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July 26, 2013

Oink-a-Doodle-Moo Quilt Top

I'm happy to have completed a second quilt top this summer, two being a plethora of quilt accomplishments for mois … a pittance for most of vous. Forgive my French, it just surfaces sometimes.

I have a couple of charm packs of Oink-a-Doodle-Moo fabric and some yardage and this is what I made using one of those charm packs. It was supposed to be baby sized but it got a little out of hand despite my adjusting original plans that would have seen it even larger. Do you know any adults who would like an Oink-a-Doodle-Moo quilt? No, I didn't think so. So I managed to adjust down to what I think is a reasonable child-sized quilt. Those red strips were supposed to be wider pieces of the trucks and tractors print. That's what I get for not using a pattern and for not actually pencil-plotting a plan. Still, I'm pleased and hope some child will be, too. I picked up an end-of-bolt piece of red dimple minky which just happened to be the perfect size without any cutting. Apparently this size was meant to be. And, in retrospect, the addition of the unplanned, thin red strips in this quilt makes me happy. I like them.

If not for the minky, I think I'd try to quilt this one myself but minky just does not want to glide on my plexiglass sewing machine table thingie. It builds up static and it's a constant struggle trying to get it to move. If anyone has any tips for this, I'd be so grateful! Even though I have one of those superslider mats, it doesn't fit on for straight-line quilting and I have yet to graduate to free motion, for which it's intended. So, I'll be calling my handy-dandy longarm quilter to finish this one for me.

Note to self: Start practicing free-motion quilting, big chicken!

I hope to start a second Oink-a-Doodle-Moo quilt this weekend … maybe a bear paw pattern. And this one will be a legit baby size as intended for a baby already 3 months old!

Note to self: Hurry up already!
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4 comments:

  1. The first baby quilt I made was too small for a regular single bed and I ended up making that grandson a "big boy" quilt. I do't know if I will be around to do the same for the other seven grad-kids, so I am making them a bit less babyish and a lot bigger.

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    1. Well, that's a reasonable way to look at it, Julie. I feel the same way. I'm trying to get quilts made for my family and everyone else I love ... a very tall order indeed. The odds of me being able to make multiple quilts for any one person is very unrealistic so perhaps getting one bigger quilt instead of a teeny one is perfectly reasonable. I appreciate the insight and I concur completely.

      Maybe we both live long enough to make a lot more quilts!

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  2. HI Heather, Nice quilt, your design really highlights the fabric. I bought some of this line too but haven't cut into it yet. I had some struggles with minky as well but I have since got a walking foot and just noticed today that there are some excellent tips and links on this blog: http://www.cluckclucksew.com/ So I may just get my nerve up to try again - someday !

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    1. Thanks so much for your comment and for the link. I've read through the information I found there and have posted a few questions already. I can't find anything about my particular problem. Maybe everyone else has a set-up where their machines drop into a table. I sew on my dining room table and use one of those plexiglass surfaces, which I find so helpful in every regard ... except when sewing with minky. The two seem to create a static force field that prevents the minky from gliding across the surface. Very aggravating because you would think the minky would just glide through like butter. Argh.

      My pfaff has a built-in walking foot, which I use for everything quilty but it sure doesn't help with my minky issues. I just arranged to send that Oink-a-doodle-moo quilt top (with it's minky back) off to the long arm quilter. Problem solved. For now. But I really want to be able to do smaller minky-backed quilts on my own machine. Right now I hand quilt them but I'm so slow.

      Thanks again. I really appreciate your suggestions. So helpful. Even to know that I'm basting mine the way others are recommending. Just by chance. I was only winging it but I've got that part nailed.

      Cheers!

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