Well, I did it. I knew I would (that's probably why I let it happen in the first place). I let myself get behind on the one goal I set for myself this year. Completing the Aurifil 2015 Mystery Designer BOM challenge. My goal was to complete each mini quilt as soon as I could after they were published. I managed to keep a pretty good pace until September hit.
September's designer was Valori Wells and she brought us Indigo Crossing. You can read Pat Sloan's interview with Valori here. So you might ask, why, dear Tisha, did you stumble and not complete this tiny innocent little quilt on time? (Warning: it's a bad answer) Indigo Crossing is an improv piece based on a traditional log cabin. So what's the problem? I've never really tried improv and was (for some bizarre reason) too intimidated to give it a try. From there I just lost my steam.
I decided NO I am not going to fail at my one and only goal. Improv I shall! I decided the best starting point was to pull out my Scraptastic Award and channel once again my inner, Grandma Carver. I dug through the scraps until I had a pretty good pile of blue, gray and white scraps to pay with. When I started separating my pile into lights, mediums and darks, I found a random bright pink strip had managed to sneak its way in. I decided to leave it.
I even found several pre-pieced strips started by Mrs. Carver and decided I needed to work them into the piece as well. How cool is that??
Slowly I started the process of sewing and trimming.
Things continued to grow and a small bit of pink made its way in.
Until finally I felt I had went far enough.
Looking at the pictures as I write this post, I'm not sure why I decided to do what I did next, but it felt right at the time. I pulled out my ruler and trimmed my piece to be 12 1/2" square.
Now it was time to think about quilting. Since the piece has so many straight lines, I thought some curves were in order. I decided to start with a circle near the small white center square and spiral out using Aurifil blue #2780. I thought that it would be easier to sew my spirals using my walking foot, but soon found out that it's not as easy as one might think. The width between my lines of quilting started to vary in width, but I was perfectly okay with that. This is an improv piece so those became my improve circles. About half way through, I switched to my free motion foot. Stitching that way was just easier for me.
In no time at all, I had finished all of my curves and trimmed the quilted square. By reading blog posts over at Meadow Mist Designs Best of 2015 Linky Party I was introduced to Aunt Marti at 52 Quilts. She shared with us a great machine binding tutorial she calls Susie's Magic Binding Tutorial and a video version of the tutorial. There is a reason it's her most viewed post...it's amazing!!! This tutorial may change the way I bind quilts forever.
By using this method, I would create a dark blue binding for my quilt with just the tiniest pop of pink. Everything went surprisingly smoothly...
then I got to this step...combining my beginning and ending tails. But fear not, it honestly went just as smooth. I did keep my phone beside me and watch the video over and over as I went. Marti, does warn that sometimes this step takes more than one try, but I was able to get it first time. (Hold on for a moment while I find some wood to knock on)
For sewing my binding to the front of the quilt, I used Aurifil pink #1100 on top and Aurifil blue #2780 in my bobbin. I could not be happier with the results.
I have to admit, when I envisioned taking pictures of this finished piece back when I started piecing it around Thanksgiving, I couldn't wait to see it against the fluffy white background of Christmas snow. We have no snow. How did that happen?? It's 72 degrees and a rainy muddy mess in my neck of the woods, but that didn't stop me from trying to sneak out and snap a picture.
This brings me to nine out of twelve completed Aurifil Designer Mini's. Hopefully, within the next two weeks, I can share with you my versions of the remaining three. Stay tuned.
Today I'm linking up with Let's Bee Social, Linky Tuesday, and Main Crush Monday.
12 comments:
That pop of pink in the top being echoed in the flanged binding is lovely! Congratulations for overcoming the improv fear - I hope you can start a new project sometime with more confidence because of this lovely success.
Improv can be scary. Glad to see you overcame it.
Congratulations! I love the pop of pink. I have to go check out these minis.
That pop of pink is just perfect in your mini - it makes me happy! Congrats on your finish, and yay! for breaking through the improv barrier! :)
Great job with the improv Tish. The quilt turned out beautifully. Too bad about the snow. We finally have some now but I think it will melt later today. I also balk at trying new techniques, and then when I finally get around to doing them they seem so easy.
Great block, I love the tiny bit of pink in it.
Wow - I love this block. I can't believe it was so hard for you to get started - you look like you have the improve thing down pat!! The pink is great in there and the end result is awesome.
This post was so much fun to read! Good for you, Tish! I am so glad you did not give up. You tried so many new things in making this fabulous mini. And it sounds like you really enjoyed the process. Bonus! Looking forward to seeing the next one. Happy 2016!
You did it!! Improv shouldn't be scary, just crazy fun! I love that you added the pink. It's like a spark of light! I think it is fantastic!
I like the piped binding and I've never tried improv either. Another two things to add to my list!
Oh wow, I love this mini! Love that you kept that piece of pink. Don't think I would have (firstborn, order, follow the rules, probably why I have done next to no improv...), but it just gives the piece SUCH a little punch, you know? You make me want to do these for 2016.
Love your finished quilt and the pictures of the process too!
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