My First Kenmore

Isn’t she pretty?  I picked her up for free from a Craigslist advertisement!  This is a Kenmore 158.521, and I’m learning a lot about her.

First…..she is DANG heavy!!  How do I know?  Well, she came with a cabinet.  A very nice cabinet.  But the previous owners removed the machine from the cabinet in order to facilitate transportation, and now I can’t get her re-mounted back into the cabinet.

See these tiny little pegs in the back slots?  They are what I’m supposed to put this machine onto, using the little holes in the back of the machine, and then tighten down the set screws.  Sounds easy enough, right?  Well, we’ve done that, and every time I rotate the head back into position either the machine moves and pops off the left side post (even after tightening the screw) or the mounting mechanism moves in its natural arc and when it stops, the back of the sewing machine doesn’t lie flush with the table.  All the while, either my DH or I are hanging onto the machine to make sure it doesn’t fall and smash someone’s toe!

I’ve posted my dilemma on a couple of online forums, gotten some good information and suggestions, but as you can see, the machine still isn’t mounted.  So, if anyone knows how to resolve this, please let me know, I’m at my wits end!

The second thing I learned is that this machine’s needle is “left-homed” .  That is, while using a straight stitch, the needle sits at the left side of the throat plate.  You can see what I mean on this photo, where the needle is just coming down through the presser foot on the left.  Using the edge of the presser foot as a guide, this starts the sewist out with a 3/8” seam allowance.  So, this is not the machine for a quilter who uses a 1/4” seam allowance because to do so means the fabric will only ride on one of the feed dogs, which will not feed the fabric through the machine evenly. 

She sure sews a nice stitch, though, and I’m looking forward to trying my hand at some other sewing projects that I’ve put off in favor of my traditional quilting projects.  Yes, in fact, I think I’ll use her to make the jean quilt I’ve been saving up old jeans for, and get those piles used up and cleared out of my sewing room (and garage)!

The Birth of a Quilt

The Birth of a Quilt.  That’s what my DH called it when he saw the first Postage Stamp Quilt block I made.    I like it!

My goal has been to work these units in while working on a “regular” project.  Lately, though, I’ve needed some mindless sewing, so I turned to these, which has been perfect.  I absolutely adore how it’s turned out.

Last night, I completed 2 more of these and I lined them up to show off a preview of what’s to come.

This is going to be one cool quilt!

Dog Panel with Satin Binding

My neighbor commissioned me to do a quilt for her from a purchased panel made from chenille and flannel.  She got this one at the same time she bought the pink and white panel, which I also quilted for her. 

I used high loft polyester batting with Sew Fine thread, which created a trapunto look. It’s quite cuddly and soft, and I think it will be loved for a long time.

She likes satin binding on the baby quilts, and while I understand why, they aren’t exactly the easiest thing to apply.   However, since I made the first quilt I saw a demonstration on TV by Nancy Zieman that showed how to sew the corners closed as you attach the binding, and I tried it on this quilt.

Of course, I wasn’t able to find the demonstration online anywhere after I saw it aired on TV, so it took me awhile to get to finishing the project.  I used a straight, rather than a zigzag and it finished up quite nicely, although it does leave a bit of a “lip” on the back of the quilt.  I think I’ll try a decorative stitch next time.  The only thing I wish I could have figured out was how to hide the seam that connects the ends of the satin in that corner.  Maybe someone out there can tell me of a better way?

It’s a Sickness….

Yesterday I brought home a Singer 603E.  It was made in 1964 and it was just calling my name.

This machine not only has the decorative “Top Hat” cam system, it can also do a chain stitch and came with several extra cams, throat plates, bobbins and several feet.  There was even a magnetic seam guide!  How’s a girl to resist that??

I also made a new friend, Jerry, from Treasure Valley Sew and Vac.  He’s got a booth at the Boise Flea Market and repairs and sells sewing machines.  As a former Singer service and sales rep, he’s quite knowledgeable, and I spent most of my afternoon soaking up information.  I had a blast!

The new one followed me home, of course, but Jerry also made a generous offer to work with me and my Education Outreach team at Boise Basin Quilters to furnish low cost machines to the guild for our workshops.  He’s also offered to mentor me in the process.  I can’t tell you how thrilled I am!

It Sews!

