Tuesday, June 22, 2010

Coming in for a Landing


Ladies and gentlemen, we are making our final approach. Please fasten your seat belts, turn off all electronic devices, and return your seats to their upright positions.

Nah, just basting a quilt on my kitchen floor. Kind of looks like a runway though, doesn't it?

I'm too sexy for my quilt...too sexy for my quilt...

Oops, wrong kind of runway.

On Sunday, the planets aligned and I had both the time and inclination to land this UFO from earlier in the year. I put the backing together in the morning, basted it after lunch, and started quilting it in the evening. The force was with me, and I finished quilting it at around 11 p.m.

Painter's tape--it's not just for basting. It works pretty slick for marking straight lines to quilt along. You can reuse the pieces several times too.

This seemed on the small side when I first pieced it, but I guess it's normal person throw size. I thought I'd finish it up as a graduation gift for my niece, Kayla.

I had a brain fart when I first bought the fabric for this quilt and bought only half a yard of the backing fabric. So a couple weeks ago, I bought the correct amount online--and would you believe it was still not enough? Come to find out the instructions were wrong. No way was the backing wide enough, so I had to piece a section along one long edge using the other yardage I'd initially bought.

Today I machine stitched on the binding, and I'll hand sew it down over the next couple of days.

Pink astilbe in all its fine plumage on the north side of the house. It's the showgirl of the Hosta Strip!


7 comments:

Shay said...

Thanks so much for putting that song in my head....arghhhhhhhhhhhhhh.

Love the fact you finished. Cacked myself when I read you had a brain fart with the backing purchase. I do stuff like that all the time because I'm so crap at working out how much of anything I need.

I'm sure your niece will love it. Great finish!

Sarah Craig said...

I got so tired of not having enough backing material that I started piecing all my backings! That way I don't have to worry about whether I have four plus yards of any one fabric on hand...... That's a beautiful quilt!!

Michelle said...

Way to go on getting the lovely quilt done! Your niece will be so thrilled.

Hey cool idea about the painter's tape.

I always wanted to grow Astilbe. Never had a place shady enough for it.

Okay, had to laugh about the song.... ;-)

GaAm said...

It's beautiful, as are all your things. That song is hilarious. It always cracks me up.

Browndirtcottage said...

....LOLOLOL...this is tooo funny...I have a t-shirt in my closet that tells me I'mm too sexy!!!
Yes....but I LOVE your 'runway' quilt...it is FAB!!!!

Elizabeth said...

Did Right Said Fred do anything else besides I'm Too Sexy? LOL! Loved seeing how you used painter's tape for marking your quilt! Love your blog.

Oh, and you just reminded me that I have a coral colored astilbe. I wonder where it is this year?

Kristen said...

I love blue tape! Seriously RSF is so silly.