Completed Tropical Shirt Quilt, with Flannel Backing. 9 Oct 2023

 Here's the completed tropical shirt quilt.  I'm pretty happy with the result.

The backing is cotton flannel.  I found a good quality, unused flannel fitted queen size sheet at the thrift store, for $6.  It seemed thicker than flannel fabric at the fabric store, softer, and I was able to use one large piece instead of piecing narrower ones together.  After starching, cutting off the elastic and seamed parts, it was large enough for this quilt and a little left over.

I think the starch helped a lot.  It was fairy stiff and didn't stretch and deform while sewing.  On the other hand, my newer Brother sewing machine didn't work for this quilt - the tension settings were either too much or too little, and it skipped stitches.  I tried denim needle and titanium quilting needle.  I switched to the old Kenmore machine, added the titanium quilting needle and walking foot, and it went very smooth and fast.  Also, no bunching up of backing, no creases or pleats.  

After washing with an extra rinse to get out all of the starch, and drying to fluff up the batting and flannel, this quilt is very warm and comfortable.  

Since the pattern was much simpler, and I did not have to piece the backing, this quilt came together much faster than most.   Plus, instead of taping each line to quilt, I mostly used the guide on the walking foot - set at two inches - the quilting went a lot faster too, with fewer challenges.

Pawpaws and Chestnuts. 9 Oct 2023.

 The chestnut trees are making some nice nuts now.  I planted the trees about six years ago,  They are grafted varieties, hybrids of Japanese with European species.  They are disease resistant, and can pollinate each other.

The pawpaws surprised me by making a nice crop.  I did hand-pollinate them.  All of the grafted tops died off, and now they are multi-trunked trees of the rootstocks.  I put protective mesh bags on the fruits this summer, and thinned them to a few per bunch.

The pawpaws have a nice flavor, mild, sort of like mango.  The texture is like avocado.They are nicecto have as a treat.

The chestnuts are starchy, like potato.  Roasted in the air fryer with some oil and salt, they remind me a bit of French Fries.

Tropical Shirt Quilt. The Top is Completed. 19 Sept 2023

 Here's the completed quilt top.

I'm actually kind of pleased with the result.

First I combined squares into pairs, and sewed those together.  I left out 2 of each type, for row ends.

The seams are ironed toward the darker square, so the nest when sewn to the next row.  The other seams were ironed open so they will be flat.

I questioned whether I left enough un-sewn, so I laid them all out on the sunroom floor.

Well, they were OK.  So I sewed together the pairs, building up to eight rows.

At this point, I'm ironing all seams toward the darker squares.  I'm also checking my photo of the layout that I liked, so I get it right.

Then U sewed together the rows, this time ironing the seams open.  Result is at the top.

Next step, batting is ordered on Amazon, USA grown and manufactured.  The Chinese imported is cheaper, but there's the slave labor issue, so I paid more for a US small company product.

Also, the flannel backing.  I'll starch, press, and sew that in the next few days.

Tropical Shirt Quilt. Squares Are Ready. 18 Sept 2023.

 This went pretty fast.  All of squares are completed, each consisting of two rectangles.  Since this was different from my original plan, each square needed just a bit of trimming in order to have true squares.  That gave me a chance to even up some irregular edges, so it was a good thing.

I'm using my trusty pre-digital, 1990s (I think) Kenmore sewing machine.  I enjoy sewing in this machine, more than any other.

I printed out a photo of the lay-out, to help me assemble the squares.

Fig Harvest. 18 Sept 2023.

 There were a few ripening figs on the Hardy Chicago Fig tree.

I sliced them into halves, and put them in the dehydrator to dry.