Friday, September 23, 2022

A Churn Dash Quilt Top

A finished top!  Not perfect, but finished.  I love it!  It will be such a feminine quilt and reminds me to think of the girls and women who used churn dashes to make butter.  I wish I had batting and backing to layer and quilt it now.  Quilt tops always seem fragile until they become quilts and I hesitate to do much more than lay them on the floorChurn dash quilt top in coralsThe top measures 69" x 90¼".  A little long, maybe, but it will shrink with quilting and washing/drying.

I made the side and bottom setting triangles larger to extend the width and length of the quilt.  Without the side triangles being wider the quilt's width would have been 61".  When Lizzy of Gone to the Beach reminded me how stretchy side triangles can be I took extra care, but you'll notice a little waffling in the photos above and below.  I may go back and redo some seams but I think those will quilt out.  What do you think and what is your experience?  Do they need improved? 
Churn dash quilt blocks in corals
In a recent previous post I wrote about the challenge of cutting such large triangles--21" square, cut diagonally twice--for the sides and bottom.  I didn't have a cutting mat large enough to cut 21" fabric squares so explored cutting options.  I finally decided to cut strips of fabric 10½" wide as if I were using an Easy Angle ruler, then cut the strips into triangles.
cutting very large side setting triangles
I have a 6" x 24" ruler with a 45-degree angle marked on it, which I tried, but I didn't trust it for accuracy.  I also tried using the 45-degree line on the cutting mat but didn't trust that, either.  (I knew that having an accurate 90-degree angle at that corner was important for accuracy.)
cutting very large side setting triangles
I finally used my 12½" ruler to cut the triangles. I was careful to align the ruler exactly at the upper edge of the fabric where the 90-degree angle was.  (For you observant readers, the triangle below is for the top of the quilt and not for the sides or bottom.)
cutting very large side setting triangles
I was happy with this method for cutting triangles, though it took extra steps compared to having a larger cutting mat and ruler.

This quilt is the first I've ever made using the same background fabric for all the blocks, and it's the first quilt I've made using a white background.  I'm not a huge fan of white but I think it works for this quilt.

Finishing this top completes my One Monthly Goal for September so I'm linking to September One Monthly Goal Finish at Elm Street Quilts when she posts the goal finish link-up.  Thank you for hosting, Patty.

Also, I decided to make this top to sew-along with Chookyblue's Churn Dash Quilt-Along.  Thanks for the fun, Chookyblue.

I'm linking this post to
> Finished (or not) Friday at Alycia Quilts
> Peacock Party at Wendy's Quilts and More
> Brag about Your Beauties:  a Pageant of Finishes
> Off the Wall Friday at Creations by Nina Marie
Thank you for hosting, ladies.

Autumn's here!  It pushed summer aside yesterday.  On Wednesday, the temperature went above 90o with high humidity.  Yesterday it was in the 60s, and this morning it was in the 40s, both days with sunny skies.  I think we'll have an early autumn, as far as leaves turning colors, and I wonder if we'll have an early and hard winter.  For now, we're headed into my favorite season.  I hope things are good in your life.

Thanks for visiting, reading, and leaving a comment (if you do).
--Nancy.

30 comments:

  1. This quilt is just darling. I really like how you shaded the blocks from light inside to darker on the edges. It really brings your eye from the middle to the outside in a pleasing way. I think white was the perfect choice for the background in these blocks. It was interesting to learn how you cut your triangles and why you made them larger. This quilt is going to be so pretty with the quilting in the borders. I love fall too but after a lovely week of 70 degree temps we will be back up to the 80's next week - sigh.

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    1. Thank you for your sweet comments and observations about this quilt, Robin.  I've been thinking how to quilt those edges--well, how to quilt all of it, really--but the edges in particular.  Something special would add to the quilt and curves come to mind, but I'm not sure about quilting curves in a quilt with so many angles.  I'll have to think about that for a while.  Since I don't have backing fabric already, I guess I have time.
      Oh, Robin, I'm so sorry you're going to have 80s this coming week.  But cooler temperatures are definitely on the way--one of these weeks/months, right?

