off fraying threads around the blocks after I added the sashing. And, of course, you can see many stray threads through the bleached muslin, especially for the blue framed squares. I'm a little bummed about that, but I'll do better next time. Or maybe I'll give up on that bleached muslin. I love that it's inexpensive and so crisp and clean looking, but I have a hard time sewing with it (my machine likes to "eat" it at the beginning of seams) and it's more transparent than regular cotton.
• I tried marking quilting lines for the first time. I don't have a hera marker, so I dug into my neglected scrapbooking supplies and tried my trusty old bone folder. It worked great! This is one area that the bleached muslin did better in; it took the marking much better than the regular fabrics.
• The challenge fabric worked fine for the binding. It was a little bulky at the corners, but still manageable. It was really nice to have one continuous piece, and not have to worry about seams. I think I will be using it for many more bindings in the future! Gotta use up the roll somehow!