Art of Quilting - Final

I am so glad to be writing this final post about the Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt.  I finally finished it and will be starting the new year without this UFO.

I learned a few lessons quilting this one.  Stitch in the ditch and echo is just too time consuming for such a large project.  Quilt as you go would definitely have been a better choice.  Although this fabric was not my choice but came with the magazine, polyester cotton does not lend itself very well to quilting as it does not have any stretch whatsoever.  So, as a result there is plenty of puckers.  Definitely not a show piece, but it will keep my son warm.

I did not realise when I started quilting it that it would keep me busy for almost 6 months.  In my defense, my husband broke his femur in April just when I started it and my mother had been in hospital for 2 months as well.  I sandwiched it September 2015 and just put it on hold until I finally plucked up enough courage to quilt it.  Concentrating on one block at a time finally got me through it.

For the back I used sheeting and utilized the leftovers for the binding

and added this label I embroidered. 

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt

The quilt top is completed and ready to be sandwiched.  Yeah!

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 73-90

The last few blocks are complete and I am busy finishing the top so that I can start the quilting process. 

Blocks 73-74 and 78-79

Blocks 75,77 and 84-85

Blocks 80 and 87

Blocks 82-83 and 89-90

 

Block 88

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 64 to 72

With these blocks completed, 3/4 of the quilt's top is finished - 60 blocks!  Only 20 to go.

Block 64 and 71

Block 68,  70 and 72

Blocks 65, 66, 67 and 69

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 62 to 64

Another 3 blocks finished and block 56 fixed.

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 46 to 47 and 52 to 60

Another 11 blocks finished and ready to be added to the assembled top.

Blocks 46-47 and 53-54

Blocks 52 and 59-60

Blocks 55 to 58 (made a mistake with one block though and only discover it afterwards - will have to unpick the whole block.  Not so nice :-(



The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 42 - 45 and 48 - 50

With the long weekend almost over, I managed to catch up with all the blocks I received thus far.   The quilt top is halfway done at this stage.  With all the finished blocks sashed and stitched together, it is turning into a lovely piece.

Blocks 42-44
 

Blocks 45 and 48 to 50

 



The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 35 to 40

Another 6 blocks over and done with.

Blocks 35 to 37
 

Blocks 38 to 40

 

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 5,18 and 29 to 34

After mainly focusing on my Innovative Quilt project for the year, I was looking forward to continue with this quilt.   My previous post for this quilt, was March already!   I can't believe the year has flown by so fast.  I have seriously fallen behind and need to catch up to block 50.  The blocks are sashed and stitched together after every 10 finished, so it is growing all the time.  Quite exciting!

After making a mess of Blocks 5 and 18, I got replacements and was at last able to finish them.  Whilst taking photo's outside, the wind blew them into the pool.  They were still wet when this photo was taken, that's why they look a little rumpled.



Blocks 5 and 18

Blocks 29, 30 and 32

Blocks 33 and 34

Now I'm off to cutting and stitching the following batch.

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 25-28

After having yet again major problems with our internet and numerous calls, a technician was finally send out last week and it looks like the problem was finally fixed.  I am completely finished with our current service provider.  Now if only I could get them to cancel the current contract, I can migrate the line to another service provider.  This process is ongoing for the last month already and yet again, nothing is happening. 

That said and done, I stitched another 4 blocks of this quilt.  The next four issues is again way overdue.  Africa time.

 

 

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 22-24

After all the previous hick ups, this quilt is now moving forward at a steady pace.  Sasching of the first 20 blocks is done and 6 blocks are already stitched together. 

Blocks 25-28 arrived yesterday and I just finished cutting all the templates.  This means that the quilt top is nearly 33% done.

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 17, 19 and 20

After the initial poor start with the subscription service, the blocks now arrive like clockwork on time every 4 weeks or so.  I even managed to catch up to the issues currently on sale in the shops.  They are even going to replace two issues I made a mess with at no extra cost!  How's that for service?  I'm rather impressed.

Blocks 17, 19 and 20

Blocks 21-24 is lying in wait to be stitched.  I am however currently working hard on my kaleidoscope quilt for our general meeting on the 7th of February.

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 6 to 16

After struggling for 3 months to get the next batch and nearly cancelling my subscription, I finally received the outstanding blocks.  During the same time, I ordered fabric from America which arrived within 3 weeks.  Much faster importing stuff from 8 000 km's away than just 400 km's....  Africa time - why do anything today if you can do it tomorrow, or next week or next month or even next year???



Blocks 6-8



Blocks 9-10 (with sasching added) and Blocks 12-13

Blocks 14-16

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 3 and 4

Blocks 3 and 4 done, although still needing refinement.  Will square the blocks when all are done.

Each issue contains history pages with interesting facts of historical quilts.  I also enjoy the project pages where you can get even more inspired.  Instructions for a Suffolk puff and a Rouleau are featured in Issue 3 and 4.  Although the 4 blocks thus far was all cut from templates and then constructed, it does teach one how to line up all those little corners.

The Art of Quilting Sampler Quilt - Blocks 1 and 2

Last week, a very dear friend of mine (31 years and counting), Rika van der Merwe, asked me to teach her to quilt.  I've heard about this new series, The Art of Quilting, and suggested taking this course. 

We bought the first 2 issues and sew the first 2 blocks on Saturday.  They look like this:

Casper admiring the blocks...

We may or may not finish the whole double bed quilt - it all depends on how expensive it gets and the techniques taught.

You can read more about this project here.

Another new project...