Happy Go Lucky Quilt and Pillowcase - 2021 Q4 Finish-A-Long 1st Finish

After starting String and Story's Free Motion Quilting Academy with HollyAnne Knight, and finishing Unit 1, she suggested doing FMQ on a quilt with one or more of the early motifs. I went all in to get one of my long-standing PIGS, AKA Projects In Grocery Sacks, completed. This project is the first finish in Q4 of 2021 identified number 83 on the planning list HERE.

At the first quilt show I attended in 2016, Donna of Fabric Cafe presented her 3-yard quilts and I was excited to try. In her fabric roll bins, I found a cute roll with Unicorns that I've been wanting to make into her Happy Go Lucky pattern.

The Quilt Top flimsy was completed with as much fabric as I could get into the sashing and borders, which varied from the original pattern to have as little waste as possible:

Used my Rocketbook Orbit (clipboard-like) to draw out a quilting design:

Using dry erase marker on a Dollar Tree clear plastic shower curtain drew out the full size quilting plan over part of the quilt top since each row type would have the same quilting:

Decided to add extra loops or hooks in the corners of the spirals in the pinwheels in the practice sandwiches:

Gracie helped me pick the pretty lavender thread:

Used the String And Story Homemade Basting spray diluted with cheap alcohol to make the quilt sandwich. Had to open the window and use a box fan to exhaust the evaporating alcohol scent from the house. The spray held very well. As per HollyAnne Knight's suggestion also pinned the edges about every 12-inches after drying and before picking up to take to the sewing machine.

Quilted as planned added straight line walking foot quilting 1/2" apart spiraled around the border:

Squared up on the floor, used masking tape to make a throw sized cutting mat and rotary cutting ruler; Shuffle board pucks and one free weight act as pattern weights on the rulers:

I love the clean look of a freshly squared up quilt:

Used the Strip Ticket tube method to make bias cut binding at 2.5". Then used Jennifer Strauser's instructions over on her Dizzy Quilter blog to attach binding my machine. I highly recommend this fast and attractive machine binding technique. I did try not pressing the binding in half until AFTER it was sewn to the quilt. That was a little awkward for sewing to the quilt, but it was more straight forward by the time it was turned.

The corners were hand-stitched down. The label was sewn into the bottom right corner of the binding then hand sewn, I prefer the ladder stitch for hand sewing.

And with that, the quilt was done:

Using the burrito/magic pillow case method, a fabric bag was made from the backing fabric, accent from the binding fabric and cuff from my favorite fabric:

After a careful inspection, Gracie says that this work passes muster and I can check this off the Finish-A-Long list!

Before sending these out I will soak them as per Save My Bleeding Quilt (printed out instructions a while a go). Then, take to show and tell for both guilds (12/7 & 12/12). Then box and send out to my friend. 

This finish was posted to Instagram: @DawnyKquilts on December 2 #2021falq4finish.

Would love to hear about what you are up to. Please leave a comment below.