Wednesday, June 4, 2014

Baptist Fans on Churn Dashes?

I thought Baptist Fan quilting would be perfect for this plaid churn dash quilt.  I always think of it as old-fashioned and comforting.  But now, with a few fans quilted, I'm not so sure.  Maybe outline quilting would be better....  I do this too often:  begin, hesitate, reconsider.  I'd be set if I could see the finished product before I had to make any decisions.  (Chuckling to myself at the idea....) 

It took me a while but I finally chose fabric for the back.  The little 1" squares are printed on the diagonal:  I like how the diagonals echo each other on the front and the back.  The colors in real life work well together, maybe not so much in the photos.

Scrappy backs appeal to my use-it-up sensibilities but when I think of hand quilting through more seams I reconsider and then try to find a larger piece to use for the back.  I impressed myself by successfully matching the print at the seam on the back.  It's easier with a small print than with a large print. 

I love the adorable little scallop border printed along the edge of the fabric.  (Click on the photo to enlarge if you want to see it in detail.)  Of course, it's an extra inch or so of unusable fabric -- at least if you want to use it for quilt backing and have it match the rest of the quilt.  On the other hand, it might be a great ruffle for a little granddaughter's dress....

Speaking of my granddaughter, she and her family were here for a week's visit in May.  I'm teaching both of those children early about sewing and quilting.

Here's Olivia sitting with me as we scrolled through my feedly reader.  She was a little unsettled several evenings so while her mom was helping her brother, I invited her to learn about quilting with me.  My daughter said she could see little Olivia's head moving up and down as she watched the images move down the page.  I'm sure it wasn't just the photos or sitting with me that helped calm her:  I asked Pandora to play some lullabies.  Come to think of it, she didn't really learn much about quilting that night because she fell asleep within a few minutes.  No matter, she'll have other quilting lessons the next time she visits.

Little Malachi, at nearly 2, was beyond interested in what I was doing at the sewing machine.  He couldn't get close enough to see what was going on from the ground so I lifted him into my lap to watch the process and help.  He wanted to know what everything was and how it worked.  I showed him the thread and how it was threaded through the tension mechanism down to the needle.  I showed him the presser foot and the lever and he helped me lift and lower it.  He helped me guide the fabric through the machine.  Then we wound some bobbins.  He was very taken with the light.  One thing I did not show him was the knee lever!  I have no trouble imagining his little hand pushing it to full speed sewing up a storm of knotted threads!  During the week they were here, if ever I sat at the sewing machine, he was right there to sit on my lap and watch or help.  Boys love machines, don't they?

It rained this afternoon -- one of those wonderful, steady, drenching rains.  It was so dark at 3 p.m. that we had to put the lights on to see. 


I'm linking this post to
--WOW at Esther's Blog
--W.i.P. Wednesday at Freshly Pieced
--Let's Bee Social #23 at Sew Fresh Quilts
Thank you, Esther, Lee, Lucy, and Lorna.

Wishing you joy!
--Nancy.
.

12 comments:

  1. I like the baptist fan, but then I tend to like them and churn dashes both, so why not put them together? Two goods = great? I don't know... if you really don't like it, then don't keep going forward, but I think it'll be a nice contrast to have the fan shape against the squarer churn dashes and it makes a great texture when it's washed! (I have a couple quilts my mom did in the 70s that are quilted with baptist fan... love it!)

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    1. Thanks so much for your input, wipgirl. I think I chose Baptist Fans because I've seen other quilts with it and they looked great. Maybe it's just too early to tell.

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  2. In my mind, Baptist Fan is the one quilting pattern that looks good with almost every pattern. I like it on your Churn Dash, and it does give a nice, old-fashioned look, but if you're not really happy with it, I would take it out now. Your quilt top is wonderful (great backing fabric, too), and you want to be completely satisfied when it's done.

    It's not unusual for me to start quilting a pattern I think I'm going to like, and then be unhappy with the result. Normally I rip out and start over -- on one quilt I just kept going and finished the quilt with a pattern I had doubts about, and I've always regretted it.

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    1. Hi, Martha--

      Thanks for sharing your thoughts and experiences about choosing a quilting pattern, Martha. I chose Baptist Fan because I've seen so many older quilts with it - in lots of different quilt patterns - and loved them. Maybe it's just too early to know. Or maybe because I'm doing the fans free-hand and the squares are throwing me off. I may go to the center of the quilt and do one block a different way and compare.

      Did you post about the quilt you finished and didn't like? Did others tell you they thought it was wonderful and loved it?

      Thanks again for sharing your experiences and insights. I appreciate it.

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  3. I like it but agree with the others. If you really don't like it, stop now :) But if you think it is the typical hesitation at the start of quilting, I'd go with it.

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    1. It may be the early, just beginning, uncertain about it hesitation. I think I should probably do a few more fans before deciding. Thanks for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate it.

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  4. I love those fans, they really suit the churn dashes well. I adore the top!!

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    1. Thanks so much, Carol. I'm still a little uncertain but will probably quilt a little more before deciding. I may quilt a block in the center in a different pattern and see what I think. I'm quilting free-hand and want the curves to look symmetrical and smooth but find the corners throw me off a bit. I'm being way too careful with this quilt!

      Thanks again for sharing your thoughts. I appreciate it.

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  5. That is a very beautiful churn dash quilt, Nancy. And I think the curves of the Baptist fan are such a compliment to the design. Looks wonderful! Loved reading about your grandchildren's visit. Yes, those boys and their fascination with machines!

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  6. I would probably take a picture and sketch the fans on the picture. Perhaps that would help give you an idea of what it will look like before you put in any more stitches that you're unsure about? That backing goes really nicely with the top. Congrats on getting your seam images to match up!

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  7. Hey Nancy, The churn dash top is fantastic, I love the colors and variety and different coloring of the blocks! I think 1/4 inch or B-fans would be fine but when there's sashing between blocks I generally go with some kind of outline. It just tends to set the blocks off a little better?! cheers, cw

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    1. Thanks for your kind words about the top, Claire. Thanks, too, for sharing your thoughts about the quilting. I hemmed and hawed, debating about outlining and how I would do it, and finally decided to go with the Baptist Fans. Maybe I'll have to make a second churn dash quilt and do the outline quilting on it!

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I appreciate your comments and look forward to reading what you have to say. Thanks for stopping by.

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