The Nightmare is finished!

Posted on by Quilt Musings

The Nightmare finished

And I rather like it 🙂  It started out with quite a number if problems — biased edges, using the wrong measurements, stretchy fabric, just to name a few  — but in the end it came together and I think it will be a great gift for my friend.  I love how the black binding sets off the rest of the quilt, and the free motion on the quilt blocks worked out pretty well.

I read a wonderful quilt post by Margaret at Quilts of Love where she shows how quilting transformed one of her quilts, The Nightmare Axel AssistsJester’s Folly, which won Best Machine Workmanship at the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival.  In that post, she says that if you want the quilting to show on busy fabric, you need to stack at least 3 parallel lines. I could have stacked more parallel lines in the busy quilt blocks to show off the quilting and added quilting in the black sashing, and I considered it, but in the end I decided it was a quilt to cuddle up with on cold nights and while the extra quilting might satisfy me, the recipient would probably appreciate a softer quilt to cuddle under.  The motifs show up well at close distance.  There are lots of pictures of the quilting in my earlier post.

Nightmare signatureSome of you may notice the one half block at the bottom with fabric going in the wrong direction.  That mistake design element came about when I repeatedly cut my strip sets in the wrong direction and then ran out of light fabric to make another set.  I used the horizontal areas to quilt in a label of sorts  It doesn’t show up well in the photo, but it’s clear in person.

I am also pleased with the backing.  It is an IKEA comforter cover that I cut up.  It was big enough that I did not need to sew the backing, and I love the design.  Although it is busy enough to hide mistakes, up close you can see the quilting.

Linking this up to TGIFF and Free Motion Mavericks once the linky parties are live.  Finishing this quilt was also my March goal for A Lovely Year of Finishes (#19 on the goal posting) and on my 1st quarter goals for the 2015 Finish Along.  It is also the only binding I did for the March binding blitz!

Published by Quilt Musings

First Sight, Second Thoughts, Third Thoughts and that tiny bit that will not melt and flow..Secretly hoping one day I'll look out my window and see a madman in a blue box..and avidly quilting whenever I get the chance.

41 thoughts on “The Nightmare is finished!”

  2. Well Done! It is magnificent 🙂 I like the ‘design element’ – it gives the quilt a bottom (or top?). And the casually placed paw in one of your images is simply elegant 😉

    Liked by 1 person

  3. Your quilts are amazing. Your work inspires me to want to start quilting. I found my sewing machine the other day. Its an old fashioned hand driven one but seems to work ok. Do you know of any guides on how to start quilting? It seems so overwhelming for a prebeginner like me.

    Liked by 1 person

    1. That sounds like a great machine to start with. There are many quilters who love the old singer machines with hand cranks or old foot pedals. If you start with a simple pattern, it is really quite simple! I don’t do any sewing at all except for quilting, so if I can do it, anyone can! One possible resources is here: http://quiltingtutorials.com/ There are really lots of resources online. Hope you have a chance to try it!

      Like

  4. Black frames were a wonderful addition. I’d not have thought of it with the darkish blue–but it worked well. I always like to see things I’d not have thought of doing. Maybe someday there will be fewer things I don’t think of.

    Liked by 1 person

  5. I’m glad you went for cuddliness rather than looks in your quilting spacing. I can’t image snuggling up with most of the ribbon winning show quilts – too stiff! And what serendipity for that back.

    Liked by 1 person

  6. I love this quilt and I am sure your friend will, too! The dog paw is really cute, like he is pointing out the beautiful pattern. The “mistake” looks intentional, and I really like it 🙂

    Liked by 1 person

  12. Great design element. I call them visual surprises.

    Congratulations on finishing this quilt and overcoming the nightmare. The quilting is fantastic – no one would know this quilt had given you trouble.

    Thank you for linking up to Free Motion Mavericks!

    Love, Muv

    Liked by 1 person

  14. *goes to read the other Nightmare posts* Congrats on the finish, it’s a great-looking “nightmare”! 😉 Looking at the finished item, you’d never tell the battle with making it. Great idea to use an Ikea duvet cover for the back too – they have some really nice fabric designs. Last time I was in there I had to stop myself buying bedding just so I could cut it up!

    Liked by 1 person

  16. I think that it is so funny that some quilts cause so many problems, but they turn out so beautifully in the end that one would never guess that there was ever an issue! This quilt is gorgeous and the backing is really perfect! I love how you quilted it, especially in the negative space half-diamonds on the edges!

    Liked by 1 person

  19. Way to go!! Love that backing for it. Man, sometimes quilts just fight their whole way out, don’t they? I love it when they end up so nice like this. Because this turned out really cool, turned half-block, and all!

    Liked by 1 person

Share your thoughts!