Pressing the Quilt Blocks

The final step for me in piecing a top is a good final pressing!  Nothing presses seams flatter than my good old Elna press from 1969 - it is heavy and gets hot!  Usually I press individual blocks, but this quilt is so little I just did it all at once.  This press has a tiny key that goes on top to unlock the unit and we lost it.  But you know what - the store that originally sold this machine to the previous owner (who is now dead, which is how I got the machine) is still there (that is Austria for you - stores stay forever!) and the man had a key.  So, I am back in pressing business.  I have also lost my little spray bottle - no problem - my iron has a sprayer so 1st I spray with the iron and then press.  I use that speghetti jar for my iron water.  Pressing does not distort your fabric like ironing will.  And yes, I know you aren't supposed to spray your blocks with water, but I do anyway!  And if they are a bit wonky - a little spray starch and a tiny tug usually fixes them right up.  Shhhh.

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See that blue fabric on the ironing board?  It has a tiny pink design on it.  Well - a few weeks ago Omi was here and somehow or another our house became the dropping off spot for things to go to Goodwill.  She left several bags of stuff.  I snagged that fabric right off - it is from a skirt.  I am happy to use it for the backing and binding for this little doll quilt because this quilt is going to Omi's great-grand daughter.  I also set aside a few sweaters to cut up into mittens.  I could have taken lots of things, but I don't like to clutter up my space so I just took a few things that I thought would entertain me with their fabric in a timely fashion without stock piling "stuff".  Ohhh, but one sweater is a well-worn cashmere sweater, but still has some very usuable parts!  Score. 

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Anyway, Doll Quilt #3 is now throughly pressed and basted - ready for hand quilting.  Doll Quilt #1 and #2 were the same pattern as this one.

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Here is a close-up - before pressing!  Maybe you can see that I did not have enough of any one fabric for the tan setting triangles so I used 3 different ones that are all similar.  Yup - using up little itty bitty scraps in my scrap bin!  Each block is 5.25" finished.