Nativity Quilt

Nativity Quilt

Today's post is a quilt that I made about 6 years ago.  I was inspired by my parents' making of the same quilt about a year prior.  

The pattern is available via Details by Diane (website: http://www.detailsbydiane.com).  It's called a "Stained Glass" quilt because the entire quilt different color fabrics cut out and fused onto black cloth.  The quilt consists of 4 panels (Kings, Shepards, Angel, and of course Mary, Joseph and Baby Jesus) that are made separately and then sewn together to make one big quilt.

While this is a seasonal pattern, I'm so proud of how it turned out, I leave it hanging year round in my  craft room.  It was just this past year I finally made a hanging sleeve for the back, using a curtain rod for display.  Before then I had just been using binder clips from OfficeMax, which kept falling down.  This looks much more professional and displays the quilt really well.

It's fun going home and seeing the same quilt hanging at my parents house.  While my mom helped me a bit with fabric from her stash, I don't think any piece of my quilt is the same as theirs.  The pattern recommends a color, but how each person interprets that can be entirely different.

Lessons learned from this quilt:
*Heat n' Bond fusible works well.  The width of the paper is the exact same width of the panels in the quilt.  I used the no-sew kind, so I didn't do any appliqué on this quilt.  Hopefully it will stay together over time :)
*While permanent marker works well to trace the pattern to the fusible, the smell of ironing it on is forever imprinted to my senses.  Ballpoint pen works and smells better.  Do not use pencil - the pencil lead bits can get on your iron and transfer to lighter fabrics making it grey when you work on a different project.
*They aren't kidding when they say no steam when using fusible.  Makes a difference.