I’ve recently been trolling Craigslist for vintage sewing machines, I just can’t seem to stop myself.  However, I haven’t tried to buy every single one of them, I just pull up the advertisement over and over, trying to decide if I really want to make the trip to someone’s home, test the machine and plunk down the cash.
Last weekend, this Singer 347 came home with me, and I got a steal of a deal!  I cleaned and oiled it and it sews wonderfully!  Look at these stitches!
I’ve missed out on a couple of them, the most recent was an ad that I’d missed completely,  for a Singer 201-2.  I’ve only recently come to know that these are wonderful machines, although I’ve never sewn on one myself.  Now, I want one!  So, when I saw this advertisement there was no hesitation.  I called immediately and left a message.  I followed up with another phone call the next day, but the machine had been sold the day before.  Drat!

It’s Not a Featherweight….

It’s a Singer 99K!

And I found it at a thrift store for a whopping $55!

So, I’ve been doing a lot of research on old machines ever since, and I have learned quite a bit… and there is SO much more to learn!
I can blame Bonnie Hunter for my latest obsession.  She’s been posting about her vintage machines for a long time, but her most recent post was about her replacement Featherweight that she is getting tricked out and painted  School Bus Yellow.
I’ve never really been fascinated by the Featherweights, but I love all gadgets and machines, so I got curious as to what was posted in my local Craigslist area.  I specifically started looking for treadle machines, and  I found quite a few, but one specifically caught my eye.  It was a beautiful Singer!
However, I started thinking about the sewing machine, an Anker RZ, sitting in my garage, that had been rusted out during a flood in my mother’s basement a few years ago, when no one thought to look into the box containing the machine.  It’s the sewing machine I learned to sew on, the one my dad brought into the marriage, and I’ve been hugely disappointed ever since I brought it home that it was in such a state.
Of course, I waited until the morning of my appointment to see the treadle to find someone who said he could clean off the rust and get it working, so I cancelled my appointment to see the treadle, thinking it would cost a lot to restore the Anker RZ.  I was pleasantly surprised to find the cost more than reasonable.  But by the time I contacted the seller again, they had changed their minds about selling the treadle.  I’ve been kicking myself ever since.
I haven’t figured out which model of the Singer 99K that I have, so will be researching that further.  I’ve gotten it cleaned up and oiled, though, and, as you can see in the photo, even started sewing my 2” charms for the postage stamp quilt on it!
I signed up for the swap again that the Curious Quilter is hosting, this time for 12 packets, and I can’t wait to get my list of buddies!  In the meantime, I’m planning on getting quite a few more charms sewn together this weekend and finish putting a border on a jelly roll race quilt.
Enjoy your weekend, and Go Broncos!

I won!

Katie, from Katie’s Quilting Corner, celebrated her 50th podcast with a giveaway…and I won!  Check out her website and podcast, she’s a busy gal with lots going on, and willing to share her ideas.

My copy of Quilt Design Wizard arrived in the mail yesterday, and I was able to install it this morning.

I haven’t had a chance to play with it yet, though, as I’m off to finish the border on my customer’s hexagon quilt (this is just a sneak preview), then run a quick errand before the home opener for Boise State football…Go Broncos!! 

After that, I need to move my exercise machine into my office, as my stepdaughter is coming for a week long visit and I’m just beginning to get into a routine again.

What a day that’s planned, huh!?!  And that only covers half the list!

I hope you all enjoy your weekend too.

R.I.P Rosie: October 1998–September 2012

My beloved Rosie passed away this week.  She would have been 14 years old in October.

We took a trip to Montana for my 30th high school reunion in August and took the dogs with us.  Rosie didn’t react well while traveling, so we took her to the vet in Helena, where she was diagnosed with stage 5 lymphoma.  We decided to put her on prednisone to try to make her more comfortable in the time she had left.

Rosie liked to come up to the quilting room and lie at the top of the stairs, making sure that all who entered there had to pass inspection.

She was quite the character.  She knew how to get something she wanted by using her “I’m a cute puppy” look.

She could also look at my husband with one adoring eye, and give me the stink eye out of the other…all at the same time!  It was quite comical!

Rosie didn’t mind bath time, but she’d just as soon it didn’t drag out, either.

Rosie always kept us company no matter where we were in the house,  and she is greatly missed.

Labor Day Weekend – Decisions, Decisions!

After all of the fabric cutting I’ve been doing lately, I think I’ve been able to justify getting the Accuquilt Studio.  Or have I?  The two main issues are price and space.  Oh, is that all??

