I sat down with a timer set for half an hour, determined
to finish the quilting. When the alarm rang, I had to run.
Back in the afternoon, I put on some soothing music,
and as you would have guessed, it started to be fun.
There was a moment of disappointment when I ran
out of empty space to quilt. After all that drama!
The light makes the back appear as if there is a lot of
bunching, but there's not. The are one or two little places
near the edge where it's not 'perfect'. If I was marketing
this quilting, I would tear it out, and fix it.
I changed my sandwiching process this time. I taped my
backing down to the concrete floor first. The ironed
batting was next, and also held with its own tape. Then
the top, and also taped. All layers were taut. I used
large saftey pins, and not even quilter's pins at that,
to hold everything securely. I pinned about 5-6" apart.
This was much more successful than spray basting
on this size quilt, but I know I still need to use more
pins toward the edges next time.
My machine sits on top of a table, and I believe having
it countersunk would be a vast improvement in the
ability to move the quilt around. I might have to ask
for help with that one.
I was very happy with the stitching by the end.
The late afternoon sun threw some heavy shadows,
but there aren't really big wrinkles there.
Two of the girls have had to break it in already. It passed.
Today I'm going to a friend's house for a fabric swap.
It reminds me of when I was little trading Barbie clothes.
I'm taking some fabrics that aren't my favorites in colors
she's looking for, and hoping she has some odd things
I'm looking for.
Doesn't that sound like fun? That way you not only shop your own stash, but someone else's, too. Frugal and effective.
Today's Tips
Today's tips for navigating on the new Pink Doxie page.
Use your keyboard letters j and k to move between posts. If you simply use your keyboard letter j, it will take you to a previous post. Tapping the letter k will take you to the next.
Any of the pictures are clickable, and will take you to that post.
Stop back tomorrow for the Pet Project Show. The linky will
open at midnight tonight EST, and run through midnight on
Monday night. Show us your pet project of the week.
Until then...
Come on, Doxie girls.
Let's go sew.
Looks great! Isn't it nice to have a Friday finish! Pugs and kisses to the Doxie girls from the Pug boys!
ReplyDeleteVery nice finish! I stopped spray basting about a year ago, and now I used pins and tape each layer down like you described. Spray basting a large quilt can be tricky, difficult to adjust, and I just started to hate the feeling of everything being glued together. oh - the chihuahuas send their regards too!
ReplyDeleteLovely quilt! I can't see any bunching or mistakes so there must not be any! I baste with thread instead of pins. It seems like it would take forever, but it's way better than sticking in all those pins and I find that it holds the layers better. might be worth a try on a small piece.
ReplyDeleteOh, the grey goes so well with those blocks! The colors sing out! Can't wait to try the new navigating techniques. I would love to go to a fabric swap. I wonder how to host one.
ReplyDeleteVery cool fabrics! Great work!
ReplyDeleteVery nice. Love your pieced backing. Thanks for linking up with TGIFF.
ReplyDeleteVery fun quilt and you got it finished - score!
ReplyDeleteHello Julie,
ReplyDeleteSome of those prints are very fab 1960s looking, just right for a mini dress, and the grey works really well with all the bright colours.
Well done with the quilting! Doing FMQ on a big quilt can be really hard work, and now you have said your machine isn't flush with the surface of the table, I am filled with admiration. Surely your arms must have ached?
Thank you for linking up with Free Motion Mavericks!
Love, Muv
This is such a simple and yet bold quilt! I am REALLY enjoying the grey for the solid! The backing is just as great as the front... some of my most favorite quilts are 'reversible'! I'll be expecting this to arrive any day now, yes?
ReplyDeleteThe quilting is beautiful! I am such a disaster when it comes to quilting that I have actually learned to like the bunching LOL :P
ReplyDeleteTrading Barbie clothes?!! OMG you just took me back 30 years in the space of a heartbeat. :-)
ReplyDelete