A Glowing Finish - 1,050 Days in the Making

Thursday, August 6, 2020

Last weekend, I got to spend three days at the Sew Cozy Quilt Lodge in Wakefield, Kansas. It's a wonderful quilt retreat built and owned by a quilter. I've been to the retreat several times before (read about two of my previous visits here and here), and I was excited to go back!

When making a list of what I wanted to work on while there, I decided it was time to finish a quilt I started a few years ago but never finished. (I know I'm not the only one with projects like that!)


Moonrise quilt by Slice of Pi Quilts using Menagerie fabric by Rifle Paper Co. for Cotton + Steel





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The quilt was the original Moonrise quilt. It actually inspired the pattern! But after completing about half of the quilt, I needed to make a second one for Island Batik (read about that quilt here). After finishing it, I decided it would be perfect for the pattern cover, and I never finished the first one!


Moonrise quilt by Slice of Pi Quilts

I even made a third version of the Moonrise quilt to be displayed at Quilt Market (read about that quilt here)! And that just bumped the original further down the list.


Moonrise quilt by Slice of Pi Quilts

But now was the time!!

I posted the fabric and thread on Instagram on September 16, 2017. That was the last (and only) social media sighting of it ever!

The fabric is a fat quarter bundle of Menagerie fabric from Cotton + Steel as well as their dark green Sprinkle basic. The color is actually called "Summer Camp." Both are now out of print and very hard to find! The solid metallic gold is called Glisten by Windham. The Aurifil thread is 50wt in colors #2892 Pine and #2920 Light Brass.


Menagerie fabric by Rifle Paper Co. from Cotton + Steel

I hunted through my photo archives for WIP photos, and found a few mixed in with photos of my oldest son's first soccer season. That was a fun trip down memory lane!

I found photos of cutting and prepping the gold metallic bias tape.


metallic gold bias tape
bias tape strips
bias tape circles

I found photos showing how I used my vintage Bernina 930 Record to applique the diamonds for the quilt. 


vintage Bernina 930 Record
applique quilt using Menagerie fabric by Rifle Paper Co.

I even found photos of when I pin basted the quilt. (I've been operating with half of my curved safety pins ever since this!!)

Cotton + Steel Menagerie quilt
Cotton and Steel Menagerie quilt

And then that was it. The final photo showed four rings added to the quilt. It was September 30, 2017.

bias tape applique quilt

Last Saturday, while at the retreat, I pulled the quilt out it's box. Inside was the pin basted quilt, carefully folded atop all the bias tape rings.


From WIP to finished!

After just a few hours, it was ready for binding! (The quilt is quilted as you add the rings!)


Moonrise quilt by Slice of Pi Quilts with bias tape circles

I find that's often the case with UFOs. There usually isn't much work to be done, it's just committing to actually doing it! (Machine binding tutorial here.)

Moonrise quilt by Slice of Pi Quilts

And now, the original Moonrise quilt is finished!!


Moonrise quilt by Slice of Pi Quilts using Menagerie fabric by Rifle Paper Co. for Cotton + Steel

This one feels so great to have finished!

1,050 days since I started it!


Moonrise quilt by Slice of Pi Quilts using Menagerie fabric by Rifle Paper Co. for Cotton + Steel

I'm also excited to have three samples of this quilt pattern now for when I do trunk shows for guilds. I LOVE how different the same quilt looks in different fabrics! Get the pattern in my Etsy shop!


Moonrise quilt by Slice of Pi Quilts


What have YOU finished this week? Share it so we can celebrate it with you!

I'm hosting TGIFF this week, but we need someone to host next week! Will you have a finish to share? It's SUPER easy! You just need a blog! I'll help you with the rest! Sign up here: http://tgiffriday.blogspot.com/p/hosting-tgiff.html.



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6 comments:

  1. Fantastic to see the original finished. It must feel so good to have accomplished that. Can I ask how social distancing was practiced at the retreat? Were there fewer attendees?

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  2. The 3 quilts are all beautiful, each in their own way. I always enjoy seeing quilts made from the same pattern but in different fabrics. Happy stitching!

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  3. I love all of them. You did a good job. Thanks for sharing the details too.

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  4. Hi Laura! A quilt retreat!!!! Lucky, lucky dawg. I have never been but in my mind they are beyond fabulous. What a great combination - quilting and (new) friends. Gosh, that gold bias tape pictured with the green speckled fabric is just fab. I had to chuckle about the memory lane path the pictures took you down - I think we all can relate to that. Good job on finishing Moonrise! Not only is it a UFO off the books, which is fabulous itself, but just think of all the pins you've regained! Now you don't have to buy another pack (been there, done that). Thanks for the linky party and the beautiful share. ~smile~ Roseanne

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  5. I have finished nothing! But I also didn't start anything new. =) The green one is my favorite. That's beautiful, and I'm so glad it finally got it's day to shine.

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  6. It looks great. Feels good to finish up old UFOs. ☺

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