Mrs. Billings is Finished

That kind of sounds like an Agatha Christie title doesn't it?  It's not.  This title is a bit more joyous than that.

I finished sewing the binding onto Mrs. Billings Coverlet last night.  Bill asked me how long it took to make.  It's hard to say.  I started it 2 years ago, but I have made over a dozen quilts in between.  If I wasn't making those other quilts - I was stitching on this.  

Besides the background fabric (a tan on cream print from Indigo Crossing), I used my scrap box exclusively.  It is about 99% Minick and Simpson scraps.  A few others found their way in also.  There is a toile that I picked up in Paris.  There are a couple of 3 Sisters pinks, a couple of tiny bits of Japanese taupes, and a black print from Brannock and Patek.

The superb acrylic templates made by Karen Styles from Somerset Patchwork made this a joy.  I could rotary cut out every shape and mark a dot on every seam intersection.  This allowed me to hand piece at my leisure.  There are hexagons too, and I learned a bit about those on this quilt - a new way to baste both by stitching and by glue.  

I hand quilted it using my 12" hoop, size 12 between needles, and the Request weight cotton batt from Dream Batting.  Most of the quilting was unmarked as I used the pieces themselves to guide me, but I occasionally marked and I used both a Sewline mechanical pencil and a blue washout marker.  All the markings, from what I can see - came out.

I threw it in the washing machine this morning (always a leap of faith no matter how much you rely on good tools and supplies).  I tossed in 4 Color Catcher sheets.  None of the fabric were pre-washed, but since they were 99.9% Moda fabrics - I knew from experience that I was going to get good results.  I did.  The Color Catcher sheets came out a bit gray, but no color ran anywhere.  The "gray" could be the result of it sitting in my lap, and being handled by me for 2 years.  It also spent time on the floor, on tables, and a certain dog cuddled up on it occasionally.

We've sold a few Mrs. Billings pattern sets and kits since I started posting about this quilt.  I hope you all have as much fun as I did.  What I can recommend, if you don't already have one, is that you get a turntable cutting mat and a rotary cutter with a small head.  Rotary cutting around these small templates without the turntable can be frustrating.  I couldn't believe how much faster and easier it was once I got mine.

I am actually looking forward to my next long term project.

This is the best photo of the whole thing.  It was still a bit damp when I hung it up and I didn't want to leave it this way, as it would dry a bit wonky.

She is finishing drying on the dining room table.  Eventually she will be hung on the wall, but she travels to a trunk show before that.  

Thanks to you all for putting up with my obsession the pasts 2 years.  Now on to something else!

Laters

Laurie