Our "Better Together" quilt is done! Here's the diary where Chinton showed us the blocks that had been sent to her from other DK Quilt Guild members, http://www.dailykos.com/... and the diary where we decided on the name of the quilt. http://www.dailykos.com/...
Thank you to all who pieced the squares and Chinton who brought them all together with the borders and sashing. This is truly a quilt that shows how we are "better together!" I had a wonderful time working on the quilt and I hope I have done my part in pulling it all "together" and doing justice to all of your hard work.
It's ready to go to Netroots Nation for the auction. It's 48" x 63" and will make a great lap quilt or wall-hanging for who ever wins it in the auction!
See it all below the squiggle.
The challenge in quilting any quilt is how to make it cohesive, especially when there are so many different blocks, like this one! I used the five pointed star as a continual motif, because one of the squares had an applique five pointed star in it. There are also some other motifs repeated throughout the quilt. I used computer motifs where they fit and did lots of free motion feathers, straight stitching, etc.
I used a blue polyester thread top and bobbin, as it is is a more sturdy thread than cotton and it matched the blue in the quilt. Hobbs 80/20 batting because it's super durable and I hope who ever wins the quilt uses it a lot!
Here's the block that gave me the five pointed star idea. I did some micro-stitching around the applique star and circle to strengthen it, a computer motif in the squares with blue fabric and free-motion in the other areas.
The borders and sashings have connecting five point stars.
Since the blocks were done by different quilters, I wanted to make sure everyone gets to see what I did on their block. Many of the blocks told me exactly what to quilt and where. Yes, quilts can speak! Other blocks were a little more challenging and to not take away from the piecing a more simple pattern was used.
The one below, I did some micro-stippling in the blue area and outlined the fish, but it's hard to see. Another motif was used in the blocks that was also used elsewhere in the quilt.
I put the binding on the quilt using the longarm machine as I move down the quilt. Saves time and sanity! I finished it on my domestic sewing machine (for non-quilters a regular sewing machine.) I have to do machine binding due to arthritis in my right thumb, can't hold a needle anymore. It's a really sturdy binding the way I do it.
Here it is all finished and the binding is done. Our "Better Together" quilt is ready for the Netroots Nation auction to benefit our troops! http://www.netrootsnation.org/