Tuesday 22 October 2013

Swoon Quilt Top Complete!


Yay! I have finished the final 3 blocks on my Swoon Quilt, sashed it, and now it is lying on the bed it is meant for.
Unfortunately, it just doesn't stop raining here for more than 5 minutes at a time at the moment, so the photos are awful!



After having a bit of a problem getting everything to match up when I made the previous batch of blocks, I decided to try starching the fabric this time.
The half square triangles and flying geese were already made, so I lined them all up on the ironing board, gave them a light spray and then a press. The half square triangles all needed trimming and the starch made it a lot easier to get a nice clean cut. I'm happy to say these blocks all went together very nicely.

It didn't take too long to come up with a layout I was happy with, and I was then onto the sashing.
Having only decided to starch when I was part way through the last 3 blocks, it was always going to be a mish-mash of starched and un-starched pieces, but I think, with hindsight, I should starched the sashing strips too.


I had a bit of trouble getting the rows to line up perfectly, and when laid out on the bed here, you can really notice the wrinkles where I've had to tighten a few seams and generally "persuade" it to all fit nicely.
I know none of this will be noticeable when it's quilted, but it does make me wonder whether I should start using starch all the time, or not.
So, I would love to know what other people do. Do you use starch? All the time? Only on intricate piecing or blocks cut on the bias?
It would be great to hear what other people think about this and hear about your experiences.

When I've stopped looking at it, I shall be putting this away for a while. I want to get on with some quick projects and some Christmassy things in the next few weeks, so it won't get quilted until the new year.
I do have a couple of festive tutorials to share with you too (both the knitty and the stitchy variety) so I'm hoping the coming days are going to be a bit brighter so I can take some decent photos!


28 comments:

  1. It's beautiful. And you're right the wrinkles will get lost in the quilting. I'm afraid I'm no expert on starch as I've only just started using it myself and have only used it on small pieces. A friend of mine said a quilter she knows of who does some fabulous quilts sprays all her fabrics before she uses them

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  2. Wow it's looking fantastic! I have started using starch more and more, to help get my fabric to 'behave' and lie flat. Looking forward to your tutorials, especially the 'stitchy' one! And fingers crossed it stops raining soon or you will have to write a tutorial on how to build an Ark...

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  3. Well done Julie it looks fantastic and quite perfect to me. :)

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  4. Fabulous quilt! It really looks great. No starch here, so tempted to try it...

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  5. Great quilt. I'm working on block 3 of mine right now. I haven't used starch on this one yet because it is behaving but I don't hesitate to anything that is acting up.

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  6. A really lovely quilt. I'm a starch fan and use it often.

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  7. Very nice blues and grays--they work very nicely with this design. I've never used starch but I can see how it would help for intricate piecing. Thanks for sharing your experience!

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  8. It looks beautiful and I love the color palette! Well done!

    http://sewcraftychick.blogspot.com/

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  9. Beautiful Swoon! And I own starch but use it only when a block needs that extra something - not routinely. Not that I don't think it's a good idea - I just don't take the time for it...

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  10. Gorgeous. Great colors! I can't wait to see it quilted!

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  11. This looks incredible! I starch when I am making something with lots of blocks that have to meet up. If it is something small with randomly pieced bits that don't match up, I don't use it. That might not make any sense. But I am consistent within projects and that seems to help.

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  12. I think your swoon is amazing. I don't know much about using starch...but did notice someone using it on a tutorial I watched recently.

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  13. Love your colour choices for the Swoon. The quilt top looks so gentle and inviting.

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  14. That's totally gorgeous! I'm still at block 4 but looking at yours makes me want to get cracking!

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  15. Beautiful Swoon! Yep I have too starch some and not others and had the Same results. Usually happens when I didn't prewash. I think the starch causes shrinkage.

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  16. Gorgous Swoon! I love your colour choices. I don't use starch, but now that you mention it, I have had problems in the past so maybe I should give it a try. :-)

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  17. Love the colors you used! What a fantastic quilt top! I started making my own starch using vodka-water mix...can't say how it compares since it's the only one I've used though.

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  18. long live the swoon! goodness, I love your color scheme. I still can't decide on one!

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  19. I love swoon in general, but your colours and layout are just perfect.
    As for starch, I have only just started using it, but it's definitly my friend when there are points involved. I know I'll be using it more for my fiuture projects. I don't think you can see any huge issues with your top thoguh - it looks perfect to me! :-)
    E xx

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  20. Such a great quilt and your colors are perfect!

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  21. Yet another Swoon quilt I love!

    I don't starch, but for projects that are so precise like this one, I think it would be a good idea. I'm about to get started on mine, so this is good to know.

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  22. Oh what excellent work! You can call it the rainy day Swoon quilt, lol.

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  23. So great to see the top finished... it looks fab all laid out! The rain is so annoying isn't it and I think it's only going to get worse this weekend :( I like starch although I've run out but I just find it makes the fabric much easier to handle and cut.

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  24. It's really lovely, Julie - great job! Looking forward to your Christmassy tutorials too :-)
    Happy weekend,
    Xx

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  25. I just started starching recently. I only starch at the beginning when I first press my fabric before making the first cut. Then every time it's pressed after that it sort of seems to reactivate the starch and continues to press nicely. Once in a while if I have a really stubborn seam that won't lay flat I get the starch out. But that usually ends badly.

    Very pretty swoon! And I hear ya on the rain...

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  26. Beautiful, it won't be long until I make another swoon quilt. I just don't look forward to the binding on such a large quilt, my first one was king sized. Sometimes I use starch and other times I forget and wish I had!

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