As most of you probably figured out, the project I was working on was a Happy Villages Wallhanging, from the book by Karen Eckmeier.
Today, I completed the little quilt. I am very pleased! :-)
Yesterday I mentioned a few things that I would remember when I do the next one. I have a few more things to remember for next time based on todays work:
1. Use a regular binding and backing rather than the felt. Mine was nice and flat and square until the moment I started zig-zagging around the edges. At that point the edges went all wavy on me. Tight zig zags gathered it up, I suppose. I was tempted to wet it and steam it into submission, but of course with the tulle on there, I didn't dare.
2. After I triple check to make sure all the roofs, doors and windows are where I want, I will triple check again. After I had about half of the project quilted, I noticed that a little red building RIGHT IN THE DEAD CENTER of the quilt has neither a door nor a window. Argh! Oh well.
3. Next time, I will will use all batiks. I had trouble with a bunch of the edges of the pieces fraying when I quilted them. I imagine the tighter weave of batiks would minimize this problem.
4. More overlap and don't do the quilting so close to the edges of the pieces. See above fraying issue.
Overall, the piece looks great. I'm not so thrilled about the quilting when I look at it up close, but next time I think that will improve. Besides, its supposed to be abstract, right? :-)
Anyone who is on the fence about trying this technique: GO FOR IT. Its not a huge time consuming project, and it doesn't use very much fabric. Sit down, play with it for a couple of hours and try it out. It is fun!!
9 comments:
maybe the tall red building in dead centre is the back of a community outhouse and hence you can't see either windows or door :-)
It turned out wonderfully. Like you I think using closely woven fabrics so the fray was under control would assist my villages. I also thought I might back the fabric squares with fusing before cutting them to keep the fray under control...
It looks great. I'm very nearly at the point where I can justify buying the book!
I think Rapunzel lives in that red tower and her one lone window is on the other side...
So lovely! Thanks for all the tips. I will print them up and stick them in my book. I definitely am making one of these villages!
Wow...what a great quilt. I never imagined it would look like that when I saw the work in progress picture a couple of posts back. Very nice!
I love it!
Hope it's OK, I tagged you. Please visit my 6/01 post to see what I mean.
The village looks great! I love the colors you used!
Holy Crap Batgirl...that's just beautiful! You RAWK! (as my kid says). I'm really enjoying my tread catcher and other goodies. Thanks again
Regina
Hey Tracey, the Happy Village is just that...very happy! I think you did a great job, despite needed improvments. Good to know what you'd do differently.
Very colorful and happy tho, love it! Hugs, Finn
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