Wednesday 26 March 2014

And then there were three! Or - you might think I'm a basketcase...

Like buses my quilts are coming along in multiples!   You know wait around and then three buses/quilts come at once!

Well my month of quilting is really helping to finish off my UFOs.  I can really recommend it - collect a pile of quilt tops,  get the wadding ready and the backing ready and go mad quilting...

Number three then is one of my oldest UFOs.

I started out with a few hideous baskets in pink 




added some grey setting triangles, it wasn't enough....





then some flower blocks and some delicious lime!






My layout happened on the design wall - thank goodness for it!   Makes life so much easier.   I wanted a Green Tea and Sweet Beans style look and started by putting my baskets up on the wall and then filled in the gaps starting with the big holes and then adding smaller borders and filler sections.   Till the wall was full!

Now that was the first novelty!

The second novelty was a velveteen backing!   Now I have learnt a few things in the process which I will share with you


  • first of all velveteen like velvet has a nap - the pile needs to go in one direction and you find this out by stroking it.....quite a nice thing to do..
  • second it is heavy!   Build up your quilting muscles and support your quilt well
  • third it is a bit creepy  - I mean the backing shifts unless really well basted !   How do I know?  Unpicking stitches in velveteen is not so much fun as the stitches get buried in the pile.
  • I stuck to straight lines for my machine quilting as I thought there would be more shifting if I tried FMQ swirly stuff like I usually do!
  • the stitches get buried in the pile so you don't need to worry so much about how the quilting will look on the back.
  • I decided to add more quilting by tying and adding big stitch quilting
  • it is easy enough to push your needle through the velveteen - it is quite an open texture.
  • but you need to use big stitches as the fabric is quite thick!
  • I decided to bind it quickly for fear that it might unravel along the raw edge
Would I use velveteen again?  Yes if I could find it cheap enough but I might even hand quilt the whole thing next time!


Want to see the finished quilt?

Who am I to deny you....



Wot no quilting?  I assure you there is plenty you just cannot see it!











Didn't like the starting point but love the finish!

Linking up to Katy
Finish Along 2014

21 comments:

  1. Wow! This quilt turned out amazing! Love what you did with the lime and the flowers. Wonderful.:)

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  2. Wow! This quilt turned out amazing! Love what you did with the lime and the flowers. Wonderful.:)

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  3. You really turned those baskets around to become a fabulous quilt! I like your second title option;-) And, completely coincidentally I posted about quilts coming along like buses just 5 mins ago! Promise I didn't steal your metaphor!

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  4. What a fantastic makeover! Looks fab now, you must be very pleased

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  5. Wow Nicky!! This is so beautiful, those traditional baskets look so modern. I'm completely smitten with the use of lime and that divine hand quilting!

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  6. Great transformation - but all that AMH on the back - I think you are bonkers!!!

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  7. Amazing the transition from the first photo to the finished product. Your appliqué flowers really make it all come together. Gorgeous!

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  8. I think you are amazing Nicky, I love this so much, it is glorious!

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  9. There is so much to love about this Nicky! Great job! The lime green is a great addition too!

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  10. Wow! You did a great job! Finishing abandoned quilt blocks is soooo satisfying! A lovely quilt!

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  11. Those lime greens and au engines are just awesome together. This quilt is a total star!!!

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  12. Sorry to say but I did find your baskets boring at first. But the end product is such a transformation. Like the ugly little duckling; what a beauty it turned out to be. You did an amazing job. Determination have its rewards. Congrats.

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  13. It's lovely, but oops, sorry, could have told you that about the velveteen and basting spray. It goes double if you have voile on the other side o.O

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  14. it is beautiful :-) and I love the addition of the hand quilting.

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  15. What a brilliant transformation Nicky! Just goes to show what a bit of determination, and some bloody-mindedness can do :)

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  16. What a save! Totally brilliant! Jxo

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  17. Wow, another stunner. Absolutely loving it :)

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  18. Can I send you my orphaned blocks? And wait for the magic to happen?

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  19. The addition of lime green was inspired! Love all that hand quilting!

    P.S. My comments are also like buses and there's another two to come in quick succession!

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  20. Beautiful finish Nicky! The traditional blocks look so modern in your colour palette and design layout. It kind of reminds me do the Green Beans and Tea quilt that is so popular at the moment.

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