This project continues to go well. I believe the last time I posted I was freaking out about the mini-quilts that I had abused in the laundry to see how the shirt fabrics held up. Upon further experimentation and examination, it's all good news. Anything that was going to give way, gave way during the first wash. All my repairs after the first wash withstood subsequent washings and dryings. The latter result is particularly comforting. I might leave out one or two of the shirts the client and I chose as having too flimsy fabric, but I'll make that decision when I get to those quilts. Dozens of the shirts presented no problems at all.
Reinforcement of the light-weight shirt-fabric patches with a muslin backing did not improve the strength of the patches so reinforced. In fact, such reinforcement caused some problems.
I think now that doing the mini-quilts was an excess of caution, but there's nothing wrong with that! And they will be nice mementos of this project, for me to keep.
I've finished cutting the shirts for two of the six quilts. I've pieced the Wild Goose Chase blocks for one of the quilt-tops, and will begin assembling this first quilt-top this week! I'm excited! The Goose blocks came out nice and regular -- apparently my marking with templates and cutting on the shirts with scissors achieved consistent results.
And my sewing machine sews and quilts right through the shirt features like button plaquettes and company logos (for the company founded by the client's husband) without a hiccup.
The shirts for the remaining four quilts are in various stages of progress. In this regard, I must say that this six-quilt project (beginning with three mini-quilts) has been quite an organizational challenge. I have various boxes and plastic bags marked with the six grandchildrens' names to organize the shirts and fabrics, and copious notes about color schemes, how many patches can be cut from a shirt-back, fabric needs, etc., etc.
I received a lovely thank you note from the client with her last check. She helps make this project very gratifying.
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