The Flying Geese Quilt is finished and considering the number of flying geese units made I am pleased that I can still say that I have loved making it. All negative thoughts about flying geese units have been dispelled.
The weekend was spent basting, quilting, and binding. I am a pin baster and baste my quilts on the floor - a hard wooden surface - which involves crawling around on hands and knees. It is a task which I dread and spent more time thinking about and deferring than actually doing.
When I posted this image of my basted quilt on Instagram I was asked what my secret was for a flat quilt, and why so many pins? I am afraid that I have no secret. I suspect that basting is a technique you get better at over time as you get a feel for how tight to tape the backing and batting, and how firm to pin the quilt top onto those layers. I do pin the edges of the quilt top first which makes filling the remainder of the quilt top with pins much easier, and I use a lot of pins - every 3 to 4 inches. I have used a few extra pins for this quilt as I knew I was going to be quilting a 1 inch grid onto it which isn't so forgiving if there is excess fabric in either the quilt top or backing fabric.
I almost exclusively pin baste my quilts - very occasionally I will get out the spray baste for a small project like a pillow cover. This technique works well for me and I therefore continue to be a pin baster. I am however a strong advocate for doing whatever works for you. Don't change something that isn't broken but don't be afraid to try a different method if you are having difficulty.
I love the 1 inch grid of lines and although quilting it is a little laborious it is definitely worth the effort. The visual effect is so appealing that you can't help but reach out and touch it.
For the back of the quilt I have used a beautiful Japanese import fabric
by Suzuko Koseki - Paris Daisy in White/Aqua.
And for binding I have used a white/pink/brown stripe from the Color Basics collection by Lecien.
I have listed this quilt for sale in my Etsy Store.
You can see all of the listing details here: Modern Flying Geese Quilt
Thank you for stopping by!
Rita
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Oh my it's lovely! How on earth do you create these beautiful quilts so quickly?! :)
ReplyDeleteOh I really love this quilt. It is so pretty and vibrant in color. When grid quilting what size stitch do you use?
ReplyDeleteIt's gorgeous Rita. I'm also a pin baster, and I pin on my mum's tile floor :)
ReplyDeleteBeautiful! I'm new to quilting and has just been learning about making bias tape:) i'm rather curious about your stripes binding... Is it not cut crossgrain when you made the tape? :D
ReplyDeleteI just love it. I get tickled when you mix in the vintage fabrics. Thanks for sharing your methods too. I'm in awe of all those pins. I've never pin-basted.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely a beautiful quilt, Rita. I love that tiny grid, but I do not want to attempt it. Straight lines are not my forte! Question: how do you get off the floor after pin basting? lol Obviously I'm the older of us because I can't get of the floor!
ReplyDeleteI've said it before and I'm sure I'll say it again, but periodically I just have to pop in and say: you are a master seamstress. I am not a perfectionist myself but you bet I enjoy ogling your PERFECT workmanship. Absolutely stunning!
ReplyDeleteI love it! Perhaps you need to quilt yourself some knee pads? I am yet to baste my very first quilt because I dread the idea if crawling around on the floor and I have carpet!
ReplyDeleteWow! Lots of pins. Obviously you put a lot of patient attention into your quilts. And it shows! It's lovely, Rita!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful quilt, I'm always amazed at how quickly you make such perfect quilts.
ReplyDeleteMy husband bought me some amazing Burgon Ball knee pads which have taken the agony out of crawling on the hard wooden floors. :)
Love your quilting and am in awe of how perfect your quilts always look. I am straight lining a quilt at the moment and it has gone all wonky, despite thinking I had basted it really well. Seam ripper time for me :(
ReplyDeletegorgeous, as always! i especially love the four geese with the white centers and the kaffe print.
ReplyDeleteI'm going to give pin basting a go next time rather than stitch basting.
ReplyDeleteYour quilt looks fantastic.
ReplyDeleteLovely work as usual. When you purchase fabric, is there a certain amount that you have in mind to buy or is it always different? As well, any chance of ever seeing your fabric stash as a whole? Thank you for being such an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteLovely work as usual. When you purchase fabric, is there a certain amount that you have in mind to buy or is it always different? As well, any chance of ever seeing your fabric stash as a whole? Thank you for being such an inspiration.
ReplyDeleteAnother lovely finish, Rita! It is always a pleasure to see your work. If you ever find yourself looking for another option, rather than crawling on the floor, please consider this suggestion... http://sewfreshquilts.blogspot.ca/2013/03/sew-retro-baby-quilting.html
ReplyDeleteI have never had an issue with puckering. Hope you find this useful!
I love this quilt. Why don't you buy a smallish boardroom table and do all the basting etc. on it. I bought one years ago - cheaply, and can baste (I sit and thread baste as I like the motion and feeling the quilt build) and can do sections at a time taping it down. I can do up to a queen size this way and quilt on my home Bernina with ease. Getting down on the floor is a super big drag and gets harder with each passing year.
ReplyDeleteLove this quilt and the quilting.... YUM-YUM!
ReplyDeleteThank you for sharing Rita! You are so generous with your knowledge. It hadn't occurred to me to tape the batting as well - I am going to try it - I often use more than one layer of batting and it can be difficult to keep it nice and tight. Thank you for the tip!
ReplyDeleteyou make such beautiful simple happy quilts! love the backing! xx
ReplyDeleteA tip I learned for basting on the floor - find either tiler knee pads (the velcro around your knees) or gardener's kneeling pads. They save your knees, your back is another story....
ReplyDeleteThe quilt is lovely! No crawling on the floor pin basting for me - I have a custom table that can be 4' x 8', 6' x 8', or with both leaves open 8' x 8'. Several of the women in my quilt group have come over to baste their quilts on my table so they didn't have to crawl on the floor. The table was worth every dime I paid for it!
ReplyDeleteAbsolutely amazing, as always. You do such beautiful work. Best to you, Sondra
ReplyDeleteLove your quilt. Do you always pin baste in the seam area? Also - what type/weight of thread do you use to machine quilt it? And then what needle size with it? Also what is your stitch length. thanks so much for your help in trying to help the rest of us improve on our quilting ;)
ReplyDeleteGreat quilt! What a lovely mixture of old & new fabrics!! I tend to start pinning from the centre & work in 1/4 sections over the whole quilt...and I also pin baste it all by crawling over the floor! Linda NZ kokaquilts@gmail.com
ReplyDeleteThis is so beautiful. Flying geese give this such movement and as always your fabric choices are perfection, along with the backing and binding fabric.
ReplyDeleteI was wanting to ask to I know you are busy but do you sew all one direction up and down then turn the whole thing and go the other way thanks diana
ReplyDeletea glorious quilt Rita!
ReplyDeleteI love your quilts! How much fabric do you usually buy? You always seem to have enough for your backs. Thanks!
ReplyDeleteThat seems like a perfect amount of pins to me. The better you pin baste the less likely you are to have any puckers.
ReplyDeleteI love this quilt! The quilting looks amazing, I really like the grid pattern!
ReplyDelete