So, I’ve been shopping the Accuquilt.com site, balking at the price of getting started on the Studio, but remembering my sore back and how tired my hands have been lately, but not quite ready to commit.  Then I received their email newsletter late last week advertising their Labor Day sale.  The Studio is down to $399, just $50 more than the Accuquilt Go!…and I’m so there!…of course, I want the big one!  Still pricey, but I’ve never seen it lower, so this is the time to buy, right?

And then I saw the JoAnn Fabrics email.  What??  They have an Accuquilt Go! on sale for $199?!?  How can that be??  So, I started re-analyzing the systems again, and the short version is, I went to the store on Monday to get the Accuquilt Go!.  If I had more room, I’d get the Studio, but I just don’t have the dedicated space.  Besides, I can always upgrade later, and with the adapter I can still use dies I purchase now.

I can see that buying dies could get to be very expensive, so I’m going to start with the strip dies for the most versatility, since I do a lot of strip piecing and I can cross cut them into squares.  I’m also going to get a 6 1/2” strip die for borders, since I like to cut them with the grain and it’s a pain to handle the fabric that way.  At least it should help me get some quilting done faster!

If you have a Go! I’d like to hear which are your favorite dies.

Craziness, aka “PSQ”

This photo shows some innocent looking 2” fabric charms.  Innocuous, even.  Quite the inspiration for a wonderful new project, right?

Well, let me tell you, I can see this becoming an addiction!  It all started when I ran across a blog written by Mary Wibourn called The Curious Quilter.  I resisted the first two swaps; I didn’t have any charms cut, and 100 seemed like quite a few to come up with.

And then I saw the blog a few more times, and the photos she has, like this one, just started calling my name!

So, I signed up for two swap partners and started cutting my scraps.  And cutting.  And cutting!  And I only had 3 piles of 46 charms!  So, I started digging into my yardage, using my June Tailor Shape Cut mat.  I figured that should make things sing along.  Yet, I still didn’t seem to be making much progress, confounded by the question of “should I cut other size strips, too, while I have this yardage out?”

Yes.  Of course!  That’s what the Stashbusters Yahoo group means by “cut it up Sunday”.  But what sizes should I start cutting them into?  I mean, it’s not like I have a specific project in mind.  That’s why it’s still yardage in the first place!

Well, after all that standing, I have a very sore back and now I’m seriously considering buying the Accuquilt Studio!  Yes, I want the big one.  Where I’ll store it is another question!

So, here’s a questions for you:  do you all cut your fabric into strips, waiting for a project?  How do you manage your stash of strips?  What’s your favorite method of cutting?

And…have you made a postage stamp quilt?  Would you do it again?

Garage Sale Find!

Yesterday I found out about a quilter who was moving to a new home, and had to downsize her quilting stash, so she held a garage sale today.   Bad news for her, great news for the community!  Great news?  Yes!  She was selling her yardage for between $3-$4 per yard!  I haven’t been buying much fabric lately, unless it’s for a specific project.  I don’t have much more room for new fabric, unless it has a specific purpose; that way, it won’t be sticking around! 

About half of this fabric is for a fabric swap I signed up for at guild, and the other half is for a new shadow box quilt I just had a bug to start cutting for; I saw a photo of one on my Stashbusters Yahoo group albums and a tutorial.  While I’ve been cutting 2” charms for my PSQ, I figured it would be easy enough to cut the 8.5” charms I need for that quilt, too.

And look what else I found at the yard sale!  It’s a gorgeous round robin wall hanging that was started in 1995…I even got the label they made!…and I’ve even got ideas on how to finish it.  Wool batting and feathers are in its future!

 

And here’s a close-up of the middle:

I also went shopping at the local yarn shop today.  Unfortunately, The Yarn Shoppe in Meridian is closing, so they’re having a sale.  I got way too much great stuff.  I won’t need to spend money on craft projects for a long, long time!

Something New – Weaving!

I’ve been wanting to try weaving for awhile, due in part to a friend’s interest; she wants to create tapestries.  However, I’m most interested in making rugs.

This isn’t an entirely new interest.  I grew up with rag scatter rugs my grandmother made.  Later, I received 3 of them as wedding presents from my cousin, and I really like them.  Fourteen years later they’re still in great shape, but I’d like to be able to make more of them.

