'Dogception'

Sometimes after you have a disappointment you just need to hop straight back into something new to get the fun back.
A few nights ago I had a very silly idea for a quilt, and on Friday I made that little quilt a reality. From start to finish in just one afternoon!

Dogs within a dog in a dog-sized quilt.

When I was choosing my fabrics for the quilt with all the triangles, this brown 'Simple Dogs' print stood out as not belonging with them so I'd put it aside. Walking past it the other night I suddenly had an idea. What if I made a dog-blanket with a reverse applique in the shape of a dog, revealing the dog print? And what if I made it in a sausage dog shape, for a friend's sausage dog? Mr. Strange told me I was a doofus, but I was determined. :D

So I started by grabbing all the scraps from my stash that would look good against the brown 'Simple Dogs' print.

After pressing (and starching the heck out of them!), I pieced the scraps together into what I hoped was a dog-sized quilttop.

While I'd been pressing, starching and piecing I'd asked my daughter to draw me a large version of the sausage dog from the print onto a piece of card ready to use as my reverse applique template.

I didn't plan it, but it fit perfectly into the centre portion of the quilttop!

I carefully placed the dog print underneath, and pinned them together before pinning the dog template on top, making sure it was all placed correctly so as to not have a hole in the quilt after cutting the dog out later. Then I used my free-motion foot to sew the two layers together, about a quarter inch from the outside edge of the template.

After that it was basting and quilting time. I first quilted a couple of times over the line I'd already sewn outlining the template and then (after deciding definitely not straight lines this time!), I quilted some wavy lines and the word "woof". Because dogs. (Oh my god, I'm so lame. :P)

Now it was time for the big reveal! Cutting away the dog shape to reveal the print underneath.

Then I finished by quilting the little details in. A nose, an ear and an eye.

I wanted to get the quilt finished so I could give it to its new owners that night so I used a self-binding (which I'd never done before). I trimmed the front and the batting straight, and then trimmed the backing to an inch all the way around.

I then folded and pressed the backing under by half an inch, before folding it over again and topstitching it down to the quilt.

Finished!

I finished it at 3:30pm and threw it straight in the washing machine. I hung it in the last patch of sun in our yard to dry, but ended up having to give it away while still damp because it hadn't had time to dry properly. Oops!

Anyway, here it is in its new home. To be honest, the new owner seems a little unsure of it. :P

Photo by DAN from NSFW podcast 'Dan And Karl's Zeitgeist'.

-Strange.