Christmas Quilt Top Completed

I got this top completed Sunday afternoon and headed outside to get a pic before the sun went down.  Pretty strong sun through all the trees, but I kind of like how it looks outside with all the light and shadows.

I need to decide what I want for the back so I can get it quilted! I either want a modern Christmas print (like this owl print from Connecting Threads)  or... well, I really want a modern Christmas print but I hesitate to spend money on something like that for just the back. So I am considering a bright lime-ish green solid instead. I could add some patchwork in greens somewhere on the back to jazz it up. Or maybe a white solid for the back since I plan to quilt with white thread.

But that cute Christmas print . . .


Linking up with Let's Bee Social

-Laney

More Quilt As You Go Blocks

I hope everyone had/is having a great holiday season. For those like my self that celebrate Christmas, I hope it was a nice time with family.

Did you receive any quilting/sewing related gifts?  I was lucky enough to receive a few items to make quilting and sewing easier.

A Supreme Slider, Machingers Gloves, Clover Wonder Clips and Little Magic Bobbin Genies!  I tried out the gloves and the Supreme Slider on one of my QAYG blocks. (See below photo - top right block) And, no, I did not really need them for quilting that block,  LOL, but I wanted to try them out. That slider is super slick!! I can really see how it could make FMQ easier. The Machingers gloves are comfortable and really do give you easier control over the fabric.  I have not had a chance to try the binder clips or the bobbin washers yet.

I have continued to work on some QAYG blocks.  I was inspired to try this method by Maureen's tutorial at Maureen Cracknell Handmade,  and Rachel's tutorial at Stitched in Color. Then there is also the recent book Quilt As You Go Made Modern by Jera Brandvig.

I saw these tutorials a few years ago and finally decided I wanted to give it a try.  I don't know if I will keep going until I have a bed size quilt, though. I think I would still be happy with a nice throw size, I really just wanted to try the technique.

On the first block I made, (top left) I quilted each piece as I added it. On the bottom two blocks I made the block in the traditional manner, then layered it up with batting and did the quilting all at once. I did a random, squared off spiral starting in the center and quilting outward.

No measuring - just free form - I figured that suited the style of the blocks.  I think I prefer creating the block first and then quilting it rather that doing the whole flip and sew, then quilt each piece of the patchwork.  Maybe because I feel like I am making progress to get the block itself created first. So far, I don't feel like this is a faster method, but then that is not really the point. It's all just to save you having to quilt the quilt as a whole.  I definitely would not attempt this pattern of quilting if I was having to turn the whole quilt every time I needed to change direction!

Have you ever done QAYG? What did you think of the process?

Linking up with:

Linky Tuesday at Freemotion by the River

Let's Bee Social at Sew Fresh Quilts