The slow and steady tortoise finished the last bit of quilting on the final border of the fat quarter quilt today - hooray! I set a goal of one border a week (bearing in mind I wouldn't be able to quilt every day and when I did, limiting my time to 40 minutes to an hour), and I am so pleased I was able to keep to that. I tossed it on the bed to take a few pics for you - not the best lighting but hopefully you can see why I like this quilt so much.
Now to dig out the leftover fabric from the piecing to piece together a colorful binding once this is squared up. click on any photo for a larger view of the quilting.
Although I have to say, looking at that dark blue turned from the back to the front, I'm wondering if I wouldn't like a single fabric blue border instead.
Here's a pretty good shot of the "row by row" paisley quilting I did over the inside of the quilt.
As for the "not error free", on the last border, I was so into following the designs in the fabric, having memorized the best path around them, that I didn't notice I was coming close to a safety pin as I sewed backward. I don't know how I managed not to hit the pin with the needle but suddenly, there it was under my presser foot with a single stitch holding it in place! Took some maneuvering get it off the foot and to open it to pull it free without having to break a thread. So now you would think I would quilt more aware, removing pins in plenty of time but no, I did it twice more! The third time I actually did strike the pin with the needle and had to replace it.
Not to mention that I also managed to quilt a bit of the excess turned over the batting to the back of the quilt. The whole reason for leaving as much extra backing and batting as I do at the edge of the quilt is so I can neatly fold the backing over the quilt so this sort of thing doesn't happen and I have plenty to grip as I move the quilt around. I definitely was not paying attention and making sure the edge was smoothed out, not folded under. It only caught in two short places and I was determined not to take out stitches and re-quilt those short runs. So I cut very closely to the stitching on either side to release the part that got caught up in the quilting and then teased out the threads of the bits of fabric left under the stitching on the back of the quilt. The arrows point to the cutaway part on the edge of the turnover.
So glad I got this finished today as I don't know how much time jury duty might take up next week. I've been lucky so far with the trials of the first two weeks of the month being canceled, but now they are requiring us to sign in early on Monday for a trial. The last time I got called in for jury duty, they filled all the spots long before I got a chance to be questioned. Maybe I'll be that lucky again, although I actually think it would be interesting to go through a trial.
7 comments:
The quilt is beautiful spread out across the bed! My vote (we get a vote, right?) is for a single fabric dark blue binding. I like the idea of binding as a frame for the quilt, but it's your quilt so you do get to override other opinions in the end! Hope your week goes well, jury duty or not! Jan in WY
Nice job. You are almost done. Those big bed-size quilts seem to take forever next to the baby quilts!
I think you're right Jan, for just the reason you stated, one I've opined about many times. I came to this conclusion while trying to get to sleep last night (why is it that when you have to be up earlier than usual to be someplace at a specific time you can never just drop off?). Of course, I can't remember if I have enough of that dark blue fabric used in the backing to bind this beauty.
Thanks Michele! No kidding these bigger quilts and their many details seem never ending! I've said for awhile now that I think I only have one more big quilt left in me (have a specific idea for a reproduction quilt) that I would quilt myself but something tells me that if I just get it cut and and pieced I'll be lucky. Time to start farming out the quilting on the big ones I think.
Jury duty update - I did get picked for the jury of this week's trial which is supposed to run 4 days. 4 LONG days. It's a 9 to 5 job! Maybe it will get me into the better habits I've been wanting to get back to - going to bed early so I can get up at normal people time and get more done!
Yes, I can see why you like it so much and must say all your efforts have been worth it….the sublte colors are just right for a bedroom as is the interesting pattern…..a quilt to love for the ages.
Thanks Mary!
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