One Day Closer to Another Finish

I started this lovely quilt just about a year ago.

I'd made several for other people, and decided

I wanted one just for me. Something a little

vintage-looking, feminine, sweet maybe.

I started it one day without a pattern, and soon

found myself in a pickle in how it was all

put together. I was pretty new at this yet.

I loved the fabrics, and I was already drawn 

to the simplicity of a cross block.

It was about a week until the top was done, and 

time to start quilting. This was the very first

quilt I ever started FMQ on, and I was using 

my classic Pfaff with a 7" throat. It was like

Big Time Quilt Wrestling. It sat until I had 

a bigger machine, and that's when I found

my Janome that I use now.

Fast-forward to a few weeks ago.

The top was done except for half a 

dozen crosses or half crosses.

My quilting is not perfect, but this is neither a show 

quilt nor a commission. I'm still learning!

There are place you can tell I stopped, small 

differences in where I was learning this motif

at the beginning to how it smoothed out toward

the end, and I figured loads out about tension

issues. This picture is where I'm ending the 

motif, and probably going too fast. I will

do some ripping today to fix it. Not a biggie.

I finally learned how to meander. For the life of

me, it was the hardest part of FMQ I had to learn.

I also figured out to draw a path on the quilt so

I could tell where to go next. It's hard to see

this when you're dealing with so much bulk,

even with a larger home machine.

Each individual motif needed to 

have the threads buried. Cheater

needles are your friend!

Yesterday I went to my first Bee Day at the guild

I've joined, and I finished the motifs then started

the border. I have a much harder time following

lines than free-wheeling the design. 

The leaves suited all the flower fabrics.

The last border was started, but I ran out of 

energy. I took a break to just socialize. I think

that's what a Bee is actually all about, right?

What a wonderful group I've gotten 

myself in to!

The texture is the high point for me, and

I think it has a lot to do with the batting. I've

used a 50/50 bamboo and cotton. It's luxurious,

and adds more loft and poof than my normal 

Warm and Natural all cotton. I will definitely

be keeping this in stock.

The sewing and quilting group meets up

tonight at our local JoAnn's. If you're 

in the New Philadelphia, Ohio, area

be sure to drop in to say hello.

Come on, Doxie Girls.

Let's go sew.

Linking up today with~
Sew Fresh Quilts
Freshly Pieced
Needle and Thread Thursday
Quilty Thankful Thursday
Late Night Quilter
Quilt Story
Lizzie Lenard Vintage Sewing

Thank you for the link up opportunity!