Thursday 10 April 2014

Trumpet fanfare for my first ever quilt finish!



I'm feeling really pleased as I finally have a finished, bound and labelled quilt to show. I picked up my Hummingbird quilt yesterday from Sue Phillips of School House Quilting all ready to stitch down the binding and label. The quilting is edge to edge with a bit of a butterfly design. On the back it looks as if the butterflies are landing on the flowers.


I had asked for lots of advice about the label and tried all sorts of pens. None looked quite right. Maybe I'm just not neat enough. In the end I decided to use my machine to embroider the label on the background fabric (Spectrum plain latte) and the result is OK with me.



The binding is in the same fabric as the backing; Nel Whatmore's Secret Garden Hedgerow in the linen colour way. It's fantastically colourful and makes me happy so I think it will suit Lexie.


Now, the question is, to Wash or not to wash? What does everyone do at this stage? Leave well alone;  hand wash or gentle machine wash? Line dry or gentle machine dry?
I would really appreciate some views of this. I did not prewash the fabrics (I was banking on modern fabrics being stable) but I would put some colour catchers in the machine IF I decide to go ahead and wash.

I'm taking the quilt on Easter Sunday to Wiltshire along with lots of Easter eggs. I really hope she loves it on her new bed.


Enjoy the Spring sunshine,


Catherine


I'm linking up with TGIFF over at Quilt Matters with my first finish.






15 comments:

  1. Your quilt is so beautiful, I wish my first one had been half as good as yours is! I always wash my quilts in the machine, just a normal wash with a colour catcher or two (you can really see the extra dye on them, so they are well worth using). As soon as the cycle has finished, I hang it up to dry.

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  2. Congratulations on a great finish! In the past I have tended not to wash a finished quilt straight away, but now I do. Cooler wash and lots of colour catchers!

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  3. That is beautiful, well done on your first finish. I don't always wash quilts, but I would always machine wash on a cool setting, with a couple of colour catchers, then dry it on the line. Your granddaughter is going to love it I am sure.

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  4. Congratulations on your first finish!!! I would never have tackled that block so early in my quilting "career," so kudos to you for that, as well. And your color choices are lovely. I don't generally finish things far enough in advance to debate washing them, so I'll leave that advice to others. :D

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  5. Congratulations and what a beauty the quilt is,

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  6. Congratulations!!! Very beautiful quilt! I love the quilting you did, big hug

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  7. yay Catherine :-) Congratulations on your first quilt - it is a beauty! I love the lime green border - so pretty. I would probably wash it - with lots of colour catchers!

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  8. Yay! What a beautiful first finish! You go, girl! Great colours and quilting too. I don't usually wash it before giving them, but I prewash my fabrics. If you choose to give it to her without washing, maybe give it to her with a couple of colour catchers. So glad you linked up to TGIFF!

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  9. I would never have believed that was your first quilt! Compared to my first----{shudder}.
    I always wash my quilts before I give them to someone, and dry them in the dryer. I like the puckery look the batting gives them. And I figure someday they will also wash them, and I don't want them thinking they ruined it when it gets puckery. Makes it softer too, I think.
    So happy for you to have a finish! Your grand daughter will love it, I hope!
    Lin

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  10. This is lovely! I think it's a beautiful first quilt! My first quilt was an ugly thing--I intentionally made it a picnic blanket so I wouldn't mind plopping it in dirt and spilling food all over it! This is gorgeous!

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  11. Congrats on your first quilt! It's beautiful, and so bright and cheery!

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  12. Congratulations on your first quilt finish! I always wash my quilts right after I finish them. I figure they have been dragged around and handle so much in the process of making them that they need a wash. I also really love the crinkly texture of that first wash. Just wash in cool water with some color catchers and the throw it in the dryer. Quilty heaven!

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  13. Stunning first quilt! well done :)

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  14. Totally deserving of the fanfare - it is brilliant!

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  15. Golly yes, this looks fabulous hard to believe its your first!

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