The first time I saw this quilt was shortly after Kathy hired me at Pink Chalk. The Flower Show quilt designed by Bill Kerr and Weeks Ringle of FunQuilts.com, appeared in Quilts and More Magazine Spring 2010. It has since been re-released in the BH&G Perfect For Precuts volume 1, 2011. I am not a quilter. I’m a crafter. I love fabric and I’m passionate about color. In the past, my projects consisted of handbags, pillow covers, zipper pouches, small window coverings and a slip cover or two. Quilts and More magazine made me think to myself, “If I were to make a quilt, that would be the quilt.” The pattern looked simple and straight forward. Someday… Remember… I am not a quilter.
One day I realized my scrap bin was quite full of fabric. The Flower Show pattern calls for 11 fat quarters and 1/2 yard for the red bars. What size rectangles do I need? 7 ½ by 4 ½ inches. Why not start cutting pieces for that Flower Show Quilt? No commitment. Just cut some fabric. Take a look at the scrap bin/stash in your sewing room, chances are it’s much like mine. All the fabrics coordinate. We’re drawn to fabric that speaks to our spirit in some way. Intuitively we select fabric that is color coordinated. Once I started cutting I realized, that my scrap bin HAD a quilt in it. I just didn’t know it until I started cutting. My first quilt was taking shape. Kona Cotton Snow was selected for the background. Before I knew it the quilt top was finished. Wow! Maybe I can do this.
So… the quilt top is done. Now what? I don’t quilt. There it sat for maybe a year. I had no idea where to go next. There are so many talented quilters with fabulous machines that could quilt my Flower Show for me but, this is my quilt. After all that work, somehow it seemed wrong to have another person finish MY quilt. The pink chalk team was so kind and encouraging. Melissa and Cindy inspired me to think about Free Motion Quilting, which I had never heard of. Melissa’s free form quilts are amazing. She made it sound easy enough. Could I quilt it myself? Don’t know about that.
I’m a just-do-it, DIY, kinda girl. Jump in and see what happens. Off to the sewing shop I went in search of a darning foot for my little Pfaff Select 3.0. There was talk of basting with pins to secure the layers of the quilt together. Do you remove them as you run into them with the darning foot or stitch around them? The idea of pinning and quilting around them sounds like so much work. Is there an easier way? In a blog search Cherri House Quilts enlightened me on fusible batting. I can iron. Now that, to me, sounds more doable. Fusi-Boo is the batting I found at the local craft store. It’s a cotton bamboo blend of fibers. Easy enough for this crafty girl. For practice I threw together a couple big block quilts made with fat quarters. The fusible batting worked well for me. (I tried another brand on one practice quilt, but it didn’t adhere as well) Quilting is fun! There was a bit of trial and more than a bit of error. This, I brush off as lack of experience. Even my wonky beginner big block quilts have a style and personality that only came out after quilting them. After a bit of practice I had the confidence to finish my Flower Show. I AM a quilter.
I am still amazed at how the finished quilt came out. It’s so pretty and I made it! Now I see that quilting can be as addictive as buying fabric. There are so many ways to justify new fabric and building my stash. Quilting combines all my passions – fabric, color, design and decorating. Oh the places we can go! Let the quilting begin.
We have a fabulous selection of patterns from Fun Quilts by Weeks Ringle and Bill Kerr. Which one to make next? I’m loving their My Guy pattern.
I love how it came out!
oh my – it’s beautiful! you sound exactly like me… except i’m still too [something] to actually start quilting. {what IS that anyway?} so glad you got over it, though – the result is spectacular!
Just go for it, Tiffany! Make several small quilt sandwiches for practice. Then just jump in. If I can do it you can do it!!
love the quilt you made, I to am a beginner
you are an inspiration, great job on the quilt
It is very pretty. Congrats!
Hooray for you! Thanks for sharing. I’m getting ready to machine quilt for the first time–it took me much longer to get up the courage than it did you.
Quilting is so much fun! When I learned, it was because I wanted to make something for my friends’ babies that would be an heirloom, that would never be thrown away. I remember standing in the fabric store, having found a simple pattern, absolutely struggling to choose fabric. Now, 13 years after my first effort (which wasn’t nearly this pretty) I can pretty much make whatever I want. It’s a great feeling
PS Diana, another option in terms of how to deal with basting/pinning – 505 fabric adhesive spray or a similar product. It changed my life
What a beautiful quilt! It’s funny but I chose exactly the same quilt for my first solo quilt experience! I saw it on the front of that magazine and I said to myself … this is the one … no matching points! And so I made the quilt top this summer but unlike you, I have not yet graduated to free motion quilting. I’ve been hampered by a troublesome sewing machine and just today I’m going to look at a second hand Pfaff. Hopefully I’ll catch up to you before the snow melts this spring.
I loved reading your quilt story! Congratulations on becoming a quilter. Your family and friends will be most grateful!
Well done!!!
Very impressive! And very brave!! I think it turned out very well and the satisfaction that you made the entire quilt can’t be beat.
Great job on this! It’s such a great feeling to get one done!
I really relate to your story. I would tie whole cloth quilts but never wanted to do the piecing thing, too ticky, too precise. Then I started sewing strips together and voila, I had a darling baby quilt which I didn’t want to tie. So I tried FMQ and loved it. So, like you, I’m into the whole quilting lifestyle and loving what I am doing more than I ever imagined I could. Congrats to you.
Diana, your quilt turned out beautifully!
What caught my eye in your post is that you use a Pfaff Select 3.0. I am considering a Pfaff Select 4.0 for a new machine, which is really the same as yours but with a few more features. Would you mind telling me your impressions about your machine? Do you love it? Have you ever had any problems with it?
Thanks Diana!