Monday, February 3, 2014

Light Bulb Moment!

 
Have you ever had one?
 
 
Oh my goodness!  I just looked up when I started this project.....wait for it.....
February 2nd, 2011.
(wearing the cone of shame)
This was the time in blogland where value quilts were quite the rage.  I drank the Koolaid.
These original twenty-three blocks grew to this!
 
 
A scrappy Bow-Tie quilt.
So many different colors, prints and designers in there.
And oh my!  How Harry Potter-ish and little my Ben looks!
 
 
This is how I've always basted my quilts...on the floor.  Back breaking, leg-cramping, "I will never do this again!" quality time.
Not!
 
So, I got to thinking.  I wanted to quilt.  Something.  Not too big.  This value quilt seemed perfect.
(I can't believe it's been three years since I started it!)
Thought about basting it.
I even rolled the rug in the kitchen up to psyche myself up.
Walked by the tile floor a few times.
Got out the batting.
Walked by the floor.
Picked out a large piece of fabric hubs had thoughtfully bought for me at a garage sale he and Ben stopped at a couple of years ago.
Walked by the floor again.
*Sigh*
 
 
Took a picture.
 
 
Took another.
 
And then walked by my living room wall...
You know.
The one that has a huge empty space because I don't know what to do there.
...and got to thinking...
isn't a wall the same thing as a floor, just tipped upright?
I know what you're thinking, "Oh no u di'n't!"
 
 
Well, yes.  I did.
I had two of my three handsome assistants hold the backing fabric up against the wall while I taped it.
Then they held up the batting.
More tape.
Then the finished quilt top.
Even more tape.
 
W.H.Y. have I never thought of this before?
Using curved, basting pins
 
I got to stand upright and pin the top of the quilt and sat in a chair for the bottom part.
Easy peasy.
No sore back.
No messed up tape job on the floor from walking over the quilt or accidentally pulling up the tape.
No cats trying to nap on the quilt or photo-bomb the process.
 
 
Taping the quilt to the wall took longer than pinning it!
I was very careful when using the pins so as not to scratch the wall paint.
I started quilting it immediately.
Here it is on the machine.
 
 
Even our cat Gizmo can't believe how fast and smooth that whole process went!
(and is wondering why napping on a quilt on the floor-when it's obviously there for that purpose-is a bad thing...and giddy she still got a photo shot in the post!)
 
I enjoyed getting some encouragement and ideas from you last week.  I think I will make more in different colors for a lap quilt.  Just love the original photos of the inspirational blocks!
Thanks ladies!
 
Come on over for a virtual quilt show!
and
 
you can follow me here
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 


18 comments:

  1. This quilt is looking great. Your wall basting is a fab idea :)

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  2. Ok, I admit it - this is the most creative way to pin baste a quilt I've ever heard of! :) Soooooo smart!

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  3. A brilliant light bulb moment!! 'Tis perfect!! If only I had a bare wall.....

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  4. I love basting on the wall. I just wish I had bigger walls!

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  5. Hahaha. I had a few gigggles reading this. We both shared pictures of our curved safety pins this week, which I thought was pretty funny. Thanks for sharing!
    Learningcurvecrafts.blogspot.com

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  6. Great idea! I wish I had wall space big enough. Thanks for sharing your quilt with us!

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  7. Wall sandwiching is a new invention! Hmmm you have my gears running! Your Ben does have the Harry Potter look! Cute! Your quilt is quite lovely!

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  8. You are brilliant Miz Dee. I have taped up my quilt to the wall to look at, but never pinned it that way! Enjoy your quilting ~

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  9. My cats don't just nap on it, when I attempt to baste on the ground, they take it to be a great place to wrestle. Great idea! Now, which wall?

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  10. i still love value quilts! your top is gorgeous. great joy using the wall--i like to baste large quilts on a table. a sore back is no fun for sure!

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  11. I had that same exact thought process about how to baste a quilt awhile back! lol Then I started using my dining room table instead since we inherited this nice,rectangle one just for basting quilts...well maybe not strictly for that or even for that at all...but hey it works!! Glad to see the wall works for you! Such a vibrant,beautiful quilt too!!

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  12. This quilt is gorgeous... fabulously scrappy with beautiful colour variations.

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  13. you are a genious! Einstein has nothing on you!!! love that quilt! what gorgeous colors!!!

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  14. I have seen tutorials for spray basting on the wall but pin basting? This is nothing short of AWESOME! Now to find a wall big enough :) You made me laugh, and I walked by the floor, and I walked by the floor - I do that every time I have to sandwich a quilt!!

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  15. Why not! I do mine on the kitchen table. Might take a little longer, but at least you can move the next day:)

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  16. Love the quilt. I still love value quilts. Jess and I usually pin our quilt to the wall and then spray baste. The only down side is a kinda sticky room of we're not careful.....

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  17. floor basting stinks! I might have to try the wall! I really love the value quilt! I think the illusion they create is so neat!

    Thanks so much for sharing at Needle and Thread Thursday!

    :) Kelly @ My Quilt Infatuation

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  18. Great idea! Love the pictures! And the kitties are precious. What a beautiful quilt!

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