I remember why I don't like to prepare quilts for shows.

I hate blocking quilts, yet I know of no other way to have them hang straight - really straight - without doing it. I've had Just Beachy hanging for a week , but it didn't hang smoothly - how could it with all the fusible in it?

At my house this is what is entailed in blocking a large quilt:
Moving everything you can out of the dining room, bringing in a table and the appropriate size insulation boards

Of course you can't move everything so you have to work around them

Find the right batting for this configuration of boards, wet it with spray water and stretch it flat

Wash the quilt on handwash cycle and lug it in still wet

This color catcher has me worried

A gazillion rulers, pins, pulls, measures, a helpful engineer husband and 4 tiring hours of work

24 hours later it is dry, flat, and one block has run - I'm leaving it.
I hate the tremendous backache from doing this, but I need to look straight down on the rulers/quilt to get everything in the right spot.You have to do it all at once or the quilt dries out.

Now to do a final trimming of the borders, make binding and a hanging sleeve, then actually put them on, handsewing them down. I wanted to enter this quilt in the Greater KansasCity Regional Quilt Festival WHY???

Happy quilting,
Becky



Comments

Kath said…
Becky I was pleased you showed this process, because I have heard of blocking a quilt but had no idea how to go about it. I'm not sure i will now I have seen what is involved LOL.
I make quite small quilts about 40" for my walls, but I would like to see them hanging nicely, so maybe it's time to try!
April 22, 2015 at 4:00 AM
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