I'm down to the last few steps on the Double Wedding Ring quilt and it feels surprisingly weird to be so close to finishing. So much work has gone into this quilt and it's fun for me to read back on all the posts I've written documenting the process to see how far I've come. There have been some times of challenge and frustration but many small achievements along the way leading to the big reveal soon to come. It feels extremely satisfying to have accomplished this ambitious task. When sharing my progress with hubby I compared it in a sense to completing a marathon...and I can see the finish line just ahead.
In my last DWR post on the 7th I had just finished making the bias binding. Sewing that binding on the front of the scallops was a fairly challenging and slow process. I owe so much to Mimi Dietrich of the Finishing Schools: Edges & Bindings, not just for the incredible instruction and content in that class, but for the prompt personal replies she gave to my questions along the way. I love that so much about Craftsy - you really DO get access to these amazing (and famous in our community) instructors and they are truly so helpful. With her help I figured out how to machine stitch the binding to the curves and manage the inset dips between each scallop. Once I got it sewn I could really start to see the quilt take shape and it looked like I was going to be successful in getting the binding to lie flat and have the dips miter nicely.
Next up was the big trim! It was a little nerve wracking getting those razor sharp Ginghers so close to my quilt but they really are one of the most amazing purchases I have made in quilting. With absolutely no effort at all they cut through the layers and left a gorgeous, clean edge behind. It was kind of nice to use scissors instead of a rotary cutter and ruler - very easy to follow along the shape of the arcs. Trimming away the batting and backing suddenly revealed those giant scallops and it was very exciting!
Now I am at the point of hand-stitching the binding to the back of the quilt. You know that's not my favourite step but hand-sewing just has to be done on this special project. It is slow going for me and I'm trying to be very careful to take tiny stitches and secure them well. The quilt is so heavy that I want to make sure the binding is strong. I have done one scallop so far and I think it turned out well for my first attempt. It is flat and even; the miters seem to be co-operating well; there is a bit of of 'puff' here and there but overall I am happy with the result. It's still going to take me a couple weeks to get this done (the kids are off from school and home again all next week) and then I just need to make a label.
I did indeed do a test run at the laundromat. I took my store-bought 'quilt' and ran it through the wash in a 'triple load' machine - the biggest I could find. It is a front-load model without an agitator but it didn't look very roomy to me at all. It took half an hour and 19 quarters! I could watch through the window and it looked like things were holding together. The cycle didn't appear too violent but even though I selected the gentle cycle the spin at the end was quite powerful. I was a little worried but my test king-size comforter survived the process. I haven't ever washed it before since it's just a decorative part of the bedding and it was actually great to freshen it up.
I had no concerns about fitting the quilt in the super large dryer at the laundromat. I wasn't too sure which temperature to go for but since the machine costs $.25 for each five minutes, I decided on the 'hot' setting. I will probably choose medium for my DWR, and pay more, just so it doesn't get too hot. My store-bought test quilt is stippled and is mostly cotton so it did shrink a little bit. That was ok with me because it was a bit big for my bed before and I really like that it slightly puckered like an old quilt. This was a very worthwhile experiment: I now know where I can wash my king size quilt, which settings to use, how much it will cost, how long it will take, and I have confidence that it will come out intact! I already have my roll of quarters and I'm pretty sure I am going to guard my quilt while it's in the machine so I'm very glad the commercial models take much less time to complete the wash and dry cycles.
Angie I am looking forward to the great reveal. Your scallops and binding look great. That is not an easy quilt to make (that's what I am told) you have done a great job. I'm with you about not taking your eyes off it when you do eventually take it to the laundromat. Diane
Posted by: Diane S. | February 14, 2015 at 09:05 AM