Summer Sorbet Strength

You may remember that I was working on finishing up a quilt based on the Bizzy Kid pattern from Alison at Cluck Cluck Sew.  Originally I didn't have any specific plans for this quilt.  I was just so inspired by the color scheme and a need to sew that I knew I wanted to make something even though I had no idea what.  After getting this quilt started I realized its bright and happy colors would be perfect for a quilt I was needing to make for a coworker.  Recently my boss was diagnosed with Cancer and my first thought was she needs a quilt.  She's going to be going through radiation and I wanted her to have something to cuddle under to take lots of naps.

Sorbet From Pintrest

I had planned to order washi tape fabric for the back of this quilt but once I had a plan my goal became to finish it as quickly as possible and get it to my boss.  My mom suggested that I look at using Minky for the back because it would add that extra special bit of softness.  I got online and started looking for minky and it didn't take me long to find something I liked from fabric.com.  I knew my quilt top was going to measure somewhere close to 60 by 80 when I finished so I sent some emails back and forth with my mom and decided to order 2 1/2 yards of a minky that was 60 inches wide.

Kaufman Minky Cuddle Balloon Party Aqua/Magenta

Yes, EPIC FAIL!  60 inches wide of course is selvage to selvage which you all know won't work.  I had the backing fabric sent to my mom's because I thought this would make the process faster.  I dropped the finished quilt top off to my mom last Saturday so that she could take it to the quilter who had promised that once we dropped it off she would finish what was on her long arm and then load this quilt next.  That's one great thing about having a relationship with a long arm quilter, they help you out when it's important.  It was only when my mom and dad laid the backing and quilt top out together that the mistake was realized.  Then the text message came.  Your quilt top is 2 inches bigger than your backing.  WOW!  How am I going to fix this?  I knew my mom had already been gracious enough to sew muslin to the minky to give the long arm quilter a way to stretch it into the frame.  So I suggested we cut 1/2 inch off both sides and then I would just use an extra wide binding to cover the little bit of muslin that would be left in the quilt.

The next text I got was "I am not cutting your quilt top!"  I quickly shot back oh it's fine.  I really need to get this done and I don't have time to come back and get it and then take it all apart.  You see my boss is currently in week 4 of a 7 week cycle and I really want to get this finished and to her.  I explained again to my mom that even though I understand the importance of not doing anything at all if you aren't going to do your best that in this case it was more important to me to have it finished than to have it perfect.  But finally I agreed to think about it overnight.

The next day my mom suggested that if I took out the 4 long seams and resewed them 1/4th of an inch smaller it would pull in the quilt top enough to make it work.  This was followed by a lot of grumbling from me that I didn't have time to make the trip back down to their house after work followed by me agreeing to do it.  My father stayed up until 11 taking out all four of the long seams.  The next day I was schedule to come down and resew those seams but this little thing call work and a crazy rainstorm got in the way.  Not that it would have mattered because by lunch time my mother had texted me a finished photo of the resewn quilt top.  By the way my parents if you don't know them are some of the nicest, kindest, most considerate people you will ever meet!  They aren't just this sweet to me.

Top after being sewn back together.

I have to say I think the finished top looks even better now then it did when I had finished it.  The quilt is at the long arm now and she is hoping to have it finished by the end of the weekend.  I am dropping dinner off for my boss on Thursday so I am hoping to have the binding and all done by then so I can take the quilt to her.  Hopefully she will find strength in summer sorbet and will know that she is loved.