Last week I received an email that Puffy Mondaes was holding a table loom class this weekend, so I signed up, not knowing what, exactly, a table loom is, but knowing it wasn’t a Cricket loom, which is a small loom, so, while affordable, I can’t make a rug on it.

I thought we’d be making something different than a scarf, but that’s exactly what we started on, using a huck lace pattern.  This is a specific weaving structure, much like a log cabin quilt block is a specific quilt block.  The pattern is very much like a counted cross stitch pattern, but this was black and white, and read from right to left for the warp threading and up and down for the weaving pattern.  Reading those little black dots will make your eyes cross!

I had fun and met some great new gals.  None of us finished our project, though, so we have to find time to go back to work on it in order to get our projects off the frames.  I’m not sure when I'll have the time, though, as I have a customer quilt to work on and some 2” charms to cut up for the Curious Quilter’s postage stamp quilt swap, so now I have another WIP.

I learned a lot and now I’m better able to do some research for getting a loom of my own, should I decide to go down that road.  Oh, yeah, like I need another hobby!

Patriotic Log Cabin…and bikes!

I haven't been online much, with my new work schedule; I’ve been getting there early and staying late.  I’m loving my new job!  I'm just so focused while I'm there, which is a great thing.

The last three customer quilts I’ve finished have been on a deadline, too, so I’ve just had my head down plugging away.  As the days, and projects go by, I keep thinking “I gotta blog about this!”…and then I go to bed.  Sigh, there’s just never enough time in the day.  So, I will catch you up on the latest quilts, starting with this patriotic log cabin.

This is the one I was working on when my leaders came un-taped from the take up bar.  I was frustrated with this design because it is so detailed and I couldn’t seem to get a lot of it right.  Of course, my nose was right up in it so I saw every little mistake.  Overall, it turned out well, and my customer was very happy with it.  She did a fabulous job on the piecing and it laid nice and flat the whole time!

I’ve been working on the Jelly Roll Quilters mystery quilt for the past 3 months.  This month’s installment involved cutting the strips down into tiny little pieces to make log cabins for the design.  I haven't even touched those log cabin blocks.  I'm not a huge fan of making them, but my first obstacle was having to cut them into those tiny strips, so I've just been ignoring this step.  Guess I'd better get on it if I want to keep up!

Over Father’s Day weekend I had a friend I've known for 25 years come to visit me from Tacoma, Washington (near Seattle) where I used to live.  She came to run in a half marathon race, and I was there to cheer her on!

During our excursions after the race I bought a used bicycle from Boise Bike Project!  I’ve started riding it to work, about 10 miles, and I’m completely loving it!!  Because the temperatures have been in the high 90’s, my husband comes to pick me up after work so I don't have to ride it back home in the heat.  Besides, I'm not yet in good enough shape for the round trip, but I hope to be soon!

I’ve completed two additional customer quilts since the log cabin, including the binding on one of them, which I almost never do.  She, however, isn't a seamstress, and this is an heirloom top (it was made in the 1980's by the customer's mother) that I turned into a quilt as her daughter's upcoming wedding gift.  I love how it’s turned out and I’ll post pictures once she sees it.

Thread stash!

I didn’t start out to organize my thread!  Really!

But isn’t it beautiful?

 

I’d been storing some of my pantos in the bottom drawer, but I decided that I simply needed more room for the thread, so they got moved.  I love how easy it is to see what I have now!

Uh oh, was that my monthly shipment of thread arriving?  Guess I’d better get some projects quilted and use up some thread!

Um, OK….REALLY???

I know, I haven’t posted anything in a VERY long time!  I’ve had so much to tell you all, and show you, and no time to write it down.  Hmmm…which reaffirms ANOTHER idea I want to pursue…oh, yeah, in my spare time!

So, with all this activity going on trying to get customer quilts done, of course I have to fix some mistakes, all on one quilt.  Turns out that one of the reasons I had a mistake was THIS…my leaders started coming off! 

They were hanging crooked and I hadn’t really noticed until my husband said something about it one afternoon a couple of weeks ago, but it never occurred to me that it was because they were coming un-taped.  I thought maybe they were stretching.  I mean, I used DUCK tape!! And no, that’s not a typo, it really was DUCK brand tape, not duct tape.

I don’t know how I did it without fussing and measuring everything, as I did when I first attached them to the pole, but I was able to tape them back into place and they’re hanging pretty evenly.  Once I fix the boo-boos on this quilt, I’ll unroll the leaders again and add more tape.