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  2. it is lovely and delicate looking....working on my top now...

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    1. Thank you so much, Grace. I'm looking forward to seeing your churn dashes, too!

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  3. This top is just so pretty and sweetly feminine. I think any slight wavering of the outer triangle edges will quilt out nicely. We had nearly a repeat of your changeable fall weather with temperatures in the 80s one day and 60 the next. It was a chilly 38 degrees this morning and has been struggling to reach the mid 50s this afternoon. Very windy too.

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    1. Thank you for your kind words about this quilt and for your thoughts on the "waves" in the outer triangles, Pat. 
      I guess summer and fall are playing tug of war with the weather.  Gosh, 38 seems cold for this time of year.  Get your quilts and wool blankets out!  I have already.  :-)

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  4. This is a soft and soothing quilt - I think it is really pretty. I bet that slight ruffle will quilt out, no problem. Looking great so far!

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    1. Thank you for your sweet comments, Bernie. I hope you and several other commenters are right about the waves in the edges! I suppose I'll have a better idea when I layer it for basting.

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  5. Congratulations on a lovely finished quilt!! It really turned out beautifully--nice work--especially with those setting triangles!! Hugs, Julierose

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    1. Thank you, Julierose. I appreciate your comments.

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  6. Churn dashes are one of my favorite blocks. Your quilt is definitely a soft, lovely quilt. Very nice job.

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    1. Thank you for your kind comments about this quilt top, Bonnie. I love churn dashes, too.

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  7. It looks fabulous! This block is one of my very favorites, and I make a lot as leader-enders and use them in charity quilts. I never tire of them, and usually make 9" finished blocks. You conquered that problem of the large setting triangles and it will quilt out, in my experience on a longarm.

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    1. Thanks so much for your comments, Susan.  Several commenters said they thought the waves in the setting triangles will quilt out.  I'll be hand quilting when I find backing fabric, and I hope all of you are right!
      I really like churn dash blocks, too, but my scraps are usually smaller.  I guess I could try for some really small churn dash blocks....

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  8. Your churn dash top looks very pretty, all those lovely pinks.

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    1. Thank you, Karen. Yes, this will definitely be better on a girl's bed than a boy's!

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  10. this is so very pretty and delicate looking!!! Those pink are wonderful!!!!

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  11. This quilt is so pretty. Such sweet background fabric!

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    1. Thank you, Sandy. The fabric for the background was actually a barely-used sheet--a very fine sheet which I tested with a needle to see how it would quilt--that I bought at a thrift store. It seems just about perfect to me. Now I hope it really IS easy to hand quilt!

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  12. Hi Nancy, what a lovely delicately hued quilt this is. Cutting those large triangle pieces would be my nightmare with my accuracy issues. LOL.

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    1. Thank you, Jocelyn. I procrastinated cutting those triangles till I couldn't put it off another day. Imagining all that could go wrong felt like a nightmare! If I can do it, I'm sure you could, too.

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  13. Nancy, your quilt top is so pretty, I love the soft colours. Hope you've had a great week.
    *hugs*
    Tazzie
    :-)

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    1. Thanks so much, Tazzie. I love those colors, too.

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  14. Your Churn Dash is very pretty in pink.

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    1. Thank you, Maria.  Everyone sees pink in the photos but in person the colors are more along the pale coral tints. 

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  15. A delightful quilt Nancy. I like how you have graduated your pink/corals, working your way out to the darker ones, very effective. I think the slight wavy will quilt out, you could always use a little starch to help stabilise things?

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    1. Thank you for your kind thoughts about this quilt, Linda. I like it a lot. I hadn't thought about starch but maybe I'll give that a try.

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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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