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::Sheets of Rain Quilt::

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Ever since Crazy Mom Quilt’s Ticker Tape Quilt I’ve had a quilt idea in my head.  A quilt with “ticker taped’ raindrops.  So appropriate for Seattle.

However, over the year or so the quilt idea has evolved from a ‘quilt as you go’ quilt with appliqued raindrops to a free motion quilt with a continuous raindrop stitch AND raindrop appliques.

My plan is to not go through all three layers of the quilt when ladder stitching the raindrops down, so that the continuous raindrop stitching is all that shows through on the back.

The raindrop stitches are complete and the binding is stitched down, all that’s left are the appliqued raindrops.  I’m thinking mostly primary color here.

It’s like a thunder storm on the front (which rarely occur here in Seattle and I miss them) and a sunny day on the back.

So today I made the raindrops.  Sorted through the scrap bins, picking out the favorites.

My Mom taught me how to make appliqued shapes with templates so you don’t have raw edges (which just didn’t seem practical for a baby quilt needing to be washed often).

If you haven’t done this before, draw your shape on paper or wax paper and glue it or iron it (if you use wax paper) to cardboard.  Cut it as cleanly as you can.  Use a nail file to smooth edges if needed.

Cut around your raindrop or other curved shape giving yourself about a 1/4″ seam, or trace around the shape on the wrong side of your fabric and cut a 1/4″ away from the line.

Baste stitch around your shape about an 1/8″ from the cut edge, starting and ending your thread tails on the curved end AND on the same side of fabric.

Pull on the strings.  I didn’t do it, but if you place the basting closer to the template when ironing it will help create a smoother curve (so “they” say).

I starch both sides and iron as I’m pulling those strings.  I give the strings one wrap around a finger when I pull so it’s taunt.  If you’ve glued paper on to your template then you might want to face it down or it mucks all off with the starch.

Traditionally or by what I’ve been taught at least, you iron the top tip or a point down the middle first and than cross over the sides…make sense?

As you can see, I don’t do that.  I just do a straight cross over.  I occasionally clip some of the fabric out to reduce bulk.

Whatever, they look fine.

Pull out the template and give them a final press right side up, giving a tuck to anything that’s come out of wack when removing the template.

Aren’t they delicious?

Then clip the threads and pin that sucker down.

I actually have a use for those pins that will make you blind.

When free motioning I would try to correct a raindrop ‘gone bad’ by adding an echo, but if that didn’t go so well I looked for those spots to add a raindrop applique.

Uh oh, looks like this quilt might have a load of raindrops.  It’s kinda been one of those rainy years.  I’ll let you know how it goes.

P.S.  The sun shone today.

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Comments

  3. Dan says

    The raindrop quilting is so lovely with contrasting thread on the shot cotton. Is that Kaufman ‘black’ chambray? It’s such a rich grey – I love it.

    Thanks also for sharing the applique technique. I love how freezer paper peels off fabric, but I also love that it sticks to itself or thicker paper permanently to make templates. And that sort of basting used to strike me as fussy, but now I think of it as super efficient. I guess that’s what a couple years of ripping seams will do to you.

    • Sew Katie Did says

      Thanks. The fabric is Carolina Chambray in Ebony. I usually buy a bolt. It’s getting difficult to find. I use to find the basting and applique fussy too, but now I enjoy a ‘couch’ project.

  9. elsa says

    Katie, I love this design! it’s wonderfully brilliant and would be a great one for Portland, Oregon too, it rains at the drop of a hat here (tho we have had a bit of sunshine here as well). You always do the most amazing designs, thanks so much for sharing.

  18. isa says

    Absolutely fabulous!!
    It reminds me of my favorite ever fabric print – raindropstripe from A. Henry

  20. Jeanne says

    I love this — the background, the free-motion falling raindrops, the big fat applique raindrops – love love love! And I must say knowing the weather inspired you makes it a bit easier to deal with the fact that the sun has gone away again…

    I am looking forward to seeing the whole thing when you’re done.

  22. Anita says

    The rain has felt extra miserable this year for some reason. And I love, love, love your raindrops quilt!! I think it would make the whole rainy season so much bearable! And I’m really inspired by your method of quilt first and then applique later. The wheels in my head are turning…

  25. Dot says

    Oh my goodness! I LOVE this!!
    Can’t wait to see the finished product. It’s gonna be awesome.

  27. kristel says

    is there a spot where we could see a an image that shows the whole thing? i love it, but as a total beginner, am a little intimidated. 🙂

  29. Katie says

    I LOVE this quilt! What a great job! I’m quickly falling in love with “couch projects”. I’m here in Las Vegas and we rarely get rain so this quilt would be a refreshing addition. This quilt is wonderful inspiration. 🙂 Great job! Any tips for free motion quilting the raindrops? Did you trace them first?

  32. Mary Lou says

    Thank You so much for posting this FMQ raindrops motif I just quilted my Dancing Umbrellas quilt by Laundry Basket Quilts and it was exactly what it needed.

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  1. […] I got these all done I took a break to catch up on some blog reading, and laughed when this post from Sew Katie Did popped up in my reader. She managed to get a nice clean curve with the […]