Trimming Up

Yesterday I brought home my version of Bonnie K Hunter's http://quiltville.blogspot.com/2005/06/patches-pinwheels.html "Patches & Pinwheels" from my longarmer, Linda Monasky of The Bear Paw Gallery http://www.thebearpawgallery.com/index.html in Alton, New Hampshire. Bonnie Hunter does beautiful FREE patterns with lots of helpful and friendly tips all through her instructions. Thank you, Bonnie!

And Linda Monasky does drop-dead gorgeous longarmer quilting! She did an all over edge to edge meander with two different designs on the two borders. The narrow inner border got a freestyle loop de loop, while the wide chocolate brown border got trailing ivy vines. Linda always respects my budget but makes me look good! Thank you, Linda!

Here is where I wrestled against the breezes and cold temperatures to trim away the excess batting and backing fabric. I chose Cream Rose Cotton batting by Mountain Mist which is a little lighter weight than my usual Warm & Natural preference for this King-sized 92" X 104".

I had to use chairs to hold the quilt in place from the wind gusts and a kneeling pad for my ancient joints!

The backing fabric is a cream and brown wallpaper stripe that I bought as an 8 yard bolt during Joann's winter warm up sale a few weeks ago. It is a flannel but it sure did shrink a LOT when I washed and dried it in the dryer! One 3 yard piece shrank 7". But it looks great and feels cuddly.

Here is a closer look at that pretty quilting that Linda did.

I'm not sure what I'll name this one. Maybe "Calliope Music" would be good because it certainly has that carnival feel to the mood. Maybe you have a good idea for a name for this quilt?