Sewing with Friend in Two States

I visited my sewing friend and we worked together to create this little back pack for her granddaughter to where for Halloween.

We didn't have a pattern.  It goes along with a cartoon the girls likes called True and the Rainbow Kingdom.  We found images on Pinterest, but had to watch an episode to really understand how the gizmo works.  Supposed to be the circle wishes are inside the squishy circles, and when the button on the front white circle are pressed the wishes are released.  My friend figured out the system for adjusting the location of the backpack and front piece.  I mainly sewed what she handed to me.  I will offer to send my Gay Pride Parade Tutu to add to the costume.  Hope I get a photo of the little girl on Halloween!

The second project we worked on was putting the mitered border on this quilt (she had already made the center section).  Then there was sandwiching the piece, basting, and preparing the binding.  She had only done binding made with the backing before.  We started in Rhode Island, then finished in Massachusetts!

Ruth Jensen's method for Mitering Borders was really easy to follow:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-m22mnu4ovM
The other sites we found started by marking the 1/4 inch outer squares - which was really hard to do accurately.  Ruth suggests simply sewing on two opposite sides of the border, then using that stitch link to guide adding the top and bottom pieces.  It's a short video - watch it for help!

For the binding, I cut the strips 2.25 inches wide and referred her to Laura of Sew Very Easy Binding:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r8qzeOczXEo
The start and stop was easy, the way she does the corners really works too.

We both didn't remember how much time it would take for her to do the FMQing, so I ended up making a little example of something to bind as a demo - then I pinned the binding on the piece and then pretty much had to leave her to finish it on her own.  She did a wonderful job.

Isn't it cute the way the sharks are circling the quilt?

She went back and stitched around all the blocks after applying the binding.

Front:

Back

 Washed

She had asked me if she should wash it before giving it away and I had said to wash with color catcher and regular soap in cool/medium temps or to give with the color catchers and directions for washing.  She decided to wash, but then was worried it was too wrinkled so she asked if she could gently iron it.  I had told her I had never done that, but since it was all cotton would be old to do a little.  Was I right?  I hope so!