Transparency Quilt

I started this quilt for my great-nephew weeks and weeks ago.  But, of course, life gets in the way.  Thankfully, he won’t arrive until sometime early November.  But this week, I got it pin-basted and quilted.  I am really liking the look of this quilt as it is very simple, yet sophisticated.

The baby’s room is grey, and the parents are not really into “baby-cutesy”, so I think this will work.

The quilting is very simple , with an overall pattern of horizontal stippling.  While I really love some of the very intensive, complicated quilting that is really popular these days, I also think there’s a time and a place for simplicity….and this quilt needed simplicity.

Getting started with machine quilting.

Have to say, I love Machingers for machine quilting.  I’ll never go back to any other type of gloves for control and gripping.  They also keep my hands very cool, which can be a big deal.  No one wants to work up a sweat while machine quilting.

Also big on my list is the Bernina Stitch Regulator.  Whatever your quilting skill level, this adds an ease that I have just come to appreciate.  I can go at any speed and have the stitches be consistent every time.  Now, I have done enough machine quilting that I don’t necessarily need the stitch regulator, but I have found that it makes the job so much easier on me.  My shoulders don’t hunch quite as much. And I go way faster because the size of the stitch is not a struggle.

Quilting is finished.  Pattern by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr from their new book, “Transparency Quilts”.

Finally, I used a bias binding, as I want this quilt for my great-nephew to last a long time.  Bias binding has more fibers running along the edge of the quilt, so it will handle more washings, more rubbing, more overall use.  I always stitch the back of the binding by hand. I’m not one to use the machine for this final touch.  I’m not even sure why, except that I love the feel of hand-binding, I love the look, and I think it adds a touch of hand-sewn love to every quilt.

All that’s left at this point is a quilt label for my great-nephew.

Well that’s a lot of black and white for one blog post, even though I am a big fan of black and white.

So here’s a finished pic of the fall placemats.  They are colorful, completed and set up on the table.

Happy Stitching!