She Did it Again –

Deb G, one of my faithfully regular customers, presented me with yet another tee-shirt quilt. Deb takes great joy in accumulating, organizing and stitching together quilts for her close relatives. Hannah’s quilt was her latest masterpiece. Watching and listening to Deb as she detailed the history behind the quilt it was obvious she had invested not only her time but also a great deal of emotion.

Plans Were Made –

As we examined not only the quilt top but also the backing we discussed possible stitch patterns and thread colors. Since Deb is one of my “regulars” she has been exposed to a large variety of stitches. Her familiarity made it easier for her to visualize and select options she thought would work nicely.

Keeping in mind Hannah’s sports background along with the circular pattern on the black border, Deb chose bubbles as her stitch of choice for the border and sashing. She let me choose the design for the balance of the quilt. Her only other stipulation was that I avoid quilting over the lettering on each of the tee-shirts. Chosen for thread color was Omni # 3024 Medium Grey.

A Bit of Stiffness –

Following the wishes outlined by Deb I set to work quilting her project. When Deb delivered the quilt I noticed she had used a stabilizer behind each of the tee-shirts. I assumed that since she had not taken the time to remove it I was to leave it in place. The Stabilizer with it’s paper-like texture made a crinkly sound when manipulated.

Although a single sheet of paper seems insignificant when it comes to added thickness, multiple sheets, coupled with paper’s inherent stiffness definitely had an impact on the quilt’s proper installation. The added thickness made the top roll somewhat unevenly but I was able to work around it and compensate.

The Outcome –

When the quilting was done and Deb’s project was removed from my machine I was quite satisfied with the outcome. There were, however, two things I wasn’t to sure of. The first was the crinkly sound made by the stabilizer and the second was the lack of quilting on the majority of the tee-shirts. The absence of stitching left some of the areas slightly droopy or puffy. Although I was concerned about these two factors the true judge would be Deb.

Another Satisfied Customer –

I knew Deb’s plans were to bind the quilt and give it to Hannah for Christmas so as soon as I was finished I let Deb know that she was welcome to come by and pick it up.

Deb was more then happy with the outcome. She was very pleased with the patterns she had chosen as well as the thread color. The slightly baggie tee shirts as well as the noisy stabilizer didn’t seem to faze her.

I’m Wondering? –

Now that’s she has most likely given the quilt to Hannah I’m wondering if Deb is still as happy with its outcome. If I think of it I will have to ask her the next time we get together.

Here It Is! –

Here’s a pictorial account of Hannah’s quilt as seen through the eye of my camera lens.

Vital Statistics:

1. Quilt Size = 69″ wide x 70 1/4″ Long
2. # of hours spent quilting = 10 hours and 24 minutes
3. # of stitches applied = 246,383
4. Thread color used = Omni # 3024 Medium Grey

Cindy Anderson of In A Stitch Quilting