La Maison - A wrap up...

I can hardly believe that today is March 30th and I've just finished my first quilt for the year.  I've made a couple of quilt tops, but this is the first one I've managed to actually get quilted.  This is the January Schnibbles quilt from Another Year of Schnibbles.  I'm calling mine La Maison.

La Maison Quilt

The quilt is based on the pattern Full House by Carrie Nelson.  I used 2 charm packs of Pom Pom de Paris  and changed the layout a bit.  I finished the top in January, but I've easily spent many more times quilting it than I did piecing it.  After stitching in the ditch, I quilted cobblestones where I pictured pathways.  That step took anywhere from 10 to 15 hours, but I love the effect of it.

Quilting the cobblestones

After finishing those, I quilted flowers in each of the 4-patches.  I traced the flower design onto quilting paper and quilted over it.

Quilting flowers in the flower beds.

A lot of the quilting is easier to see from the back of the quilt...

Back of the quilt

Next, I added chimneys to some of the houses and quilted the roofs.  I also added door knobs and a few windows.

Back of the quilt showing chimneys, roofs and door knobs.

The final step was the feather border around the outside.  I recently purchased one of the new Frixion pens from my local quilt store.  After trying it on scrap fabric, I used it to mark the feathers.  I drew them free hand and then quilted right on the lines.  Afterwards, I ironed over it and the pen disappeared.  It was so easy that I'll definitely be using this pen again!

Drawn feather border and the pen.

I knew if I put the extra time into quilting this, I would be happy I did when I finally finished.  And I am.  Now that it's done, I can say it was definitely worth it.  (But I'm also very glad to be done with it.)

So, here are the stats for this quilt:

• Size: 40" square
• Fabrics: 2 Charm Packs of Pom Pom de Paris, a mystery solid for the sashing, Basic Grey red grunge print for the backing and binding
• Batting: Warm &White
• Thread: Aurifil (piecing), YLI #100 silk thread for quilting the top and Aurifil in the bobbin
• Pattern: Full House by Carrie Nelson
• Quilting: Custom
• Started: January 2012
• Completed: March 30, 2012
• Recipient: Hanging in my sun room

Mr. Quilting Bug was sweet enough to hang this for me today.  The colors go perfectly with the walls and furniture in our sun room.  Did I mention how happy I am to have finished this?

Until later...

Be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. 

Ephesians 4:32 (NLT)