Friday Finish - Gemma-tastic!

 It's #notaquilt, but at least it's for me! I even wore it today!

When I read Rae from Made by Rae's post last week about her new pattern, Gemma, I could hardly contain my excitement. I love her patterns, but they just aren't sized for me. You may remember my Beatrix fail from last year. But not so this new pattern! Nine sizes! Woo hoo! The style is simple and totally up my alley!

 

The puzzle doer in me loves a digital download pattern. Putting all those pages together makes me happy!

 This could have been my Thursday Finish post! ☺

I used a few fun tricks when prepping the pattern pieces. I didn't want to cut my main pattern to make the lower scoop neck (versus the jewel neck), so I used my Hera marker to mark the cutting line through the pattern. I did something similar to mark the dart lines.

I also decided to play around with the finishing stitches on my trusty Pfaff. I even marked each one with the stitch number so I could compare (and not forget!)

What did I do before Wonderclips? So much more precise than pinning.

 I love how the arm and neck binding turned out. Not so different from binding mini mini quilts!

 Part of me thinks it would look a lot cuter in a smaller size, but then I couldn't wear it... so it is what it is.

  I love the nice wide straps on the Gemma tank. So work appropriate!

Rae's technique for prepping the hem is ingenious. I shan't give it away, but it's a great tip! It came out so much smoother than I ever would have anticipated!

Instead of making a muslin version to play with the fit and check sizing (as recommended by Rae), I opted to buy an inexpensive shirting fabric. I can't bear the idea of doing all that work and not having a finished product. I also cringe at the idea of using expensive fabric I love and not having a wearable product. I can hardly wait to make my next one! I'd be linking up with Finish Up Friday @ Crazy Mom Quilts if she weren't on a social media break for August. Sadness. But I am going to link up with TGIFF @ Quokka Quilts!

J

P.S. No finish for you this Friday? Why not make it a Flashback Friday and write a post about a quilt from your dark quilty past? Then you can link up with this week's Throwback Thursday for a chance to win some fab prizes!

Throwback Thursday {Volume 13} - 1st Anniversary!!!

I can hardly believe that it's been a year since I started this little link-up. I've enjoyed reading your tales of quilts past and seeing your amazing work. And I've filed away more than one idea for a classic quilt re-worked in a modern style!

For my throwback this month, I'm going back to where it all began - the first one ever. This quilt has been mentioned many times on this blog, but never actually seen! Around the time I started working on it, Google was founded in California and a major air disaster, SwissAir 111, occurred near my home. It's crazy to look back on 1998!

I was entering my second year at Saint Francis Xavier University and I have many memories of quilting this big 'ole quilt on my wee Singer on a small kitchen table in my basement rental apartment.

It really is big - a generous queen size. I figured that if I was only going to make one quilt (oh foolish me!), I wanted it to be big enough to use on a good sized bed. To further illustrate my madness, I quilted it every 2 inches horizontally and vertically. So. Much. Folding. And. Rolling.

After years of folding, you can see some sun fade on the solid squares (clearly not my beloved Kona). Oh well. An18 year old quilt should have some wear!

My quilts have always had labels of some kind... even if it was only fabric marker on the back in a corner! And you get yet another incarnation of my early binding style. Yikes.

I snapped these pics when visiting the family cottage where this one lives. It's a quilt only a mother could still love! In the background, you get a snippet of her other love - daylilies. Remember Daylily Daze?

 I couldn't resist one more money shot!

 

It's Throwback Thursday's 1st birthday, but you're the ones getting the presents. I have a pile of awesome prizes for those of you who link up and/or comment. Check 'em out!

1) Two patterns of your choice from Quilting JetGirl's Craftsy shop

2) This awesome 6 FQ Snofall by Rae Ritchie bundle from Canadian on-line store, Zoey & Bean Fabrics

3) 25$ gift certificate from Sew Sisters

4) 40$ gift certificate from Mad About Patchwork

5) 50$ gift certificate from Fridays Off Fabric

Thanks so much to the generous sponsors of these wonderful prizes! How to win, you ask? There are three ways!

1. Link-up a blog post telling all about a quilt from your past. Don't forget to link to A Quarter Inch from the Edge in your post or grab the Throwback Thursday button for your sidebar.
2. Leave a comment telling me about your first quilt.
3. Leave a comment telling me if and how you follow A Quarter Inch from the Edge. 

The giveaway is open to International participants until Sunday, August 7th at 11:59 Atlantic Time. Prizes will be chosen by random number generator. If you're a no-reply blogger, please be sure to leave an e-mail address where I can reach you!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thank you to everyone for your continued support of my little link-up! It's so much fun reading your tales of quilt triumphs and, of course, laughing over fabric choices and the growing pains of early quilting days. Here's to many more months of the same!

J