My usual approach to string blocks on muslin foundation is to skip the batting and use fleece for one step batting and backing. I've done 6-8 kid sized quilts that way with no problem. I spray baste to keep the layers secure.
I wonder if using a thin cotton batting would stabilize it better or maybe I'll scrap the fleece (although I'll miss the cuddle factor) for a fabric backing. I happen to have a box or two of Christmas fabrics to choose from. Thoughts or suggestions anyone?
On a happier note - this cute little table topper is ready to go on my table this weekend. This is the 1st finish for my Sewing for the Seasons theme for 2014. The pattern is Everyday Table Topper from the book "Charmed and Dangerous" by Anka's Treasures and the charms are from an older Sandy Gervais line called Flirtations.
I love this pattern so much I'm currently sewing down the binding on another one in Christmas/Winter fabrics. Maybe Spring will be next... I've got lots of charm packs to use.
I'm linking up to Freemotion on the River.
I'm sorry about your strings quilt, but I do love that table topper! It's beautiful! And I agree, bias stripes make the best bindings :)
ReplyDeleteHi Deb, Love your Valentine Topper....the stripey binding is wonderful. Sorry about your Christmas strings. Not sure how it got so puffy/poofy on you. I quilt from the middle out to the edges and find when I'm using fleece for the back that I do a lot of smoothing of the fabric towards the outside. But other than that I haven't had any issues. Sorry about all the 'picking' you'll be doing.
ReplyDeleteChocolate and raspberry - a great flavor combination! That's what your pink and brown ADORABLE topper makes me think of. I always love a striped binding.
ReplyDeleteIt will be interesting to see what you decide is the real culprit with the string quilt (fleece instead of batting, etc.). I admit that this is one of the things I always fear when attempting my own quilting since I'm not very good at it yet.
I LOVE your table topper. Flirtations was one of my favorite lines and introduced me to Sandy Gervais. My travel EPP bag is made from the brown with the little flowers. I made a EPP table runner out of that line back in 2010. I hate unpicking seams, but I also had trouble with a quilt that didn't want to lay quite flat. I added some more quilting and finally got it settled down. Hope you enjoy the Olympics while doing the frog stitch.
ReplyDeleteRosemary b here:
ReplyDeletewell, the Christmas quilt is adorable, Yes, good project to dismantle while watching those Olympians defy gravity, injury and ... coming home with out a medal, haha I do love the winter Olympics the best because I used to be a figure skater.
Anyway, I adore all of your projects here. You are very inspiring.
I am guessing that perhaps the Christmas quilt will work better with carefully chosen backing. Go with what you know haha
Deb your little table topper is adorable -- love the prints you used and I'll have to get ahold of that Anka's Treasures pattern -- Love Heather Mulder... Thanks for sharing that.
ReplyDeleteIs your string quilt all layered then ? And you used fleece on the inside as batting ? From the pictures it doesn't look bad. I wonder if you should just wash and dry it and it will get all crinkley and the "puffy" will go away ?? Do you normally wash them when you are done ? Gosh picking all that beautiful stitching out is a TON of work. What a bummer...
Fleece is a knit and also slippery. I don't think the basting spray sticks to it as well as it does to cotton fabrics.
ReplyDeleteRather than all that picking, if it were me, I'd add another line of diagonal quilting, across the blocks, or even a figure 8, which would hold down the puffiness. Then wash and dry it as Karen suggested. Good luck!
ReplyDeleteI wonder if you stretched the fleece while you were basting the quilt. Then once it was quilted it went back to normal. I had a similar problem one time when I stretched the batting too much. Best of luck.
ReplyDeleteYour table topper is adorable. I love seasonal table toppers, as you know. ;) That bias stripe is perfect!
Fleece is tricky to work with! It really doesn't look too bad in the pictures...fluffy is not always a bad thing!
ReplyDeleteLove your table topper! Perfect VD colors and patterns!
The table topper is awesome, I heart it. :)
ReplyDeleteI have no advice for fixing the quilt, but I was glad to see it! I love Christmas all year long and it certainly caught my attention. :)
Thank you for sharing the places where you stubbed your toe, as it were, in the process of doing quilts. I think that you should not undo all your quilting on the Christmas strings, just put it through the washer & dryer and call it good. It is so happy-looking that folks will love it!
ReplyDeleteOh dear, that just stinks after all your efforts.
ReplyDeleteAll the best.
I'm stumped as to why it went puffy. Your little topper is very sweet
ReplyDeleteI hope you can tame it...it's such a happy Christmas quilt! Regardless I know it will be perfect for snuggling! Question about your blog template - how do you get the tabs to show up on the top? I'm just starting out and I love the idea, just not sure how to achieve it!
ReplyDeleteLove the table topper.
ReplyDeleteIs your Christmas quilt bubbling because the fleece stretches as you quilt?
I have never put fleece on the back of a quilt, but it looks cuddly, love your new table topper and the binding is perfect! Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteFreemotion by the River Linky Party Tuesday
What a shame after all that work. It still looks like a lovely quilt!!
ReplyDeleteHow frustrating for you -- I hope all that un-quilting isn't too tedious!
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