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Sunday 13 October 2013

Another two down, only one to go

I've been busy with my mam's quilts all week. I just want them finished so I can start on my ever growing list of things to make.

When I asked my sister what mam had planned for the back of the quilts she told me that the baby quit just needed a plain backing fabric. She also gave me a tip about the binding - cut the fabric slightly bigger all round,  fold it over then stitch it down.
 
That was the theory anyway. Putting it into practice was a little different..... It would have been so much easier if I could have put the fabric and the quilt on the floor and measured it there. Unfortunately my new hip isn't agile enough at the moment to let me creep around the floor so that method was out. As my workroom table isn't big enough to lay it out flat I had to measure everything with a tape measure. Big mistake !!!!!


I measured everything twice (like the old saying measure twice, cut once) and got the same figure each time so cut out the backing fabric. However when I came to put the two bits together there wasn't enough fabric to make the folded binding. URRRRRR !!!!

When I told Mr Gertie he replied that this some times happens to him too. Has this ever happened to you? We suspect we have phantom tape measures which take great delight in moving their numbers around when we're not looking.....

 

Like the little girls quilt I made a reversible backing for the little boys one. Looking through my mam's stash of fabric I found something which would be perfect for a little boy, though it would have to be pieced like the girls quilts.

This time I decided to piece it in long strips, alternating between pattern and plain fabric.


Three quilts down only one to go.....

Have a great week.

Gertie xx

PS why not pop over to Handmade Monday to see what other fellow craft bloggers have been up to.

16 comments:

  1. I have exactly the problem with measuring. I'm sure my tape measure is faulty : ) The fabric on the first quilt is really pretty and I like how you pieced the fabric for the reverse of the boys quilt. Good luck with the last one.
    Ali x

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  2. You are talented... I wish could sew.
    Just come over from wendys linky party.
    Lesley
    Bath Bomb Creations & Grumpy Joe's Pet Emporium..

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  3. Those are just so lovely those fabrics and they've finished up nicely despite the annoying measuring thing. And yes, it happens to me too - I was amazed to read your post as I thought it was just me with the strange measurement thing going on. I think some tape measures are related to evil sat navs..... x

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  4. I never trust my own measurements. I have just managed to cut 7 right strips and one wrong strip for my new quilt. these are all looking lovely despite the faulty tape measure!

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  5. I'm very familiar with the measuring tape ghost! :/

    Your quilts look fantastic despite technical hitches though, i'm sure your Mam would be thrilled to see then finished :) x

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  6. I love the idea of a mischievous tape measure. I am just glad that it didn't manage to spoil the quilt at all ;)

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  7. The blocks of fabric look really pretty on the back. I too find handling large sewing projects tricky. I have in mind to make some new curtains for myself, but just don't know where I could spread out the fabric. You are making cracking progress with the quilts!

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  8. I think the tape measure ghosts are conspiring against us all. When I made Lucy's curtains I got it all wrong, despite measuring countless times. The quilts are looking gorgeous, and I love the pattern on the back of the last quilt.

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  9. It seems like the measuring ghost spreads himself about and likes to make mischief for us all. Good luck with the last one :)

    Jan x

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  10. There is surely a tape measure ghost that conspires against us! How can we all be wrong? The quilts look great, I'm sure your Mam would be very proud x

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  11. I do like these designs, the first is my fav

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  12. I've often used the floor for big pieces. I've had tape measure creep too, usually when I have been space poor.
    I hope you have a good quilting week☆

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  13. The quilts look really lovely. I think someone nips in at night and takes some inches/cms out of tape measures! Hope you have a good week.

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  14. You're doing a wonderful job of finishing all those quilts.
    I'm all for measuring many more times than twice, but naughty of that tape measure to give you the same answer twice and false confidence!

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  15. The phantom tape measures have visited me several times in the past. At least they didn't manage to stop you finishing the quilt. I really like the strip pattern you made with the backing.

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