In September, I posted about tending to some odds and ends with respect to my finished quilts. This little Christmas wall hanging is the last one that needed attention.
Made in 1999 with plaids, stripes, checks, dots, buttons and jumbo rick rack, this project was featured in a country craft magazine at a time when I was brand new to quilting.
Because it was small, (26″ x 26″) it looked like something I could manage as a beginner. I used whatever fabric I had on hand but did have fun shopping for the buttons. On a visit to our house that year, my mom showed me how to incorporate the rick rack in the border.
Years later, I realized that the project was insufficiently quilted and would never survive the washing machine. The stitches holding the buttons weren’t enough,
nor was the hand quilting in the center square.
So, for the first task, I turned to my default option and ditch quilted it.
The second task was to add a label.
The last task was upgrading the thread loops that hold the dowel rod used to hang the quilt. This project cannot have a hanging sleeve because it would cover the area across the top where buttons are attached.
If a button ever came off, the hanging sleeve would have to be removed to sew the button back on.
The original loops were a double strand of 50-weight cotton thread and were beginning to show signs of wear. I removed and replaced them with a single strand of Perle cotton #5.
The only task remaining belongs to John. He said he would sand and clear coat the dowel rod so that it would not snag the thread loops on the back.
Happy New Year!
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What a sweet little quilt! Nice work on the quilting! Happy New Year!
Thanks! Happy new year to you as well.