MMQAL: Putting it all together
Friday, November 1, 2013 at 11:57AM Hi everyone!
This is the second-to-last post for the QAL - it feels like we just started yesterday! Can you all believe we've been working toward this since August?? Wow!
Today we're going to talk about how to finish your quilt.
Putting it all together
As I'm waiting to quilt my own Marcelle, I haven't finished my back or basted it together. (And of course I didn't take a photo of my first Marcelle!) Instead, if you are planning to machine-quilt this, I must point you in the direction of this excellent tutorial by Rita of Red Pepper Quilts. I can highly recommend the taping, and even though I just survive with sore fingers, I do have a Kwik Klip and they are quite handy for pin basting.
Alexia suggests an all-over stipple, to let the piecing shine through, but, having done that with my first Marcelle, I would suggest taking your time and really having a play. It's a manageable size for free-motion quilting - most machines could comfortably take this quilt - and the piecing is little which means you can really enjoy yourself and try out new patterns!
I love Jess's quilting here so much. Also check out Jeannette's finish! Both of these ladies BLEW ME AWAY with their quilting, and inspired me to take a step back and plan better for my own Marcelle.
If you are thinking of hand-quilting, I really loved Svetlana's traditionally hand-quilted Marcelle and Cassie has a great Marcelle she quilted with perle cotton.
FINAL GIVEAWAY!
It's the very final giveaway for our Marcelle Medallion Quilt-Along, and it is CHOCK FULL of some lovely things!!
Firstly, I'm going to rather shamelessly plug my friends Danielle and Jeannette. These girls started out as Instagram friends and constantly inspire me with their amazing taste in fabric as well as their gorgeous quilts! Imagine my excitement when they decided to put their great taste forth and open a quilt shop, Polka Dot Tea!
You can find their gorgeous shop here: etsy.com/shop/polkadotteafabrics and their blog here: polkadottea.com
They have so generously donated a fat quarter bundle of these gorgeous cotton-linen print fat quarters from Kei for the final giveaway!
And for more of the final giveaway...
Two teensy cute stamp sets, cloud sticky notes, a ball of Valdani perle 8 to get your hand-quilting started, a journal to record your hopes & dreams, Paper Towels by dirtsastudio, a personal library kit so you can keep track of your quilting books, and a copy of Feathering The Nest by Bridgette Giblin!
Linky Rules:
- Please link to a photo of your Marcelle Medallion Quilt. It can be on Flickr, on Instagram, or on a blogpost.
- You must have started your Marcelle or completed most of it during this QAL.
- You get TWO entries if you have a finished quilt top and THREE entries if you have already quilted your Marcelle!
- You can also get another entry if you follow @polkadotteafabrics on Instagram and let me know you did so in the comments!
- It should go without saying...but if you're not participating in the QAL, then don't bother linking up - we'll check each entry twice, like SANTA does. :)
- International welcome of course!
Happy linking! Can't wait to draw this giveaway - closes at midnight on 4th of November so you have a few days!
Cheers, P xx
Reader Comments (7)
Thanks so much for running this QAL Jenn, I don't think I would have made it so fast or enjoyed it so much without the IG cheer squad. Also, thanks for the huge compliment! Not sure if I need to say it in a separate comment, but I'm following polkadottea on IG (I fear those two may send me broke!)
I am waiting for my backing to come from the States so won't be quilting it just yet but I am still SO in love with this quilt top. I follow polkadottea on IG :-)
I am so glad I did this instead of putting it off, and so excited to start quilting it next week. Thank you for the links on hand quilting, with my final size I don't think I can get that under my machine, and it will be a good cold weather project while I snuggle in front of the TV with my sweetie!
Thanks for hosting! This QAL has been a lot of fun, I love my Marcelle - and I have loved, loved, loved seeing all the variations on IG (I learned how to use Instagram just for this QAL in fact!)
Happy to be following polkadottea on IG :)
Thanks so much for hosting, Jenn! This was so much fun and just the push I needed to get started on the MM! I'm guessing I won't get this finished up during my last 4 days of maternity leave (boooo!), but I'm close enough that I think I'll actually get it done on my own!
Also, I started following polkadotteafabrics on IG. I suppose it's a good thing I'll be going back to work, since I may need to just forward my entire paycheck to them! (That Yuwa bundle!)
Hi Jenn - I took your last comment on this post literally - that linking closes at midnight of November 4th! It's the morning of the 4th where I am and it's closed :(
Rats, I missed it too - I got my last border on tonight but struggled to take decent pictures with my phone!
I forgot about the time difference - it's still the 4th here!
Thanks for giving me the push to make my Marcelle Medallion, I know i'd never have got it finished without the sew along! If anyone would like a look at the naff pictures its here http://www.flickr.com/photos/sew_what/10680051834/ better fictures to follow when I get my camera charged and some daylight!