April OMG Success: Anders' Grad Quilt is a Flimsy!

It's the last day of April, and I'm crossing my big One Monthly Goal off my list in the nick of time.  I feel like that player in Sports Ball who slides into Home Plate right before whatever happens that makes him Struck Out instead of Safe.  That other dude who is dressed like a cross between a skunk and a raccoon yells SAFE -- and the crowd goes wild!!  🙌  See?  I do sort of somewhat pay attention to the Sports Ball games.  But mostly, I'm just shopping for fabric on my iPad...  

Giverny Teleidoscope is a Completed Flimsy

77 x 99 Giverny Teleidoscope is a Completed Flimsy

My Major Goal for April was to get my younger son's high school graduation quilt top, Giverny Teleidoscope, completely assembled, and I just finished that up about an hour ago.  (Those are my husband's naked toes sticking out on the right side of the photo, and my soon-to-be-graduate son Anders' gray sock clad toes sticking out on the other side).   I pressed it flat as a pancake with Mary Ellen's Best Press, and even remembered to stay stitch 1/8" from the raw edges all the way around the quilt top so it's ready to load and quilt.  

Stay Stitching an Eighth of an Inch From Raw Edges

Which Quilt Tops Benefit from Stay Stitching Before Long Arm Quilting?

Not every quilt top needs to be stay stitched prior to long arm quilting.  If a quilt has solid, unpieced borders cut on the straight grain, stay stitching along the edges isn't necessary.  However, if a quit top has pieced borders, bias fabric edges that fall along the edges of the quilt top, or borderless quilts like this mine that have tons of piecing seams all along the edges of the quilt, stay stitching is really important in preventing those seams from popping open when the quilt top is under tension from the quilt rollers throughout the quilting process.  Stay stitching also prevents the edges of the quilt from "growing" while it's being quilted as bias fabric edges stretch and the ends of those seams open up ever so slightly, which could cause a relatively flat quilt top to end up with wavy edges after quilting.  

Bias Fabric Edges and Piecing Seams Along Outer Edge Benefit From Stay Stitching

That last step of stay stitching around all four sides of a quilt like this only takes a few minutes, and it doesn't need to be super precise and beautiful because those stitches are going to be hidden inside the binding once the quilting is complete.  Trust me; it's worth spending that little bit of additional time after so much effort has been put into your quilt along the way.

...and Color Outside the Lines is Totally Ta-Done!

My 63 x 63 Color Outside the Lines UFO from 2014, Also Completed This Month

My Minor Goal for April was completed on schedule as well -- labeling and binding my Color Outside the Lines quilt, which you can read about here if you missed my earlier post.  That was a UFO (UnFinished Object) that goes way back to 2014, so it feels good to cross that one off as well.

I Love This Ombre Teal Binding Fabric from V and Co.

What's Next for May?

So, with all of my goals crossed off for April, what's next on my agenda?  I have one more big client quilt that needs to get loaded and quilted before my kaleidoscope, but that still gives me plenty of time to get Anders' quilt quilted, labeled and bound by the end of May.  That is my one and ONLY personal quilting goal for the month of May, by the way.  Since I've already seamed my backing and made the embroidered label for this one, the only other prep work is making the binding so it's ready to go as soon as the quilting is complete.

PSST!!  I'd Love to Quilt for YOU!

By the way, if you or any of your quilty friends has a quilt top or two that needs quilting, I'd be delighted to quilt for you!  My turnaround for edge-to-edge quilting is currently running about 2 weeks, and you can click here to find out how to book your quilt with me.

Alright, I think I've rambled on long enough for today.  That kaleidoscope quilt isn't going to finish piecing itself, now, is it?!  I'm linking up today's post with the following linky parties:

One Monthly Goal at Elm Street Quilts

SATURDAY

UFO Busting at Tish in Wonderland

SUNDAY

Frédérique at Quilting Patchwork Appliqué

Oh Scrap! at Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework

MONDAY

Design Wall Monday at Small Quilts and Doll Quilts  

Monday Making at Love Laugh Quilt

BOMs Away at What a Hoot Quilts

WEDNESDAY

Midweek Makers at Quilt Fabrication

Wednesday Wait Loss at The Inquiring Quilter

THURSDAY

Needle and Thread Thursday at My Quilt Infatuation  

Free Motion Mavericks with Muv and Andree

FRIDAY

Whoop Whoop Fridays at Confessions of a Fabric Addict

Peacock Party at Wendy’s Quilts and More

Finished or Not Friday at Alycia Quilts

Off the Wall Friday at Nina Marie Sayre

 TGIFF Thank Goodness It’s Finished Friday, rotates, schedule found here: TGIF Friday