What made you choose the pattern?
It was called "quilt in a day" and thought I could handle that.
Did you finish the quilt? If not, why?
Yes I did. But it took about 8 months. I actually finished three other quilts before I finished this one. The others were baby or lap quilts and much smaller than this queen sized one.
What do you love (or hate) about the quilt?
I liked how easy it was to put together. I like the large square size so you can see the print of the African fabrics used.
What would you do differently next time?
Next time I would organized the fabrics so that the red hibiscus on orange background was the main diagonal. I would put the fabrics currently in the main diagonal into the number 5 or 6 position so that there would be five squares on either side of the main diagonal. And I'd make sure I had more of a handle on the rotary cutter so I didn't have to repair a big cut on the backside of the quilt. Fortunately the pattern is so busy on the back, most people don't even notice that mistake.
What was the most difficult aspect of the project?
Quilting it. The quilt is heavy to be getting through the machine. My portable sewing machine tends to overheat, probably because the power here in Luanda, Angola tends to fluctuate. No matter how careful you are, the corners rarely matched up perfectly, but thank goodness the fabrics are so busy, that you don't notice the corners unless you inspect it carefully.
Tips and Tricks
- It goes faster if you true up the edges properly before sewing it. Keep those threads clipped so you don't miss any.
