Time to Chat

I have been single-mindedly focused on a king-size double wedding ring quilt which was commissioned and have dropped the ball on everything else while working on it. However, I am down to the short rows on having it completed after a relatively quick turnaround of only 6 months. Yes, it takes 6 months to cut, piece, baste, hand quilt, and bind a king-size quilt.

Let’s be really honest about what has to happen for a pieced and hand-quilted quilt to be created. After a design and size is chosen, the fabric has to be pulled from the stash and measurements made for what needs to be purchased to complete the project. Then there is the shopping – I know it seems like every color and print is available, but it is not. There are colors and scales to be taken into consideration. Does the quilt have a theme that needs to be followed?

When the supplies are all gathered, the cutting can commence. I utilize a rotary cutter and self-healing pad, rulers, and templates to standardize the cutting. To ensure a fresh start, I clean and maintenance my machine, replace the needle with a new one, and get my threading started. I try to chain piece as much as possible to conserve thread. Then I iron, sew, iron, and sew. I test the layout as I go to check the flow of pattern and colors. And finally there is a quilt top!

The quilt top gets sandwiched with batting and the quilt back. At this point there is basting. I typically put a stay stitch in each block to hold it all together while I hand quilt one hoop section at a time, starting at the center and moving toward the edges. Once it is quilted to the edges, the binding is applied, and I label the quilt.

If you are considering a handmade quilt, know that you are getting an investment. They do not happen overnight, and there is a lot of work and hours in every step of the process. A handmade quilt is a precious gift and an heirloom in the making.

Now back to the business of working on projects and sharing the happenings at This Lil Pig Studios!