A finish: Octo Quilt
Churning out the finishes frantically over here- calm on the surface but kicking away frantically below the water like a duck!
This is my Octo quilt and for a simple design it was a bit of a difficult birth. My iron was used away from home and on a makeshift mat which seemed to affect the temperature and resulted in burning a block. In an attempt to fix it I successfully bleached it but subsequently shrank it beyond use. I ended up making 13 24" blocks in total.Then my secondary pattern of Octagons didn't quite work as the triangles in the corners seem to have all been cut at 3" square instead of 3 1/2" whilst absentmindedly catching up on the Great British Sewing Bee one afternoon. I unpicked all 48 of the outer ones (leaving the inners, I'm not that crazy) after the blocks were already complete and re-did them. It just niggled me too much. I've now made the 3" triangles part of the written pattern. I don't think I'm one for wonky, especially if I am gifting it, I don't want them to think I'm a crap quilter. It's taken me between two and three weeks to make from start to finish.
Under the Octopus fussy cuts I've added another two pieces of wadding as trapunto to make them stand out. I used soluble thread in the bobbin for this for the first time, then cut away the excess close to the line and I think it was successful but maybe better if I had denser quilting, or a third layer! I did this before I sewed the blocks together for ease. I quilted in straight lines vertically, avoiding the octopus blocks every 1/2" or thereabouts, with 3" gaps between four patches. There are four Octopuses, one per line.
This quilt is going to Popular Patchwork first (I think), then when it is returned it's coming with us to Calgary for the Stampede this summer and will be gifted to the ex-pat family that invited us to stay with them in Okotoks. In its place in the suitcase I plan to purchase some more stash filling fabrics whilst out there. I got their name wrong though, so I need to redo the label!
I'm bored to death of white now. Other than my current WIPs, I really don't foresee another white background quilt any time soon. I'm thinking light grey or cream or an actual colour rather than a shade may be on the cards! Maybe that's why I love my Pancakes quilt so much? No white!Now the focus is on making two hanging sleeves for the show, another mini, a cushion, my BOM top and my dress of course! No imminent big projects for a while. Nice.STATSSize – 72” wide x 96″ tallNumber of blocks – 12Time to make– about 20 hoursFabric – A variety from stash oranges and navy! Plain white cotton that matches Klona white. Octopuses are from Tokyo Train Ride for Cotton + Steel.Backing Fabric – Charity shop duvet cut in half!Binding Fabric – More white Klona, machine bound.Threads – Coats Moon as per usual in white.Batting – 80/20 Soft and ElegantQuilting - Straight lines vertically with walking foot, 1/2" spaced, then 3" spaced.