Update: Sew Fun Quilt - Practice Block & Fabric Choices
Last month I started making real plans to work on this Sew Fun quilt for my bed.
My first practice block was made from fabrics that coordinate with my kitchen and dining room and turned out just okay. But I learned a few things about this reversible quilt-as-you-go technique, made some adjustments and then started a second practice block:
My first practice block was made from fabrics that coordinate with my kitchen and dining room and turned out just okay. But I learned a few things about this reversible quilt-as-you-go technique, made some adjustments and then started a second practice block:
front
back
First, I didn't like the grid-like quilting on the center piece of my first practice block, so I stitched simple one-inch wide diagonal channels. This step was completed much faster and I like the result.
Second, on the side strips I stitched a single row of decorative stitching instead of rows of straight channel stitching. I like this better, too. And it doesn't seem so obvious when I stitch a little bit crooked.
I used wash-away basting tape to help hold the folded seams in place and was more careful while stitching them, and I think they look straighter on this second piece than on the first. I haven't bothered to bind this practice piece . . . I may want to add on to it later.
The other decision that was still up in the air was which fabrics to use for the front of the quilt. My overall color theme is aqua/blue and chartreuse/green which coordinates with the window valances I finished last month. I made a couple of fabric substitutions, but there were still some pink and orange elements that bothered me in the collection of fabrics:
Second, on the side strips I stitched a single row of decorative stitching instead of rows of straight channel stitching. I like this better, too. And it doesn't seem so obvious when I stitch a little bit crooked.
I used wash-away basting tape to help hold the folded seams in place and was more careful while stitching them, and I think they look straighter on this second piece than on the first. I haven't bothered to bind this practice piece . . . I may want to add on to it later.
The other decision that was still up in the air was which fabrics to use for the front of the quilt. My overall color theme is aqua/blue and chartreuse/green which coordinates with the window valances I finished last month. I made a couple of fabric substitutions, but there were still some pink and orange elements that bothered me in the collection of fabrics:
I found some additional fabrics from the RJR Sew Fun collection during my latest visit to The Cozy Quilt Shoppe, and I think I will probably use these in place of the pink paisley and orange floral fabrics:
Another decision I've made on this project is to use a bamboo quilt batting, which is supposed to be eco-friendly (though I'm not sure how much better it may be for the environment, since bamboo still needs to be processed with chemicals to make it into usable fibers).
I also have a cotton 80/20 blend batting, so I may change my mind again on this if the practice block with bamboo batting doesn't work for me.
I also have a cotton 80/20 blend batting, so I may change my mind again on this if the practice block with bamboo batting doesn't work for me.
View my Sew Fun Quilt photo album
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