KatyQuilts

Remember last fall when I bought my wool pressing mat? Actually, it was a saddle pad for a horse. They are the exact same material, a half inch thick and 100% wool. I bought one from State Line Tack.

This one measures a whopping 30 by 30. There was a coupon code for a first purchase so I got this shipped for about $30.

My only regret? I wish I had bought two to begin with. I just purchased a second one to completely cover my ironing table.

It was too thick to cut with my rotary cutter, but I did use it to “score” a line and then finished the job with my big batting scissors.

Much better! They are just sitting next to each other. I’ll use them like this for a while and then decide if I need to connect them somehow.

Have a great day!

PS Some people have mentioned a smell associated with these. I liken it to wet mittens. I noticed it for awhile with the first one, but it did go away in time. No smell transferred to my fabric. I notice it even less with the second pad. No affiliation.

I made myself cut the needed tumblers to finish this top.

And I made a plan and got my rows ready to sew.

I’ll do five more rows and then reassess.

Someone said I wasn’t happy with it because it was nearly square. I think that’s true.

For me, a quilt needs to be useful as well. As is, it feels to big for a wall or baby quilt and too small for a throw or bed quilt.

Have a great day!

The tumbler top is in timeout, and I’m working with the vines. When I initially made these, I had a strippie quilt in mind. But I never figured out what size, and I always thought I needed more strips. I’ve lost count how many tines I have pulled these out and put them away over the years.

I always thought I would put a solid blue with them, until I was working with the green solid I got from the estate sale. Here’s a closeup of the machine appliqué done on my 1955 Singer 201.

I probably should have added dozens more leaves, but they have a certain naïveté about them that I like.

I mentioned before that the appliqué made the strips wonky. It’s funny how something can sit half finished for years and suddenly, it must be finished now!

You might notice that the vintage fabric Ila sent me has ended up on the back of this. That floral looked so perfect with the green.

Time to plan my quilting. Have a great day!

I have my tumbler top assembled. But when I stepped back to look at it, I started feeling like it should be bigger.

I don’t feel like cutting anymore for this, but I know I won’t be satisfied with it as is. It is in danger of heading back to the UFO pile. While pondering that, I pulled out this UFO.

This is decades old. All appliqué is done by top stitching. This has made the strips a bit wonky and wavy. But that green I used in the tumblers is inspiring me to finish this.

Stay tuned.

This is where I was the last time I shared this top with you.

And this is where it is today.

I have this little pile left.

Time to figure outa border. I asked for opinions on Instagram and have narrowed it down to one of these:

I’m so excited to have made this much progress!

Have a great day!