I've been unsettled, finding it hard to focus for long on much of anything - reading, tv shows, decision-making. That's how I ended up showing my backing choices on the blog, close to begging someone else to choose for me. In one of my great avoidance ploys, I took a walk and carried my sketchbook along with the idea that I'd pause at that carpet store and see if I could resolve some of the issues with my first attempt to draw it. In the few blocks it took to get there, I went from confident to not - you should have heard the conversation going on in my head! But I made myself sit once I got there, and was soon absorbed in lengthening a line here, moving another up or down, filling in a few more details, until I was satisfied the proportions were closer to real life. The act of study and sketching settled my mind such that when I returned, the answer to my backing dilemma seemed obvious - simplicity was truly best. And I love it.
Of course. that wasn't the end of the decision-making. I centered the backing on my table, clipping it in place, and pondered batting. I actually have a pretty diverse batting stash at the moment and could choose from an heirloom cotton, an 80/20 blend, or a wool. I decided to think about it overnight, how I plan to use this quilt, what kind of batting the quilts already made might have in them. Leaning toward the wool, but maybe the cotton would be better suited as I'm thinking of this as a summer quilt. As I checked out my quilts, I was reminded of how heavy that last big quilt with cotton batting was as I wrestled it through the machine - and that was just rows of straight stitching with a walking foot. I'm planning a free-motion design on this one, thinking how I can incorporate the paisleys in the border/sashing fabric. Wool is so much lighter than cotton - wool it is! I'm about 3/4 done with the pin basting and will start doodling a quilting design soon.
5 comments:
I've been a bit unsettled too. Perhaps it's the season change, because I think that Autumn has finally arrived!
That backing is lovely. Hope the batting choice works for you.
Hilary xx
Sounds like a sensible batting choice! Anxious to see the finished quilt.
Your backing is beautiful and will work wonderfully. Since I never worked with wool I cannot comment on that. The only problems I would have with your backing is making sure it was perfectly lined up with the front of the quilt. I could see me getting that center stripe off center and not straight! But then that is just me.
Aligning a backing with the top is easier when you have a guide. I use two tables pushed together, both of which fold in half for storage. So that gives me a join running at the midpoint both directions that I can feel to help me get those two perfectly aligned. Or perfect enough. ;-) Otherwise, you can do measurements from the outside of the table, which I have also done, but which can take longer.
Good choice for the backing. And good choice for settling yourself with a walk and sketching. I never thought of using the tables as a guide to get everything aligned. I have another Quilt Camp next month, and I'm thinking that would be a good place to layer backing batting and quilt top as I should have some tables like there to work with.
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