Friday, December 17, 2010

Christmas Cactus Quilt Top... FINISHED


Pardon the general awfulness of the photograph.  I think Zebediah got fingerprints all over the left side of the camera lens.

However, crappy photo or not...

It's DONE!

This project has been such a sanity saver for me.  Sure, I'd been burning the candle at both ends to get this thing finished in time for Stitch N' Bitch, but it's done!  Ok, so I got the entire center pieced in time for Stitch N' Bitch, but didn't have time for the borders before we took a break for lunch and show and tell.

Even better, I'm actually really pleased with how it's turned out so far.  I have to decide on how I want to back this baby, and then I'm going to get started quilting it.

And you all will probably think I'm completely nuts...  I start my fabric selections with my border print, and then build around that.  You'll notice that the border print has no orange...

I put together the light blue polka dot, the chocolate polka dot, the white on white and that magenta, and said, "It's pretty, but boring."

It needed something more...

ORANGE!

I am a big proponent of the 'zinger' fabric in most quilts.  Something to draw the eye and to help harmonize the rest of the top, while making a statement all its own.  That's what that orange print was:  something completely different, yet just what this top needed to be unique.

And yes, that is a design wall!!

Run, don't walk, to your nearest Joann's, and make sure you're armed with a 40% off coupon.  Fons and Porter have released a 68" X 72" design wall that has eight grommets at the top, and is printed with a two-inch grid all over the back.  The design wall is basically table cloth material.. shiny on one side, felted on the other.

It works perfectly!  I've had the Christmas Cactus Quilt Top on the design wall for a week with no drooping at all!

Even better?  The design wall is only $24.99.  It's also light enough to use those 3M Command Strip hooks with!  I'll be moving the design wall soon, preferably into my sewing room, but I'll settle for a wall that isn't around a corner that forces me to take photos of my tops at a weird angle.

However, that's a rearranging project that is going to wait until after the holidays.  I'm working straight through until Christmas, so I pretty much just want to come home, sew a little and then pass out.  I can't do that tonight though :(  Laundry calls, and I really need those clean clothes for work, and I'm already behind on this evening's events thanks to a marathon shopping expedition for the perfect outfit to wear on a date with the hubby.

I kid you not...  It took a full circuit of the depressingly crappy selection of stores in the Janesville mall for me to find a single outfit, and even then I bought the shirt last, from the store that I started shopping in.  *grumble*  At least I have a good pair of dressy pants now...

Anyway, I digress in an effort to avoid laundry, but I need clean socks...

5 comments:

grendelskin said...

Wow, it came out really neat! It looks sort of Middle Eastern, I keep thinking of minarets. How will you quilt it?

I like the idea of starting with the border - will keep that tidbit tucked away for a future project!

Take more photos when you can, I'd like to see it up close and personal.

krisgray said...

Beautiful finished top! Thanks for the design wall tip too.

Anonymous said...

It's GORGEOUS! But I already told you that. I like how the blue looks like a solid, very calm with the orange there to perk it up.

Needled Mom said...

It looks just gorgeous. Wasn't it a fun project? I posted a picture of mine on my blog without the final border. I finally got that on too and am excited about quilting it. I think your fabric choices are great. I wouldn't have thought of the orange, but it looks great there.

LittleBook said...

That is so beautiful! And, thanks for the tip about the design wall.

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