Alex's First Quilt Finish: Ice Cream Madness

Alex* came over this past weekend to work on her ice cream quilt top--started at Alden Lane's Quilting in the Garden.  She brought all her supplies, fabrics and her quilt top neatly folded and we got to work towards her first finished quilt.  

Alex's First Quilt:  Ice Cream Madness

She started by pressing the quilt top while I located some batting scraps and backing fabric, to show her how to layer and pin baste a quilt top.  I demonstrated spacing with a few pins and left the rest to her to pin and close.  We then mapped out a quilt designs.  I offered to free motion quilt the center block to help the ice cream cone really pop but wanted her input on designs and sketched out a few ideas including some spirals which she loved.  We then moved onto the borders and she liked Bernina #4 Serpentine stitch which should could do on her own.  She then helped to audition and select thread colors for each section.  While I tackled the free motion quilting, I had Alex design and create her own quilt label to document her very first quilt.  Once the label and fmq'ing were complete, it was time for Alex to take over with quilting the borders.  She got a quick demonstration of using the walking foot as a guide and travel stitching in the ditch as I quilted the first two lines of serpentine quilting.  Then it was time for her to sit in the driver's seat with me close by.  She quickly picked up on slowing down as she approached the seam lines, switching out stitch selections, stitching in the ditch and then travelling back with more serpentine quilting.  After the first complete border, she was completely on her own as I went to work on my own project.  We moved onto basting the edges which she pinned/stitched, attaching her new label and then I helped with stitching on the binding.  

Alex smiling with her first quilt finish

Show and Tell Introduction

To celebrate this first finish, Alex was invited to attend our guild's holiday party to show off her new quilt.  She was a fabulous helper during the party set up and decorations.  When it was time for our meeting's show and tell time, she went up on her own, signed in her quilt and introduced herself and the title of her new quilt.  She admitted she was a little nervous but what a great experience for her to practice her public speaking skills in a really positive and welcoming environment.  I got up after her to share that it was her first quilt and we are thrilled to welcome youth into the world of quilting.  During the break, several guild members sought her out to welcome her to the quilting world and offered praise on her first quilt.  On the drive home, she was already planning out future quilt endeavors.  Hopefully I can bring her to some future evening quilt meetings and events.  Until then, we will have to plan our next quilting date to start her next project!