Jean MaDan: Done

Seeing as binding this was the subject of my last post, this finish is hardly surprising.

72" x 90"

I stepped out of my comfort zone and used a different technique with my free-motion quilting. Instead of marking the quilt (I would've marked the plainer-looking back), or tracing the design onto Press 'n Seal and sewing through strips of that (as I do in a previous post), I printed out the actual size of the pattern I wanted to use and eye-balled it as I went along.

"Fantasy Flame". The paper soon got pinned to the thread guide bar above the spool holder.

After a row or two I was familiar enough with the flow of this to proceed without the crutch of the paper.

On the tables

Wow. I hadn't realized how much time I'd been spending outside, constructing a patio extension and clearing out overgrown weeds and other growth. But, 3 days of rain and a chance encounter with some urushiol-bearing plant has me inside again, waiting for the ground AND the blisters on my forearms to dry up.

In the meantime, I sewed together 3 pieces of flannel to create a back for the Jean MaDan top, and that's what I've been pinning for the last couple of days. (I pinned paper napkins around my forearms to prevent further irritation or contact with them--it's too hot to wear long sleeves.)

Design Wall: Jean MaDan Stacked Blocks

Click here for free tutorial of Jean MaDan's Stacked Blocks pattern

Half the blocks put up to see how it's going to look.

I was poking through my bins of 100% cotton strings last month and uncovered the plastic pouch of all the half-triangle squares I made back in 2/2017, so decided to stop saving and start doing. There were 80 of those HTSs in that pouch, making a nice 8x10 layout, and based on my chart of quilt sizes I decided a 9.5" block would create the size quilt I wanted. I prefer to make 'em big, especially if they'll probably be donated to a shelter or a needy family.

WIP to UFO: time to piddle

My latest WIP has been taken down from the design wall (new iron, see? My old one was dropped one time too often and was leaking. I make it a habit not to use electrical appliances that leak)...

...and transferred to the "Ready to Quilt" rack: