It’s nearly time for a happy dance with my sunshine quilt, nearly, but not quite…
This is a quilt I’m making as a wedding present, the wedding is in March in Sydney, so I’ve got a deadline to work against, always an incentive! The couple asked for a bright, cheerful quilt in reds and oranges and that is certainly what they are getting with a colourful selection of Kaffe Fassett fabrics! The pattern is called Radiant by Cosy Quilts, the instructions have been great, it’s gone together relatively easily.
Having stitched the borders on I sandwiched it on the lounge floor. The backing is an ivory with a self coloured spot. I was hoping to get a patterned backing but I couldn’t see anything suitable, instead I stitched a stripe of the backing fabric down the centre, this had the added advantage of giving me those extra few inches around the quilt.
This is the biggest quilt I’ve tackled on my sewing machine, I kept the quilting fairly simple, following the diagonal pattern first. I stitched either side of the line with a variegated Guterman quilting thread. I had a couple of issues with it at first as the thread kept breaking, despite a new needle. I changed to a bigger needle and it was sewing happily again. The centre square was the hardest as I had to manoevre large amounts of quilt through the throat of my machine. It did get easier as I moved outwards. Having stitched round the diagonals I felt it needed a little more, so I stitched in the ditch following the shape of the pattern.
This afternoon I could finally start on the binding. My initial plan was to do a scrappy border, I had just enough left and it would use them up! I did take on board the comments last time that it might be a bit much next to the flowery border….I decided to do a flanged binding. I’ve not done one of these before but I remembered seeing it on facebook. I stitched a folded 1″ strip of cream along the border, stitching just in from the 1/4″ line. Typically is wasn’t quite long enough, by about 4″, so I had to add another bit in!
I made a length of binding from the scraps, I realised I had enough yellows to do the whole binding and I think that makes it alot more ‘settled’ than a full on scrappy border.
I’ve stitched the binding on the front, now I just need to settle down and hand-stitch it to the back.
I think I’ve decided on a name for the quilt too. My favourite quote to write inside wedding cards is…
To love and be loved is to feel the sunshine on both sides
So I’m going to embroider the quote on the label and call it Feel the Sunshine, I think it’s quite apt for a quilt.
I’m linking up with Kathy’s Quilts for Slow Stitching Sunday, why not follow the link and see what everyone else has been stitching.
thecraftycreek 
a lovely name and your idea of flange and yellow binding looks great!
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That looks astoundingly three-dimensional–great work, if that was the goal. It seems fabric choice factors into it a great deal, as opposed to it just being a happenstance of the pattern.
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It’s beautiful, I do love those colours together.
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Awwww the name is just lovely! And boy howdy are they getting a lovely quilt!
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Perfect name, perfect binding choice. The flange gives the eye a tiny rest between that fabulous border and the binding. They’re going to be totally stoked!
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Beautiful! I am getting a 3D feeling from it – what a clever design!
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Fantastic!
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The cream flange and yellow binding are a perfect complement to the last border, and you used some of your scraps at least!
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Every decision you’ve made has resulted in an absolutely beautiful, cheery quilt. The newlyweds will love it!
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Your quilt is stunning! The pattern, the colours, the fabric choices, the borders and the flanged binding just make it sing! I usually do a good job figuring out how much binding to cut without measuring the quilt but I have come up short once or twice too.
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Very lucky newlyweds! The quilt is gorgeous and the name for it is perfect!
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One blessed couple,they are! 😍
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Fabulous quilt, great job on the binding. I like the name too.
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What a beautiful quilt. Looking at the original pattern, I am amazed at how wonderfully different it looks with those bright fabrics. The quote and name of the quilt are perfect.
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perfect name and quote. I love the flange binding, just enough of a neutral to make both the binding and border pop.
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Oh wow, what a stunning present! And finished to perfection.
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It looks spectacular, the name really suits it!
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A beautiful bright and happy quilt with good energy… a perfect gift!
Enjoy the binding process!
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Gorgeous colours
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Wonderful in every way–I love the thoughtful quote that gives the quilt its name!
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