September 29, 2017

Sewing project: My first pieced together blanket Picture heavy (again)

I took the pattern I showed you yesterday and got started on a little car seat blanket as soon as I got home from work.
Side note: It may say quilt but it's not. It's a blanket. Look up rag quilt on Google and you get a whole different animal. But I really like it, especially here on the Gulf Coast where a cotton blanket will get a lot more use than anything heavy and hot. 
The longest part about this whole thing was trying to decide how I wanted to set up the pattern.
I really like this one, but I didn't have enough of anyone one of these colors to double it so that was a no go.
Then I decided to break it down to car seat size and go with polka dots and elephants. I wanted the elephants on the "non rag" side, so I came up with this pattern.grey polka dots in the corners and the reverse side, those greys are elephants.
I am so glad I decided car seat size because three times I had to rip out seams and start over for putting the rows together backwards. One row had a seam on top, the next had the seam on the bottom. (it was a learning process) and I highly recommend making a small one of these as a learning curve for quilt tops. and a good seam ripper. I highly recommend one of those too.
Here she is all sewn and ripped and resewn. I like the way it came out. Especially for my first attempt it's not too bad.
Yes I am 51 and yes I wear Converses, I love canvas shoes. And yes I've heard a million times that they are more for the 'younger' people. I wear my Van's and cowboy boots too. Deal!

The lines on the back aren't perfect. As my BFF pointed out (she's my favorite critic) I should have ironed my pieces before anything else. Like with my knitting, I usually forgo all the "should haves" and just went with it the way it was. In hindsight, ironing my have helped square up those lines. But it's ok. It's going to be puked on, dropped in the floorboard, left in a diaper bag for weeks. It's close enough to perfect for me.
The cutting of the edges didn't take me near as long as I thought it would. I had it finished well before bedtime last night. And that was with a 3 hour hiatus to go eat dinner with Brat #1.
It is in the drawer now, ready for prep day.

All in all it was fun to throw together real quick and I can see myself making lots and lots more. I do think it will help me in creating my first quilt top. Which will be my very first project as soon as gift crafting season is finished.
 

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