Yesterday was Family Day in most of Canada, a holiday to take time off work and school to enjoy the day together. So of course, I spent hours in my workshop hand-stitching the binding of my Double Wedding Ring quilt. I only had a few more scallops to sew and I just wanted to, HAD to, get it finished.
I swear my left arm is damaged, it aches so much! I really got the hang of doing my blind stitch and the bias binding looks beautiful around the curves of the arcs. However, and I am invoking the 'galloping horses' rule for quilting here, the mitered dips leave much to be desired. Mimi Dietrich suggested clipping the inside layers of the dip but I think that created more trouble for me when folding over the binding. I have a couple nice looking dips but mostly they are sort of fake miters and a bit of a mess. Oh well.
I created a label with the details of the quilt in a beautiful font (Vivaldi) suitable to the formality of the Downton Abbey fabric. I added that the quilt was designed by Gail Kessler and included a photo when the two of us met. I appliqued it to a blue piece of the arc triangle fabric ready to attach to the back of the quilt...and then re-thought my choice. While the photo is great for posterity I decided it didn't suit the quilt style and I re-made the label with just the writing part. I will scrapbook the photo with a picture of the completed quilt instead.
Once the label is sewn on I am going to take the quilt to the laundromat and wash it. I remember a great story told by Mary Fons about "How to Wash a Quilt in 6 Easy Steps" (you can read her post HERE because she tells it much better) but basically, you load the quilt in a washer, add soap, put a folded towel on the ground, press start, and then get on your knees on the towel and pray! That's pretty much going to be me today.
Here is the Downton Abbey Double Wedding Ring quilt by the numbers:
10,044: area of quilt in square inches
2,000+: metres of thread used
1,358: wedges cut from fabric to paper piece arcs
880: miles driven to Oley, PA to meet designer Gail Kessler and have her sign my quilt swatch
450+: dollars spent on fabric, thread, and batting
194: paper pieced arcs
42: completed blocks
6: months working on this quilt
1: king-sized quilt completed on my domestic sewing machine!
Well done Angie, the quilt is gorgeous!
Posted by: Ann Bawol | February 17, 2015 at 10:52 AM
What a beautiful journey - thanks for sharing it with us. Your quilt is quite an achievement - one of which you should be proud.
Posted by: Sandy Navas | February 17, 2015 at 11:14 AM
I am in awe. What an amazing quilt. I am honored to have traveled this experience with you. How very proud you should and must be to have completed this beautiful piece of art. And it looks so pretty on the bed. Ahhhhhhhhh. Love it!
Posted by: Karen | February 17, 2015 at 01:57 PM
Congratulations Angie. Your quilt is beautiful. Something to be very proud of. I love it. What an accomplishment.
I just finished ditching my Swoon, now on to the fun stuff.
Posted by: Diane S. | February 17, 2015 at 03:12 PM
Congratulations. The quilt is gorgeous.
Posted by: Wendy Searcy | February 19, 2015 at 07:46 AM
Oh, it's soooo beautiful! Congratulations!!!
Posted by: Maureen | February 20, 2015 at 03:47 AM
I am "proud as punch" and so happy for you! I know a little about you and finishing this as well as you have gives a wonderful feeling of accomplishment. I wish I had such tenacity:) I follow OTKC and your adventures with joy and smiles... Hugs, to you ,, GrammaBabs
Posted by: Barbara Johnson | February 20, 2015 at 09:45 AM