I’ve been working on my Snail’s Trail block.
It is working better now that I stitch the entire foundation first and then the seams (before I was doing a bit of the foundation and then the seam and it took much longer). As the final block is 13cm by 13cm, you can see the ‘trail’ is quite detailed.
Once the instructions are finished, I’ll upload it.
Filed under Foundation Blocks, Machine Embroidery, Quilting
I’ve been working on my turning twenty quilt…
and
I’ve cut all of the fabric, but only sewed two of the blocks.
Filed under Quilting
I’ve been ironing and cutting my fat quarters …
and
Of course I’ve already managed to cut one wrong. I’ve order a new fat quarter from here.
No word on my sewing machine…
Filed under Quilting
I tried making the ‘logs’ on my log cabin block bigger…
I like it. I’m not sure about the arrangement of fabrics. The red in the middle is my favourite and I don’t think there is enough of it in the block.
I’ve been using my PCQuilt software to audition different arrangements…
or …
I like the above option the best, so I might sew a block and then see.
I’ve taken my sewing machine to the sewing machine hospital. We think it might need a new computer, but it’s still in warranty so that’s OK. It does mean I can’t sew out the above blocks for a while (I use my embroidery machine to do foundation piecing), but I have two other sewing machines, so I still be crafting.
I’m thinking about using my 20 fat quarters of Heather Bailey Freshcut fabric to make a turning twenty quilt.
Filed under Foundation Blocks, Quilting
I’ve bound the Alphabet Wall Hanging.
and the back…
and a close up of the binding…
I haven’t quite finished it yet. I need to put a label on the back. My embroidery sewing machine (Janome 350e) and I are having words. Ever since I did the firmware upgrade (to version 1.03) the letters have been stitching out wonky – little bits of letters missing. I can’t seem to find any information on what to do – is it possible to downgrade?
I wanted to make a card for one of my daughter’s friends and it was hopeless in the end I had to dig out my Janome 9000 and use that instead.
Filed under Quilting
I’m in the process of attaching the binding to the alphabet wall hanging quilt.
I can get the mitred corners at the front of the quilt to look great, but I’m hopeless at the back.
Here’s a peak at something I’m working on at the moment…
Filed under Machine Embroidery, Quilting
I spent the little craft time I had today starching the fabric for the wall hanging binding.
Filed under Quilting
I’m back to working on my alphabet wall hanging…
In the above photo I’ve pin basted (not enough, but more of that later) the quilt and I’m using YLI ‘rinse away’ thread to put in some anchoring lines.
I found that starching the fabric (both the quilt top and the backing fabric) and using the anchoring lines made the quilting much easier. Although, I still have one pucker and a few lumpy bits.
I decided to use a double diagonal quilting pattern – why do I always make more work for myself?
Sorry for the image – I took the photo late at night and the light was poor. