Finally! I have finished hand-quilting all 12 blocks of Sue Garman’s “Bouquet For A New Day”.
Now I can start the border! I had my stencil picked out for the outer border and I was raring to go. I must admit, the half-square triangles had me a bit stumped. I know I could just quilt in the ditch, but I know myself well enough to know that boredom would quickly set in! So I decided on circles. Lots of circles!
The stencil I chose for the outer border did not fit the border exactly so here is what I did to make it fit. The stencil does have a nicely turned corner so I didn’t have to figure that out! First, I drew a line at the centre point of the border.
Next, I started tracing the stencil at the corner, and continued until I reached the centre mark.
Then, I flipped the stencil over and continued tracing.
And this is the nifty little design I ended up with at the centre of the border! Spiffy!
And guess what? When I got to the next corner, it fit perfectly!!
Til next time…
Kerry
I
Simple Bird Applique 
ohhh that is so beautiful !
The quilt and your quilting are gorgeous.
Thanks so much!
Wow – that looks superb! Love the quilting you have chosen. I never know whether it is best to mark the quilt design before basting the sandwich or whether it is better to do it later. You have proved it is possible to get great accuracy after it is basted – your grid is wonderful! I am usually too keen to get going to plan it all first – and tend to make a lot up as I go! The quilt I am working on now is going to get pre-marked because I know what I am doing ahead.
I usually am in such a hurry to get stitching that I baste it without any thought to have I am going to stitch it. Once it is basted, I start to get a few ideas. Then I mark the designs. It really does make a lot more sense to mark the quilt top when it is unbasted!
Lovely quilt and beautiful quilting.
Thanks!
That is gorgeous Kerry! You must have been quilting up a storm in Nova Scotia!!
I was working on my applique blocks in Nova Scotia. All the hand-quilting is since I have been back!
This is beautiful workmanship, Kerry! Thanks for sharing your technique for working out the border to fit your quilt. What kind of marker do you use for quilting designs when you hand quilt? Is that regular pencil, or something different? All those crazy wash away, heat away, disappearing markers make me very leery, especially with a hand quilting project where the marks have to be on the quilt for several months before I can wash the finished quilt.
Thanks! I use a Frixion marker to mark all my quilt lines. I know there is a bit of controversy about these markers, but I continue to use them. (Buyer beware!)
I love them because I can mark the whole quilt top without worrying about the lines disappearing. I have removed some of the lines. (I did this in a class to show students how they work.) I use a steam iron and hold the iron a few inches away from the quilt. I never touch the iron to the quilt top, I just let the steam do the work. I highly recommend experimenting with this (and all) markers on scrap fabric before marking a whole quilt. Once this quilt is finished and the marks are removed, I will put it in the freezer to see what happens!
Beautiful quilting. And clever you for getting your border to work – neat!!
Thanks!
I live in Toronto but had not really been to the Royal York Hotel long enough to have a good look around. Your work is exquisite. Are you not going to do Esther Aliu’s Love Entwined quilt?
Next time you are at the Royal York, have a look at the ceiling. And the carpet! Lots of quilts just waiting to be stitched! I am going to do Love Entwined! I just want to finish up a few things first, but I am keeping a close eye on everyone’s progress!
Beautiful work! Great explanation too about how to get the border design to come together. Your hand quilting is fabulous!
Gee…thanks!!
This is so lovely – and love how the border is turning out. How long do you estimate a quilt this size takes you to hand quilt?
That’s a really good question! I started hand-quilting this quilt around the end of last October. I really only hand-quilt for a couple of hours in the evening.
Now that I am working on the border, I really want to get it finished and move on to the next adventure!!
Wow!! Just wow!!!!
A stunning quilt. Beautiful quilting!
Thanks!
Your quilt is beautiful. You do nice quilting
Thanks so much!
Wonderful quilting and great tip on the border. What is your favorite batting for hand quilting?
My favourite quilt batting is wool. It is easy to quilt through and is a natural fibre so it breathes. I also like to use Hobbs Polydown.
Kerry, Hello again! 🙂 The quilt is beautiful, as is all your work that you share with us. And your quilting is pure inspiration. Thank you so much for sharing what you did to make the border stencil work on this quilt. I think I need to print a copy of this post and save in my binder of quilting tips. Also, I was happy to see that someone asked about your favorite quilt batting, because as I read this post and looked at the pictures I wondered what sort of batting you used and was about to ask the same thing. I always think that quilting with wool batting is like like using the proverbial hot knife to slice through butter. Thanks again, Jay
Hi Jay..thanks for the great comments! I was actually going to say that hand-quilting with a wool batt is like quilting through butter, but I didn’t think anyone would get it!
Kerry
OH MY! What a fantastic quilt!! The circles quilted in the HST’s is genius!!
I MUST get some stencils, they would make my hand quilting marking a w-h-o-l-e lot
easier AND faster. Sometimes I mark before I quilt and sometimes I baste together with
no idea of what I will do. I have a couple of quilts that have been laying upstairs on a bed
for over a year……basted…….just waiting…….to be quilted…….just waiting…….for me to decide how I will quilt them.
The decisions are ENDLESS when making a quilt!!!
Wonderful hand quilting, love the circles on the half square triangles!
You are just incredible, Kerry!
Your quilts are just wonderful. Would you share with us on how you hand quilt? Large floor frame or hoop? I love your applique. You make it seem so easy . At the end of my day I love to see the beautiful work you share with us .
Thanks for the lovely comments! I use a 14″ hoop and I quilt on my lap. Lately, I have been thinking of graduating to a floor frame. The technique I use for applique is very easy…once you get the hang of it!