Saturday, July 26, 2014

Constellation Quilt Along Part III: Finishing

You have arrived at the final installment of the Constellation Quilt Along.


If you are looking for the other Constellation Quilt Along Posts, here they are:

Part I: Wonky Stars
Part II: Layout


It's time to baste, quilt, and bind your quilt. Here's a list of some of my favorite online tutorials if you are unfamiliar with the processes for turning your top into a quilt:

Basting from Kati @ From the Blue Chair



A handy tip I discovered with this quilt is to lay out your backing on the floor or your table, tape down the edges with masking tape, and then roll your batting on a large cardboard tube. This makes it much easier to roll the batting out smoothly onto your backing. Then, roll the quilt top on the tube with the right side facing the tube. Unroll the top onto the batting. I received the tubes from Fabric.com when I ordered laminated cotton. You could probably use an empty gift wrap tube instead, if your quilt top isn't too large.

I free-motion quilted circles connected with straight lines to mimic the constellations on the background fabric.

The backing is Michael Miller Galaxy Visa pulled from my novelty stash.


The binding is made from the same glow-in-the-dark fabric that I used for the stars.


If you are joining along, upload pictures of your progress to the Flickr Group.

Grab a button, if you so desire:
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13 comments:

  1. oh what great quilting! I really want to make onnnnneee.

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    1. You know you want to, and since you're so awesome, I might even give up what's left of my glow-in-the dark Fairy Frost for you, if I haven't buried it somewhere in the sewing room.

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  2. Looks great. I love wonky stars but I haven't made any yet.

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    1. I recommend giving it a try. They are really fun, fast, and versatile.

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  3. Lovely work, Afton! The constellation quilting was a genius idea! Perfect backing choice. And this is going to look so cool in the dark. Such a fun quilt!

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    1. You better believe I tested out its glowability. (Yes, I make up my own words.) I'm glad some of my alien population found a new home outside Stash World.

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  4. Great quilt - I love a wonky star.

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  5. I love this quilt-along series! I had no idea you were using glow in the dark fabric, how fun! I love the stars they have always intrigued me. I will want to look back to this one day and make my own. Your quilting is inspired! What a cool idea. And those circles look pretty perfect. love it!

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    1. I do hope you will return to this project and give it a shot someday. I'm glad I decided on this uber-quick, yet effective quilting pattern. I tend to overcomplicate, which can result in awesome free-motio. But sometimes a project doesn't need to be quilted to death after all. Now, if I can just remind myself of this...

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  6. Fun quilt....love the background fabric.....love the quilting!

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    1. Thank you. I'm pretty happy with how this came together.

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  7. I can’t seem to break the habit. I listen to way too much music and hedgehogs have taken over my life. Crazy is the word that best sums up my life, but it’s the good kind of crazy and I wouldn’t change it for anything. https://starnamingservice.com/constellation-names/bootes/

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