2 Quilts Finished in One Day!

I've had several quilts in the works for awhile.  This isn't my usual way, but it's just how it worked out this time.  On Saturday I finished TWO of them!!  Yep, you read that right . . . TWO in one day!

I think I started one of them a year ago sometime in the spring.  This one was made for Aimee. She chose the pattern and fabric for it.  Her pattern was found here, but it doesn't seem to be available anymore.  It looks like maybe they put out new patterns using their fabric that's available now.  I did find her pattern available with a quilt kit, here.  Not that you want to buy it, but this is what her pattern looked like . . . what originally caught her eye.

I like to use flannel on the backs of my quilts, but Aimee said NO!!!  It's too hot!!  I also like to use my leftover fabric on the back, so that's what I did.  There were many little strips left and I pieced them all together.  I like how it turned out:)

I think I've gotten used to the added thickness of flannel on the back.  It seemed too lightweight when I quilted this and I didn't do a very good job of it.  I suppose it didn't help that I hadn't quilted anything for quite awhile.

So, in all fairness, I quilted this a couple weeks ago, but couldn't finish it because I didn't have binding fabric.  That's really all I had to do on Saturday.  Aimee was gone for awhile and I wanted to get it all done and upstairs in her room before she got home, but I just got the last stitch done as she was walking in the door.

The second one I started at the end of January, a week before Tanner was born, at our annual quilt retreat.  It's a "Jelly Roll Race" quilt.  If you want to make one like it, I found a video tutorial here that you can use.  It's super simple and quick.  Mine just wasn't quite so quick for several reasons.

Sometimes when you're buying jelly rolls, you don't know quite what you're getting.  I'd originally wanted to do a quilt for a young man.  The colors peaking out of my batik jelly roll were greens, golds and browns.  I thought I could applique something on it to "man" it up.  I'd also decided if it didn't work for a male, I'd give it to my sister-in-law, whose husband was in the final stages of cancer.  As soon as I opened it up, I pretty much knew it was NOT going to be going to a young man!!  Just too much of a hint of purple in it.

I got the whole main part done at my day retreat.  I couldn't go any further because I hadn't bought anything for the borders since I didn't know what way it was going to go.  I was glad I hadn't.  Eventually I bought fabric for flower appliques and for the borders.  My final push to get it done was knowing Kathy would be coming here.  I quilted it parts of Thursday and Friday and was finishing the binding in the beginning minutes of Saturday!!

I ended up getting a variegated thread to quilt with.  I've had much trouble trying to use variegated thread but I decided to try it again anyway.  At first I was having trouble and then I remembered someone told me to use a bigger needle so the thread wouldn't keep breaking.  That was what it took, and I'm so happy I found that out.  I really liked using this thread.

For the quilting I just did an overall meandering.  (I definitely noticed the added thickness with the flannel on the back of this one.  It seemed like I had so much more control and I think I did one of my better jobs here.)  I outlined the flowers, leaves and stems.  That is not something fun to do and it didn't turn out very good.  When I was all done, I quilted a design on the leaves.

You can see the quilting in this picture.

My applique work.

Two more of my own quilts ready to be quilted and one comfort quilt I made that needs pinned and quilted.  Then maybe I can start something new:)  I have it all picked out and ready to go!!!