January 29, 2016

Sundae Plus Baby Quilt

I sure am glad to finally finish this baby quilt!  When I posted a picture of the finished top on my Instagram feed, Vicki said it looked like ice cream and she is right, thus the name Sundae Plus.

Sundae Plus in the pines with farm implements

Back on January 10th in my blog post when I declared finishing this plus sign baby quilt as my One Monthly Goal for January, I had 3 weeks to finish and, at the time, that seemed reasonable.  It seems like I ran into one obstacle or another along the way but I managed to finish on time.

I was working with limited fabric and I miss cut the border fabric.  You can see the finished top in the measure twice, cut once blog post.  By adding the border and using the same border  fabric for some of the squares along the outside edge, I tried to make it appear as though the plus signs were floating.

I found this great backing fabric on the flat fold table.  But once I brought it home and washed it, I noticed this visible faded line along the fold.  I got a really good deal on the fabric and could not be upset.

Faded Gypsy Girl fabric  along fold line due to exposure to light

I knew I could not use the fabric as the backing in one piece and was not about to go buy more fabric. What could I do?  I remembered a pattern I reviewed for Cheryl @ Meadow Mist Designs called Check Plus which was published in the Nov/Dec 2014 issue of Quilty Magazine.  It is really two patterns in one.  Since my quilt was much smaller, I reduced the scale of the back to fit to the baby quilt. The pattern can be purchased on the Fons and Porter website here.

Nested plus sign block from Check Plus pattern by Cheryl Brickey

Here is the pieced back where I still used the fabric, avoiding the fade line and still kept the pattern in check.

Pieced back from Check Plus pattern by Cheryl Brickey

Now I was ready to layer it and get to quilting.  I struggled with a quilting design and decided on an all over echoing leaf design.  You can see the quilting more from the back.  Here is a picture when I was sewing on the binding.

Sewing on the binding by machine and quiting detail

Since this quilt was for a baby and would be washed more often, I decided to sew the binding on by machine. I followed the machine stitched binding tutorial by Rita @ Red Pepper Quilts.  She suggests 2 1/4" binding strips, but, again, I was short on fabric and had to cut mine 2 1/8".  I did not have any problems except for one corner where I missed a few stitches and went back and resewed that one spot.

Small place where I missed catching the binding on the back
I went slowly and used lots of pins as Rita suggests.  As I went along, I realized I could place the pins perpendicular to the binding rather than parallel and that way I could see the pin heads, pull them out as I approached them and was able to go much faster.

Machine sewing down the binding and pins placed perpendicular to binding

Parting shot of Sundae Plus back and me (taken by uncooperative photographer/husband)


Quilt Stats:
  • Finished size:  33" x 37"
  • Pattern: top from 2 1/2" squares with a 3" border
  • Backing:  Check Plus by Cheryl Brickey of Meadow Mist Designs             
  • Fabrics: various prints and solids
  • Batting: Warm & White by the Warm Company
  • Thread: Aurifil 2310 for piecing and quilting
  • Completed: January 28, 2016

I am very excited to have met my One Monthly Goal for January 2016. Head on over to see the other goals met at Red Letter Quilts.  Thanks Heidi for a great link party.



Also linking up to Finish It Up Friday, Whoop Whoop Friday,  Busy Hands Quilts hosting Thank Goodness Its Finished Friday this week, Fabric Frenzy Friday, Whomp! There IT Is and Show Off Saturday.


22 comments :

  1. This is so pretty! And I love how you pieced the backing! Despite all of your troubles getting to this finish, it is a wonderful finish! :)

    ReplyDelete
  2. What a pretty top! Love the soft colors.

    ReplyDelete
  3. It looks like the Neopolitan ice cream my grandmother always had in the freezer when I was growing up! Beautiful quilt.

    ReplyDelete
  4. What a perfect solution for the fabric with a flaw! claire aka knitnkwilt

    ReplyDelete
  5. The backing is such a good idea. This is a lovely quilt - very pretty!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Way to improvise on the front border and backing. You didn't let those pesky obstacles stop you! Congrats on a fantastic finish.

    ReplyDelete
  7. Beautiful baby quilt! The colors are yummy, but then I love ice cream! You had your challenges to be sure, but you sure met them! Woot! Visiting here from Show Off Saturday.

    ReplyDelete
  8. The back looks great! Great solution for having to cut up a large piece.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Whoop whoop for a beautiful quilt AND for meeting your One Monthly Goal!! That's awesome!!

    ReplyDelete
  10. This turned into a beautiful double sided quilt, Paige! I don't know if your photographer / husband were really that uncooperative. I think he was enjoying the beauty in front of him. :)

    ReplyDelete
  11. Yummy Neopolitan:)
    Lovin this quilt! The quilting is perfect too! I like to use 2 1/8" binding, sometimes even smaller, especially with thinner sandwiches. The three crosses made me think, Yes, make it a triple scoop!

    ReplyDelete
  12. Love Sundae Plus -- the name and the quilt. One of these days I am going to make a plus quilt of some sort. And, the backing is wonderful! Nice job and yea! it is finished!

    ReplyDelete
  13. Great quilt, front and back! I love the quilting design you used, you are going to have to teach me that one :)

    ReplyDelete
  14. This quilt finish is great. I like the floating plus signs made with the border. What a great solution to the faded fabric backing. That side makes a very nice quilt on its own.

    ReplyDelete
  15. What a sweet baby quilt. Your solution for the back is wonderful. Your quilt can now be reversible.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Beautiful quilt and quilting, and the name could not have been more perfect. The backing fabric is gorgeous. That is so clever of you to piece the backing that way. A lovely finish!

    -Soma

    ReplyDelete
  17. I must say, I love the back even more than the front...chocolate covered strawberry sundae, yum!

    ReplyDelete
  18. WOW that is adorable-both the back and the front. Congratulations on winning the first OMG draw.

    ReplyDelete
  19. Your baby quilt really does remind me of ice cream - the van/choc/straw kind, LOL. It turned out lovely Paige, despite all your trials. Your solution for the backing is brilliant!

    ReplyDelete
  20. What a sweet baby quilt! and yes it does remind me of ice cream. lovely. :)

    ReplyDelete
  21. This adorable quilt adds up to a perfect finish for a baby girl. Just beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Perfect title....such a yummy quilt. Love your "solution" for your back too. I'll have to put that idea in my own tool belt for I recently discovered fade lines in some of my fabric too. Congrats on finishing your January OMG.

    ReplyDelete