Tuesday, July 22, 2014

Pretty Pink Princess

Can you get more girly and princess-y than pink and gold?


I wasn't sure I was going to love so much glam, but I do!
 I added a 1in border so I wouldn't lose any of my points in binding.  So the quilt top became 50x50. 

I practiced a regular swoon block here, before doubling the block size and making this quilt.  I'm a tad ocd, but it was most likely not necessary.  The block is super easy, just a bunch of steps/pieces.

In fact, it really took no time at all to put this together.  The quilting, however, is another story.

I chose to FMQ in a Stipple pattern for this quilt.  I wanted something that would no detract, but that I could practice at the same time.  I picked a pretty light pink thread that matched the pink background.
It was going great...until I turned it over.

I was devistated.  The front looked amazing.  But the back - was a monster.  My bobbin tension was all kinds of OFF.  I had quilted 3/4 of the quilt and 1/4 of that - looked like this.

I cried.  I threw the quilt.  I went to sleep.  The next day I got to unpicking my mess.  It took me days.
Then I finally got to get back.  I checked my tension and set to work.
 Until this:


I don't know what happened.  Honest.  I did not sew through this pin.  Yet it still got stuck...in the bobbin thingy (I know - be astounded by the technical jargon). 
And it broke my machine.
Not sure if you can see - but the needle wouldn't go down because it was hitting the bobbin thingy.
There were more tears, some cursing, and complete boredom.
Don't you hate it when you CAN'T do something - then that one thing becomes the only thing you want to do.
Alas, my local repair shop fixed it first thing on Monday and I got to get back to it.




Of course, I am sure that you realize that by the time I got the machine working again, all I wanted was to finish this quilt.  To get it out of my sight and never see it again.  But, I still love it. 

She crinkled up so nicely in the end. 



And you can't see any mistakes on the back - so glad that light pink blended so well on both sides.  lol



Truly fit for a princess - Stubborn, pitiful, full of drama and high maintenance, and fabulously beautiful. 


 


Quilt Info:
 washed -  it's about 48.5x48.5
 Fabrics -
    Top ->    Michael Miller Glitz Metallic Quarter Dot Pearlized Blush
                  Michael Miller Mirror Ball Dot Sunshine
                  Kona Cotton Medium Pink
    Back ->   Michael Miller Glitz Metallic Confetti Single Border    
                  Pearlized Mist
    Binding -> Michael Miller Mirror Ball Dot Sunshine
Pattern - Swoon (by Thimble Blossoms)

I Only hope that the princess this quilt now belongs to doesn't give her mother as much trouble.  ;)

 - Katelyn


15 comments:

  1. This is truly a beautiful quilt. I love it! I'm so glad I got to drool over this in person.

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  2. Very pretty! And I'm so glad to hear I'm not the only one that has issues with machines when I am in the middle of a project! LOL

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  3. Katelyn, that was a lot of anguish for one quilt! I've been there and done that too. On one quilt, my sewing machine stripped its plastic gears and stopped with the needle stuck all the way down in the quilt. LOL
    Well your swoon quilt turned out beautifully and looks so cozy now that it is quilted. It won't be long before you can look at it without feeling the pain. Kind of like childbirth. :) oh gosh, yes i did just say that.

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  4. PS - That is why i love vintage sewing machines: No plastic gears!

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  5. Pretty! Sorry to hear about the drama part but I'm glad there is happy end! Well done!

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  6. What a great quilt! I know my daughter would be jeleous if she saw it and would be begging for one for herself (maybe a new project during the school year?!) btw I found you through Fabric Tuesday and am now following via Feedly - I can't wait to see what else you come up with for the princesses in the world!

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  7. Wonderful quilt I'm glad you finished it and didn't give up. It truly is beautiful.

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  8. Very, very princessy, and definitely worth all the hassle you had to go through to finish it.

    I get tension issues all the time when quilting. I am itching to get sewing agin, too. I have two machines that need fixing, but I'm never organised enough to get it done (I'm also worried how much it will cost).

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  9. It's good that you mention adding that last border. I had to learn the hard way why it's not the most fun having tons of points on your outermost border. Crummy run of bad luck on this quilt. I hate it when you think everything is all fine and dandy, and then discover way too late that the bobbin is committing some sort of terrible secret atrocity. That crooked safety pin sure looks ominous too. I'm glad your shop was able to make things right again, and that this story had a happy ending.

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  10. Lovely result: well worth all the struggle in the end!

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  11. Beautifully done, even through the tears :) I have done that before too, every tutorial on FMQing I've ever read says check the back after changing bobbin/rethreading or any other changes. . . I rarely did. . . until I had a back that looked like yours! So glad you were able to get your machine repaired so quickly! Gotta love a speedy repair shop :)

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  12. What a trooper! So glad this story has a happy ending, Katelyn. She is a real beauty. I can't believe how much I love this quilt. I am not a sparkle or pink kinda girl, but this big swoon is just absolutely gorgeous! I am blown away! Good for you for keeping at it. Such a beautiful finish!!!

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  13. What a story this quilt has. It looks beautiful though and hopefully in a very short time the difficult journey to get such beauty will be forgotten (if it hasn't already)

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  14. Beautiful quilt and I really love your labels!

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  15. WOW! I love this Katelyn -- you did a fantastic job. So glad you figured out the tension issues. The fabric, design and quilting is lovely. Congratulations on such a simple, yet beautiful finish. Glad we found each other via Pretty Bobbins... Karen

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