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Tuesday, March 10, 2020

Half Square Triangle :: Lap Quilt

A few weeks ago my productivity was halted when my small machine that I use for all my piecing made a big clunk and refused to budge.  I couldn't believe it and was slightly devastated!  Of course I took it in for repair right away and crossed my fingers that it wasn't anything major.  

All was not lost though!  I took advantage of the piecing down time to quilt some quilts using my big machine.  I'm fortunate that I have two machines!


COLOR EXPLOSION
51" x 62"
I've always loved this design and enjoy throwing all the colors of the rainbow into it when I make one.  I usually reserve this design for baby quilts using six HST blocks and two borders, but with a treasure trove of HSTs already made I decided a lap quilt was worth my time.



I like to pair up colors and then add another color element in the centers of each block.  I've learned that if something works there is no need to change it.  As they say 'if it ain't broke, don't fix it'!



I love a good rainbow and while this quilt has every color under the rainbow, it doesn't have that true spectrum we associate with rainbows.  



I was unsure if I would add a border until the very end.  As you can see I did!  I added a 3" border using Kona Medium Grey because I love the look of this design with borders.  Using a good neutral gives it containment without interfering with the colors.



One thing I was sure of was the quilting part!  You know, the usual...straight lines!


 

I always divide my quilt into sections before I start quilting this design.  After mapping out the sections I marked the 1" lines with my Hera Marker.  It's a lot of work marking the lines before hand, but it's also necessary.  By marking first, I can make small adjustments here and there to make sure the lines are as straight as can be.  Truth be told...the seams and points aren't perfect!



There are enough 'guides' along the way that I can follow so that while marking and quilting I don't get too far off the beaten path.  



I used Light Fern Aurifil thread 50wt (#2882) for all the quilting.  It was a good choice as it didn't stick out like a sore thumb!



The back and binding are Kona Shadow.  It's my favorite light grey and one that I use over and over again.



As for my small machine...it made it home after two weeks away.  Turns out it was so full of lint that the gears were caked with it and they couldn't turn any longer!  I won't say I'm a cleaning fanatic, but I honestly clean my machines regularly!  And I take it in once a year and have professionals service it.  

I'll try harder, clean more often and hope this doesn't happen again anytime soon!   I use a brush and pipe cleaners.  How do you clean your machine?  Do you have any tips or tricks that you can share ?!


LINKING:

26 comments:

  1. Your lap quilt is gorgeous and it makes me smile! I also feel like I clean my machine regularly but it is amazing the amount of lint inside. Like you, I use brushes and pipe cleaners. I also use q-tips and a pair of long tweezers. And dental tools (from Harbor Freight) are also pretty handy.

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    1. I’m happy to put a smile on your face! As hard as I try, I still can’t get every piece of lint. I like the dental tool ideas. One of my Guild members said she uses tools from her Gynecologist! Endless possibilities if you look for them I suppose!

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  2. glad your machine is now working. I tend to go back and forth between three machines. For me is is always the tension it seems - I do keep them clean

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  3. i love your beautiful hst quilt.... and I'm so glad your machine is back home & healthy. I'm with you, I clean my machines often but can't seem to get every speck. reading your comments with interest

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    1. Without taking the entire machine apart…there is no way to get every piece of lint. I thought I was doing a great job at cleaning often and thoroughly … but it just was not so!

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  4. It was definitely worth the time to make a larger lap version, Jayne; it's stunning. As for cleaning, definitely don't blow into your machine. In fact, I will occasionally use my vacuum and suck out a bit. :)

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  5. This quilt is beautiful and joyful! Is there a pattern available for this quilt?

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    1. I’ve been making this design for years but I’ve never written a pattern for it. I’ve thought about it and perhaps now is the time!

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    2. If there is no pattern, can you tell us the size of your hst and square centers centers and how you went about putting it together?

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  6. I absolutely LOVE your Color Explosion quilt, Jayne!! It (almost) makes me want to work with solids. That's says something right there, let me tell you! LOL!

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  7. Just LOVE the colors of this even though, like you said, it is not your typical rainbow shade of colors. You must have quite a collection of solids. I must admit I don't use solids that much but every time I see a quilt made with them, I think they are spectacular. Hmm. Maybe I should think outside my normal box!

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  8. Everything about this quilt makes me happy. The colours are so vibrant. I like how you changed direction with your quilting lines. Well done.

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  9. Very pretty, and I love your quilting design for this one!

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  10. Such a gorgeous quilt Jayne! You work so wonderfully with solids!

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  11. Love your quilt! And the way you quilted it! Thank you for sharing!!

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  12. The quilt is stunning. I change my needles regularly and clean the bobbin (and all around it) area regularly. I have a Pfaff and don't really know how to take it apart more than that so I take it in about every 9 months. A quilt store worker told me to take it to our local vacuum cleaner store for cleaning. The man has worked wonders for a very reasonable price and he turns the machines in a day (Fridays). So many cleaning ideas in the comments!

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  13. So pretty! I have a huge stash of solids and I MUST make this quilt. Thanks for the inspiration.

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  14. I really LOVE your quilt. The colours are so bright, and the quilting is super.

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  15. You have such a knack for color, Jayne. Another beauty, another smashing success! I'm glad your little machine wasn't seriously ill, and I'm sure you do keep her clean. Probably she felt like she's been working so hard for you, churning out quilt after gorgeous quilt, that she just decided to go on strike and make you give her a spa getaway as a reward! :-)

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  16. Such a stunning quilt! It's amazing what you can design with half square triangles. Love you creativity!

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  17. Love it!! I like all the colors and that gray was the perfect frame. Thanks for the tip on how you section your quilts, it's ingenious.

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  18. Good to have your machine back home! I love thisquilt, and your quilting is so creative!

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  19. Love your quilt, just the thing to brighten the grey damp weather we have here at the moment!

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