In the meantime, my other big news is that I got a new job!!  I’ve been hired to be a Business Intelligence Report Developer, which is a fancy way of saying I get to play with databases…something I’ve wanted to do for a VERY long time!!  And I’m attending an online training this week that starts at 6:30 AM, working from home on my work laptop!!  Yes, it STARTS at 6:30, because that’s 8:30 am Eastern time.

So, I’ve been tired and not doing anything in the quilting room this week.  Since I’ve got lots saved up, though, it’ll be fun catching up, once I’m working on my own computer again.

Bonnie Hunter’s Giveaway

Hey, in case you haven’t seen it, Bonnie Hunter has a giveaway on her blog for the Quiltmaker’s 100 Blocks Volume 5 issue.  She’s got a block in there called Talking Turkey, and it’s pretty fabulous!

Go to her blog to enter the giveaway, she’s drawing today, Suncay May 6th!

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2012/05/100-blocks-vol-5-blog-tour.html

Bali Pops Quilt…Love It!

I’ll be working on a customer quilt today while in the Quilt Cave, but thought I’d share one of the quilts I finished before BroncoFest came along and threw orange and blue all over my work space!

I’m sure Judy Z. purchased it, but I don’t know the name of this pattern. She made it using a Bali Pop batik jelly roll, which is made by Hoffman.  If you’re interested, I’ll contact her to get the actual name, but in the meantime you can find free Hoffman patterns here.  I quilted it using the free Starburst pantograph pattern by Patricia Ritter at Digi-Tech.

I’ve purchased several digital patterns and have printed some out and taped them together to use, but it is very time consuming and hard to make sure the paper fits together in a straight line!

My goal is to eventually be able to use these designs with the PantoVision software from ABM International.  This software will load on a tablet that I can mount to the front of the machine, so I can sew from the front and watch what I’m doing at eye level…and I’m so excited about that prospect!  Right now it only runs on a Windows tablet, which I don’t have.  So, I’ll have to trade out my Android tablet to make this work, but I’m going to wait for Windows 8 to come out on an affordable device.

This still doesn’t make my machine a computerized system in the sense that I still have to guide the machine myself, but it will be easier on my neck, as well as allow me to interact with the fabric as I quilt.

In the meantime, I’m adding designs to my wish list!

Bali Pops Quilt…Love It!

I’ll be working on a customer quilt today while in the Quilt Cave, but thought I’d share one of the quilts I finished before BroncoFest came along and threw orange and blue all over my work space!

I’m sure Judy Z. purchased it, but I don’t know the name of this pattern. She made it using a Bali Pop batik jelly roll, which is made by Hoffman.  If you’re interested, I’ll contact her to get the actual name, but in the meantime you can find free Hoffman patterns here.  I quilted it using the free Starburst pantograph pattern by Patricia Ritter at Digi-Tech.

I’ve purchased several digital patterns and have printed some out and taped them together to use, but it is very time consuming and hard to make sure the paper fits together in a straight line!

My goal is to eventually be able to use these designs with the PantoVision software from ABM International.  This software will load on a tablet that I can mount to the front of the machine, so I can sew from the front and watch what I’m doing at eye level…and I’m so excited about that prospect!  Right now it only runs on a Windows tablet, which I don’t have.  So, I’ll have to trade out my Android tablet to make this work, but I’m going to wait for Windows 8 to come out on an affordable device.

This still doesn’t make my machine a computerized system in the sense that I still have to guide the machine myself, but it will be easier on my neck, as well as allow me to interact with the fabric as I quilt.

In the meantime, I’m adding designs to my wish list!

Cockscomb Meander

I love reading other quilters’ blogs, don’t you?  I learn a lot from other people, get inspired by their designs, and generally just love to share in everyone’s love for the art of quilting.  Oh, and don’t forget the eye candy!

Quilters are a generous bunch, too.  Linda, over at L&R Designs Quilting, suggested a quilting pattern for my Odd Girl Out quilt.  When I couldn’t figure out how to do it, she generously made a video of how to stitch it out!

Now, isn’t that the coolest!?!?

Thanks so much for sharing, Linda!

BroncoFest 2012

For the past week I’ve been working on details getting ready to have my first vendor booth, at the inaugural Boise State Craft Fair.

