I just got back from MQS in Overland Park. Janet's quilt is just incredible!! I feel lucky to have seen it in person.

Be sure to check out Janet's forum topic with photos here: [url]forum/quilt-shows-vacations-and-retreats/4653-big-wins-at-mqs-and-mqx-margo-youre-makin-me-blush[/url]

Awesome Job, Janet! Congratulations!

WAY TO GO JANET!!!

Janet Stone took a Best of Show ribbon at the Machine Quilter's Showcase quilt show in Overland Park, Kansas last night for MUTTON BUT LETTERS.

Janet, please post a photo for us!! Congratulations! The competition at the show is really stiff!

Janet your quilt is just gorgeous and I wish you luck with the judges.

Thanks so much! I have reservations about working with wool, but I really think part of the problem with that quilt may have been in the quilting/construction. That said, I think I could have fixed it better if I had used 80/20 batting. But as always, each one is a learning experience!

Whatever you did must have worked - congratulations on Best of Show!

Would you work with wool again, Janet?

Janet

Janet, your quilt is gorgeous!! When is comes to make a quilt hanging flat it can be a challange in itself!! You do not have to ask me how I know:) My latest quilt acted up on me as expected as all outer edges was on the bias. After quilting it, it looked just awful! Then I remembered something I read online somewhere: I took the quilt back to the sewing machine, I put stitches at all edges, long stitches that could be manipulated, but hidden when the binding was sewn on. After rinsing it I blocked the quilt pinning it down to a carpet. Using the ruler to get all lines straight I manitulated the stitches by twine some of them around a thick neelde to get "the waves" out. then pined the edges down, everything laying flat. When binding was sewn on it is as flat as it can get;)

Janet, that's not a quilt. That's a work of art!!

janetstone wrote:
Janet, Just wondering if maybe a wet pressing cloth might add just enough dampness to the wool to make it behave. I used to do that from time to time when I was a professional clothing designer/tailor. Wool and cotton both NORMALLY do well with this. Sometimes you need to pin it into a padded surface and steam the heck out of it with a wet pressing cloth and let it stay there until it dries. Hope you can solve it. Cheers.

If you are going to re-bind the quilt, how about blocking it with the binding off? also because it is wool, you could try blocking it with steam, tailors re-shape wool cloth with steam to stretch and shrink different areas of jackets and trousers to get them to mold to the body. For best effect (in tailoring) steam and press the area to shrink, under a pressing cloth! then to prevent the cloth from getting too hot, swap to a block of wood to use instead of an iron and press down with this until it is cool, dry and set. It requires patience, as it can take longer than you think for, for the fabric to really cool down again.

It goes without saying, but I will say it anyway - have a practise on a sample similar to your quilt first, I don't know the affect that steam will have on the quilted wool/cotton combination, but I do know that wool is great for molding with steam for garments.

Good luck

Rosemary

Shucks! I really hoped the starch and blocking would help, but I think that you are right about the wool batting. It just doesn't have enough body to support the weight of a heavily quilted and embellished quilt for hanging. Next time use a foundation under the wool. Hobb's Heirloom or Quilter's Dream would be a good choice or Warm and Natural. They would add extra weight to the quilt, but you will probably need the support. I love the design of this one, and I'm looking forward to your next one!!

BTW...I did some intensive free-motion embroidery for text over the week-end, and am pleased with the way it turned out! Thanks for the suggestion!

Well I am sorry to report that re-blocking my quilt did not seem to make a difference in the edges cupping. I think Margo could be correct in suggesting I take off the binding and re-bind it with bias cut binding. I also think that the wool batting has something to do with the cupping. If I had used 80/20 batting, I think I could have steamed it into shape. I also have a feeling that the design of the quilt has something to do with it, in that there is more weight in the center of the quilt and not that much on the wide borders. I think I'm just going to leave it like it is, at least for now. I'm just not sure if I rebound it, being that it has the wool batting, that I could reblock it into shape. Oh well, such is the quilt life! On to the next one!

Holy Moly, Janet! what a beautiful quilt. I can see this getting a ribbon at the quilt show, your work is breathtaking. Thank you for sharing your picture, plus the closeup. I hope your cupping issue is solved.

Kathy