I've got a goal to make Christmas quilts for my kids and maybe one for us too. I've finished the first one!
I had fun machine quilting this one...
... and then made the unfortunate decision to wash it... without color catchers (not available here as far as I know). Despite the fact that I'd pre-washed the red solid, it did run - turning this crisp red green and white quilt into a bit of a candy cane. Ergh.
Gratefully xo
Cynthia
Congratulations on your finish! Nice job with the quilting! I absolutely love your attitude about both the color run and the goal of getting your holiday quilts done. Life is too full of stresses and we don’t need quilting to contribute to them! Pretty sure you can find good tips on the internet for dealing with the color issue (if you want!) and there’s no need for artificial deadlines complicating our lives!
ReplyDeleteThank you Gladi - yes, totally agree! Quilting should alleviate stress, not add to it;).
DeleteIt came out beautifully! She will adore it despite the running red. I have had good luck with a second wash for certain bleeding reds, but honestly this is now part of the quilt's history and if it doesn't come out you will always remember it as the Christmas quilt I made in Japan without access to color catchers. Wink!
ReplyDeleteWee you finished that so fast and your machine wreath quilting is fabulous!
ReplyDeleteGreat attitude about the bleeding. I do think that soaking in blue dawn dish soap might help.
It is a delightful Christmas quilt and looks cuddly too :)
Love
Such a lovely finish on this one--[candy canes always leave our fingers with a pink glow;)))]
ReplyDeleteno worries...I am sure it will be loved...good for you taking this in your stride...I agree, life is too short. ;))) hugs, Julierose
Sweet quilt!
ReplyDeletehttps://www.colorwaysbyvicki.com Vicki has a tutorial on how to save your bleeding quilt. Just click on the menu bar then tutorials. She is a excellent dyer and knows her stuff.
ReplyDeleteCongrats on your beautiful finish, Cynthia. The feathered wreath is wonderful!
ReplyDeleteOh, I well remember the year I made 6 TATW quilts as Christmas gifts--4 twins, two queens and one full. I think you are wise to go with the flow. That year nearly did me in! They will love them whenever you give them.
Too bad about the bleeding, but there are so many solutions to that problem. I hope you find one that works for you!!
Noelle's quilt is beautiful! She's going to love it. I have never machine quilted but it's something I'd like to try eventually. I need some kind of "Journal" to write down everyone's suggestions for things like colors running - that happened to me on a small quilted wall hanging that someone else started. I'm sure she ran the red through at least one wash before using it (she was a quilt teacher) but once I finished binding it I threw it in the washing machine and it bled. I'm going to try some of the above suggestions but like you, life is too short to fret about it! It's cold here in MA today, wind driven rain that sometimes contains snow or slush. The chickens are not happy! Jan in MA
ReplyDeleteLove that hand quilting wreath! It's so annoying when a fabric bleeds onto so much work and effort. LIke Barb said, soaking it in blue Dawn might make a difference. Worth a try!
ReplyDeleteSo sorry about the bleeding. What a disappointment. I hope you can come up with a solution to help. The quilt is really really nice and will be appreciated very much. I love your "Mom" signature.
ReplyDeleteThis is such a gorgeous quilt! There's something about Christmas quilts, they always seem to have one color or fabric that bleeds, and of course there's always that one fabric that is a super bleed receptor. Your feather quilting is just wonderful!
ReplyDeleteI love it. The way you did the snowball blocks they remind me of Christmas candies. Boy, that darn red. Oh well, I agree it will be well loved regardless.
ReplyDeleteMaybe there is no blue Dawn dish soap in Japan? ..It is beautiful as is or you can try things like Dawn when back in the USA.
ReplyDeletelizzy
Thank you for your suggestions, everyone. I will address the running red, when I get the quilt back to the U.S.!
ReplyDeleteWhat a wonderful beginning for the Christmas holidays. Your snowball quilt is lovely and the quilted feathered wreaths are perfect. Sorry about the running red, but like it was mentioned, it's part of the history. Your kids will adore it. I like your signature.
ReplyDeleteI really like the open wreath quilting pattern. A great way to handle those open blocks. A second soaking might help to make the 'tint' more even. It's a great quilt either way. take care!
ReplyDeleteIt's a lovely quilt, and I'm sure you'll be able to resolve the color bleeding issue. In awe of your machine quilted feathers!!
ReplyDeleteYou made this lovely Christmas quilt in record time! I'm so impressed with your feather quilting--and signature :) I seem to always have red fabric bleeding problems. Hope you find a solution once you get back to the U.S. Your daughter will love this quilt no matter the outcome :)
ReplyDeleteWhen I was ironing the quilt I just finished, I sprayed a bit of water to get the seams ready to lie flat. Then as I began to hand quilt, I discovered some of the red strips had bled. There were three of those strips throughout the quilt so I un-stitched them and replaced them. While I was quilting I noticed a blue strip that seemed to have bled a bit too, but it was too late to replace that one. now the quilt it done, and maybe I can get one of my kids to send me some color catchers before I give the quilt to the new owner.Using all "gifted" fabrics, I don't know much about their origins.
ReplyDeleteThe quilt is wonderful and so is your quilting! Red is so tricky to work with. I've had that happen so many times I'm ready to throw out any red fabric that I own! (It happened on the baby quilt I made for Luka too.) I don't think we can get color catcher here either...
ReplyDeleteOh well... it would have happened to the quilt recipient anyway and they would have felt awful about it so all's well!