Of course, I didn’t get everything done.  And I’ve put customer quilts on hold for this week, which feels really strange, and instead, working on a Bronco T-shirt quilt.  Well, actually, I’ve been working on several at a time, as usual.   The Quilt Cave is strewn with blue and orange!  The main one I was focusing on didn’t get finished; it’s at the border stage and merrily hanging in the middle of my booth anyway!  It definitely got noticed and when I finish it I think it will sell quickly.

It’s been cold at the inaugural Bronco Craft Fair today, and very windy.  How cold was it?  Cold enough to have on a sweatshirt, windbreaker (that really works!), ear warmers, hat and still need to wrap up in an extra quilt!  My feet were like icicles all day!

We have a wind advisory starting at 3pm…I think it started sooner than that, because at 1:30 booths started blowing into the street and one knocked over a bunch of displayed glassware!  My quilt stands blew over several times and the quilts were flapping in the breeze.  I checked with the event coordinator and she said it would be OK to move to another place, but with so little time left before the end of the event, I didn’t want to break it down and reassemble it again for a 2 hour time frame.  As I was packing up, Security came over and confirmed that I should take it down.

The summary for the event:  no quilts sold, but I handed out several cards and flyers so I should be getting some calls for quilting services or T-shirt quilts.  I also realized I should have more items on hand for people to peruse.  The problem is, I just want to make quilts!

This sort of weather, and standing for long periods really wears me out.  We decided to forego the Bronco Spring Game and came home.  I put my feet up and enjoyed a cup of double spiced chai tea and am contemplating how I’ll finish out the day.

I’ll definitely have a booth next year!

Go Broncos!!

Odd Girl Out

I don’t know if any of you remember the hot pink quilt top I started in September last year, and how much trouble I was having with deciding on a border.  So, I put it away for awhile.
Then about a month ago, I was reading a magazine article by Kaffe Fasset, and I knew right then and there I wanted one of his fabrics for the border on this quilt!
Well, a couple of weekends ago, I found the perfect border fabric, and I actually got it applied to the quilt!
I just love it!
I think I’ll put a cozy pink flannel on the back, and use Winline’s 100% Bamboo batting.  I haven’t auditioned any specific thread colors yet, the quilting design might influence that decision.
Now I have to figure out how to quilt it.  I know a pantograph that would look great on it, but this year I’m really wanting to focus on improving my free motion skills, and this is a perfect opportunity since it’s not designated for any specific person or event.  Got any suggestions for me?

T-shirt Quilt

Last weekend I worked on a customer's first quilting project, a T-shirt quilt.  Her mom brought it to me and said they weren’t sure how to finish it.  It's about 50" X 50" and is really cute; she made it out of her company shirts.
The biggest problem was that she had not stabilized any of the T-shirts.  They were simply cut out to show the logo and sewn together, and then she added some raw edge applique patches in some of the open areas.  She sure took on a challenge for her first project using those stretchy fabrics!  AllPeopleQuilt.com has a great tutorial on how to make a T-shirt quilt, and well worth signing up for the site.
Because the fabric wasn't stabilized, and therefore the seams weren't flat, I decided that a double layer of high loft polyester batting would probably help the situation....and I was right!  OK, maybe 2 layers was a bit overkill, but I had absolutely no tension issues!!  :-)
The initial design objective was an overall meander, but as I was working, I thought that a bit of highlighting was called for so I outlined the patches and logos.  Overall, I'm very pleased with how it has turned out.

Pink and White with Satin

I tried a new technique using a satin blanket binding over Christmas break.

This is a purchased panel that used fleece, flannel and minkee in the top.  I added high loft fleece and quilted it with a freehand flower design, using a flannel back that matched one of the patches in the top.

Since I’d never used the satin before, and wanted a mitered corner like my traditional quilts, I went to YouTube!  I found a very clear and easy video on the ExpertVillage that explained the process.

Since the time that this project was completed, I saw a PBS Sewing with Nancy show that demonstrated how to sew the corners down and miter them all at the same time.  I really liked the technique because the corners turned out crisp.  I haven’t found the video online, but if I will keep my eye out for it.

Even though my project turned out really cute, I wish I’d seen Nancy’s technique before I’d finished mine!  My corners were left open, which bothered me, but I couldn’t figure a way to close them without making the seams obvious, so I just decided to let it go, which was hard for me to do!

I don’t usually like high loft batting, but it worked really well to fill in the fullness that the different fabrics created, and gave the blanket a lot of weight.  It will be perfect for tummy time!