Day 1: Preparing the Fabric

As I do with all my quilts, I am pre-washing the fabric. The idea being that 1) I can wash out any dye residue in the fabric to keep it from bleeding on the other fabrics and 2)to shrink the fabrics so that they won't shrink after being quilted. If the fabrics shrink after being quilted, the stitches stay put and the fabric can pull causing stress to the fabric's fibers making them more susceptible to tearing.

Before washing my fabrics, I cut the raw edges with pinking shears to minimize unraveling of the fabric from these edges. I wash my fabrics in a dye free soap (Tide Free and Clear or Dreft) on a large load so as to be sure all the soap washes out of the fabrics. I dry all fabrics on medium heat to maximize shrinkage before piecing and quilting. I also figure that the quilt owner will wash the quilt regularly and will wash it as they do other blankets (on regular cycles). If I treat it as they would, there won't be any additional shrinkage when they wash it versus when I was it. Most quilts I make for others are for utility purposes, not display pieces by any means... so they need to withstand what everyday life can do to them.

Lastly, ironing... I HATE ironing!! I think I would enjoy it more if I had a better ironing board. But alas, it is an important step to making a quilt and I must do it. I like to think that it's like putting on moisturizer before putting on your make-up. You don't HAVE to do it but it makes everything else go together smoothly.

Once I am folded and ironed... I can move on to the nitty gritty part of quilting... rotary cutting!!!

Day 1: The Fabric Store

Today, I took a trip to Joann fabrics in Brookfield, Wisconsin to get fabric for my special project. I had an idea of what I wanted, which was a nonprint (not excatly solid) purple and yellow fabrics. The quilt is for a older gentleman. Most print fabrics are not mascilne at all and if your lucky enough to find one, you generally have a hard time finding complementing fabrics that aren't just solids. So I wanted to stay away from them... not to mention trying to balance print sizes.



I found the Keepsake Calico collection fit the bill perfectly. Both the purple and yellow are tone on tone. I also got some Quilters Choice 100 % cotton in white for the signature portion of the blocks and white thread. I skimped and bought a general use thread rather than the recommended 100% cotton because it was cheaper.



I over bought a tad as there were reminants on two of the bolts after I got what I needed and I wanted to give plenty of room for shrinkage. Fabrics tend to be shrinking more lately. When all was said and done, I ended up with the following for $30.70.



White->1.375 yd.

Yellow (Crackle Lemon)->3.67 yd

Purple-> 3.806 yd.

Guterman 1000M thread

Project Background

So I am starting this blog to chronicle my journey making a "particular" quilt. I have quilted for 6 years off and on depending on what is going on in my life but this quilt is special. What makes this quilt so special? It is for someone special who is very sick and will require lots of difficult treatment. I have decided to make a special quilt for my special someone to take with them to get the treatment. I hope that it will bring warmth and comfort during hard times.

This special someone does not know about this surprise and I would like to keep it that way. If you know this person, please don't say anything.

Project: Love Quilt
Theme: LSU
Color: Purple and Gold
Size: @ least 4 feet wide and 6 feet tall
Blocks: Solid 6 inch and 6 inch siggy blocks
Borders: (1) 6 inch purple inner border and (1) 6 inch yellow outer border with yellow binding