Happy Thursday! Today I want to share my finished vintage sheet plus quilt that I made during the Plus Quilt Along!
I had so much fun working on a soft and subtle plus quilt on a larger scale. I made a baby quilt with all low-contrast vintage reclaimed bedsheets earlier in the year, and I just can't get it out of my system! It's bringing me so much joy to work with these fabrics. Since making the first one, I thrifted a few that made it into this quilt which is fun!
Wow, this quilt is big!! It doesn't sound that big (80"x88"), but it's so much bigger than what I normally make! I mostly make small throw (like 60"x80") quilts or baby quilts. I forgot how much longer each step takes on a quilt of this size. This quilt was too big for both of my go-to spots for taking flat shots! I plan to bring it home with us to Ohio this summer so that I can photograph it on my parent's barn. For now, this will have to do!
Because this quilt was so large, I kept the quilting as simple as possible. I quilted lines 1/4" away from all the seams.
I'll admit, I struggled to quilt this quilt. I thought I did a good job basting, but the layers were sliding all over the place on me. I'm not sure if it was the weight of the quilt or a mediocre basting job or some mysterious third reason! Leave it to quilting to continue to humble me. Thankfully my troubles were mostly disguised with a good wash and dry.
Sometime last year I thrifted two King size flat sheets of this brown butterfly sheet! It holds a special place in my heart, I used this print to make a dresden pillow back in 2011 that we still love and use today. Since the quilt was so big, I pretty much had to use a King size sheet to back it.
For the binding I used leftover fabric from the back, my current favorite choice.
My last two quilt finishes I forgot to add one of my custom tags, so this time I made sure to add one!
In the end, I love how this quilt turned out! I wish the quilting had gone a little better, but maybe next time! It did make me realize that this is a bit too big of a quilt for me to quilt myself. I think I'll stick with smaller throws and baby quilts for a while!
Vintage Sheet Plus Quilt
Pattern: Arithmetic Quilt Pattern (Double size, 4.5" squares)
Fabric: Vintage Reclaimed Bedsheets
Happy Quilting!
It’s likely your quilting slippage can be blamed on the fabrics. Your sheets contain a lot of polyester, which is known to be slippery. With two layers of poly, you created double slippage. Cotton is “sticky,” so cotton sticks to cotton. You’ve affirmed one of the reasons I tell students in beginner quiltmaking classes to not use a sheet as backing, at least until they have a few quilts under their belt. Still, your quilt turned out very pretty.
ReplyDeleteThe fabric is definitely contributing! However, I've made loads of quilts with sheets and this isn't an issue I usually have. I think the combination of the slippery material and the sheer weight and size of the quilt was what did it!
Deletemorning jeni, thanks for sharing and your quilt is absolutely incredible. take pride dear lady.
ReplyDeleteit is a joy to look at. (-:
It’s a beautiful quilt! You did a great job.
ReplyDeleteThis turned out so lovely. I really like how a few of the print pluses (like the blue) really stand out but most are more subtle. Bummer about the quilting. That's happened to me before to. OH well. Thanks for a fun sew along Jeni.
ReplyDeleteI Jeni. I read somewhere that said not to use bed sheets for quilting. However, you've used them to great success. So, I wonder have you noticed some sort of difference in your sewing or gumming up the needle etc... I wonder why they would write this. And there are people using whatever fabric they have available including clothes to make quilts. I wonder what your thoughts are especially since you thrift etc.. thanks. 🎈 By the way--I thrift as well and noticed the prices are super high and why--the merchandise is donated.
ReplyDeleteTo each their own! I love working with sheets. I don't usually have an issue with this, I think it was just the heavy weight of the quilt!
DeleteCorrect to each their own. I am really tired of "whomever" being judgmental. And that is all I feel surrounds me. thanks.
Delete