Jump to content

Karen McTavish Inspired


Recommended Posts

Hi All,

I have been crazy trying to get this quilt done and oh I love it just as much as the day I started drafting it! I hardly know where to begin. I started looking through my magazines for a baby quilt and as I usually do for baby breezed through my Sew Beautiful magazines. My mind went crazy when I saw the center embroidery design and I instantly started designing my quilt. I knew it was going to be an heirloom so I of course went to Karen\'s books...I have them all except for the White work book (please republish!). Anyway I got PreDesign software for Christmas so thats where I started. I pulled in a few of Karen\'s design elements and went to work. I had to redraft the feather in the background area so that it would fit the odd shape. I knew right away that I would do a heart border and the idea to scallop it came later. I added a some lace shaping to this quilt to see how I would like combining that techique with my quilting and I have to say I love it! The pattern design is all my own idea.

The center motif is called Shadow Embroidery and done all by hand using 1 strand of DMC floss with many, many, many color changes!

I started drafting this quilt the day after Christmas and was done with my master pattern on New Year\'s Day. My son came to visit that day so I was able to work on the embroider which I got done 2 days before he left. The day he left I marked the top, 5 hours just to do that!

Finally the quilting process! I was able to get it off the frame Sat. night and then did the binding. I\'m so thrilled with it.

I used Sharon Shamber\'s machine adjustments and I just love the result. I did not use a ruler at all! Like Sherry, I made a big a-- base and oh that is just wonderful! I will eventually make a queen size of this pattern using a different center motif of course! I hope you enjoy the pics!

Oh and I have to say a special THANK YOU to Rita who listened to me gush about this quilt non-stop for the last month!!!!

post--13461899089667_thumb.jpg

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 103
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Oh baby, that is nice!! Simply stunning.

Great use of Pre-design. Were you able then to pring the pattern full size? Pre-design is on my list of wants and I\'m taking the class at MQS. Now I\'m thinking I may purchase it before then and play around with it for another wholecloth I have going.

Question.... I have a scallopped border on mine that is posted on another thread. I\'ve never put on scalloped binding. I know it has to be bias, but how do you do the inside points of each scallop? Thanks!!

Debbi

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thanks Debbi & Mary Beth. I\'m sorry I keep playing with the pictures and decided that I\'ll leave the big one up because any smaller and I loose all the detail.

Debbi - yes you do use bias binding. I stitched right to the point, lifted the presser foot, pivoted, and then kept sewing. The miters will just fall into place when you turn the binding to the back. I stitched each miter down by hand, front and back and I only had to coax a few. Just do a practice piece. I love doing scalloped bindings.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Debbi,

Go to Sharon\'s website. They are all free videos! She had her hubby make her a base and I made mine. My hubby thought I was nuts but it worked! I just went to Lowes and bought a piece of 18 x 24 1/4" plexiglass. I had then cut it into 3 pieces - 1 12" x 24" and then (2) 3" x 24" pieces. Hubby took one of the 3" pieces and cut it in half and made the legs that straddle the machine head just like the base expander. I kept the original base expander on and put my big a-- base behind that! It worked perfectly. I had 3 different bags...actually I used 2 bags of dry beans and 1 that is a heat wrap. I didn\'t want to stop what I was doing so I\'ll definitely make the rice bags. I will make mine about 2" wide by 24" and have a 1 pound, 2 pound and 3 pound. That should be plenty.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Originally posted by hmerrill

snip I just went to Lowes and bought a piece of 18 x 24 1/4" plexiglass. I had then cut it into 3 pieces - 1 12" x 24" and then (2) 3" x 24" pieces. Hubby took one of the 3" pieces and cut it in half and made the legs that straddle the machine head just like the base expander. I kept the original base expander on and put my big a-- base behind that! It worked perfectly. snip

Do you have photos of your finished base? I am a visual soul and need to see to "get it".

Your quilt is absolutely gorgeous, btw!!!!!!!!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.


×
×
  • Create New...