Friday 10 May 2013

The raggedy poppy quilt from hell...

it seemed like such a good idea at the time.... but when I sewed all the squares up some of them didn't match! :(  and it was supposed to be queen size but then I decided that it actually looked better as a runner across the end of the bed... to keep guests feet warm. (that is my story and I am sticking to it).  
So then I think that it would look really nice with a narrow border around it... in quilty peeps terminology this is known as binding the edge of the quilt.... but I didn't have any red material just a large piece of plain black and I liked the stark contrast of the black edging so went YouTubing to find out how to do it... first you have to make bias binding... that was fun... NOT and then I watched fifteen YouTubes clips on how to do the binding and fell under the spell of this lady who made it look easy.... no really, she made it look easy and said it would take about 20 minutes and used terms like 'easy as pie' when it came to doing the corners.... that must have been a typo in speech terms because it took me all day and I invented some new words when it came to mitering those corners... even the cats decided that it would be better to go upstairs and sleep in their new tree than remain down here in the scraproom with me and the sewing machine! ;)
But... it is done and I love it!  Poppies for my guests who have to share with my scrap space... and I will only invite polite people who wouldn't dream of inspecting the seams too closely or make comments about the squares not lining up nicely in places... and I will make them pancakes and maple syrup for breakfast which should be ample compensation for their discretion!!
and it is double sided for those people who would prefer not to see a raggedy quilt... Tom-Tom has also given it his seal of approval.

14 comments:

  1. Wow wow wow. It's stumming Annette and yes I love the black edging. It looks perfect with the bed being black too.
    I will promise not to look too closely when I visit but please no syrup on my pancakes....Dr won't allow it any nore :-(
    Hugs,
    A x

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  2. What a labour of love - I think it looks absolutely gorgeous, (can never go wrong with poppies, in my view!)and I applaud - loudly - your efforts. I'd have (never started in the first place..) thrown it out in a paddy!

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  3. It looks gorgeous and that Poppy design is lovely.

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  4. It is stunning - only you will know the defects - everyone else will love it! I think a whole quilt would have been too much - the runner just does it! x Jo

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  5. I hate it when instructions say 'its easy' ....it never is ...but I did smile at the fact the cats left you to it.
    The effect is stunningly eye catching and will bring a 'Wow' from all your guests. xx

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  6. Well, I think it's simply GORGEOUS, so job well done!!!! So...when can I come over for a nice visit then??? I think of a lovelier place to sleep, craft and snuggle with kitties!

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  7. It is just beautiful and all your guests will love it - and that's all that matters. There is a degree of snobbery in the quilting world - as a long time member of the quilters guild who got tired of such nonsense let me just say that there is no need to struggle to make bias binding. You only need that on curved edges. straigh edges can have sttraight binding, just take your time with the corners and it will look every bit as good.
    Or you can do it the Welsh way and simply fold in the raw edges and do two rows of stitching along the edges - much the easiest way.

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  8. Wow Annette - what a super quilt runner.

    You are so good - I hated making bias-binding at school so would never have even tried to make some.

    Toni xx

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  9. Don't you just hate it when people lead you astray on YouTube? I got caught in one of those, too. Of course, I can't sew a straight line, and if I have to cut anything (like felt), I cut it using my guillotine cutter. Otherwise, I just tear my fabric.

    Having said all that should indicate that I would make the perfect guest. Although I was a Quality Assurance Engineer in a previous life, I would never look too closely at your quilt, other than to ohh and ahh.

    And of course, I've never tried to bind anything in my life, so I can only imagine the words that those poor babies heard!! Sure enjoyed the tale, though. I'm still laughing.

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  10. I love the quilt. I think it's gorgeous!!!! I loved your post. I laughed so hard. The bed looks so cozy.

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  11. Thanks for popping by Annette - love that quilt - nice to see it in progress and then finished... I am not game to put a new quilt on my bed as my cat has a tendency to sharpen her claws on anything new... LOL... see you at the WOYWW - Mxx #56

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  12. just goes to prove that if you don't at first succeed ..... ;-)
    Well done it looks so pretty!

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  13. the quilt is terrific!
    love the big color.
    great job@

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  14. That is beautiful Annette, the fabric is striking. I used to make a lot of quilts, and I never bothered with bias binding, or mitring the corners (Lazy quilter me! ) so well done on persevering and ending up with a very respectable finished quilt!

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Thank you for taking the time to leave your comment, it is truly appreciated - sort of confirms that it is more than my Mum and husband that read this thing! :)