If you are in the US, hopefully you are enjoying your Labor Day holiday. Being retired, it's just another Monday in our schedule. Though we do usually skip our normal chores if it's a holiday, so we feel like we've celebrated. Which means I get a three day weekend in the sewing room.
My priority this weekend was to get Squared Away (Soscrappy) ready to go to the long armer this next week. If I want it back before Christmas that needs to happen. First job was to press and then cut the wide backing to size.
That was an all day deal as I had to fold the fabric two different ways to get it cut to size. But that's ready to go. Yesterday I started prepping the quilt top.
The first four rows are pressed and de-threaded. That leaves just two rows and the bottom border to take care of today. Unfortunately the black fabric that I used in the sashing unravels really easily, so there were a lot of black threads to remove.
That's a pretty good pile and I'm not done yet. But since most of the blocks have white/light backgrounds, getting those black threads off is important.
There wasn't much progress on Celtic Solstice (Bonnie Hunter), but there had been good progress earlier in the week. All the 4-patch chain alternate blocks were finished at the end of last month. The main block has lots of parts, 52 pieces per block. I had enough of the centers and corner units for 5 blocks, but needed to make the chevron units before starting to assemble the blocks. That meant I needed to cut fabric, so I cut all the parts needed to make the rest of the components.
I had enough of the orange/teal HSTs to make the block centers, but I still need some for the corner units. I've made a good start on the chevron units, had enough to finish up two more of the main blocks. So this is what was up on the design wall by the end of the weekend.
One block is sitting at the sewing machine partially assembled. Still lots of block components to make. I definitely won't finish all the main blocks this week, but I should make good progress.
Sewing time can be dangerous because it gives your mind opportunities to wander while you are sitting at the machine. My version of Celtic Solstice has been 13 years in the making. I started wondering if anyone else had waited so long. Looking that the Quiltville Open Studio page on Facebook, I found two quilters that just finished assembling their versions in February and August of this year. So I'm not the only one that didn't get back to her version very quickly.
Linking up with Patchwork & Quilts and Sew & Tell Monday.
10 comments:
I think my Celtic Solstice pieces ended up in another quilt.
I always wonder why certain quilting fabrics unravel so much. I have a quilt top that did that, too - and it's a solid fabric. It's kind of frustrating! You're making great progress on Celtic Solstice!
13 years. I can relate! I do have a quilt that’s about one third quilted that is of that…longevity(?) slow process(?) I think I have a stack ‘n whack one about that age too that is still in the ‘mostly blocks’ stage. The BH is looking good though! Yuck on the de-threading—my most-hated task and one I mostly do not do except for perfunctorily! Good thing I’m my own longarmer!
I love that you know at least two other quilters have finished Celtic Solstice this year. With so many pieces, the main blocks are a lot of work and I can see progress!
Did you do anything different with Bonnie's pattern? I have admired yours so much I really should purchase the pattern. It has the look of curves, but I assume they are not? At any rate, I love yours!
Great work on your BH quilt! They are a lot of work, but great for stash busting and always a show stopper!!!
LOL I think I have some "quilts in the making" that have been lingering. I guess they get completed when they call for us. Right? LOL Dethreading is a process . Sounds like you had a busy but lovely weekend. Hugs.
Love that backing fabric. Celtic Solstice is a pretty pattern! Ugh - do you really pull all the threads off the back of the quilt? I'm so impressed. I always mean to do that but my attention span doesn't follow through.
The paisley backing is beautiful! Well done de-threading all the top, it's always a lot of work but you are right, sometimes the dark threads show through on the right side. Thank you for sharing your work in progress and linking up!
Thats a super cool backing tho!!!
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