My latest project, and a few hints for Heloise

First a few tips from my own personal experience. When I was working on Kate's wedding quilt I talked about tilting your sewing machine so that you can look down on your work without leaning over it. There are some expensive devices out there that accomplish this, but a couple of rubber doorstops from Lowe's work just as well.

I did garment construction for close to 40 years before I started quilting. This is a little trick I have never seen anyone use in any of the quilting classes I have taken, but it works very well to get your seams to lay flat when pressing. In this block I have seams going both ways. (Don't forget to click on the photo to see the detail up close.)

So in the middle I clipped the seam allowance to the seam and was able to press half the seam one way and half the other way. It makes for a much sharper pressing.

This was such a fun pattern, and quick to do, especially using the jelly roll. These are my finished blocks.

And this is the finished quilt top! The weather was so nasty today...90º and rainy...that I just stayed inside and sewed.


Now I am anxious to get it quilted . I hope to take it out to the quilt shop tomorrow. I didn't buy fabric for the backing, but I think I will just use this older Mary Engelbreit fabric from my stash. It doesn't match exactly, but well enough for the backing, I think.
Graycie was comfy sleeping on this work-in-progress, another ME quilt that is all sandwiched and pinned. I am going to machine quilt this one myself, soon!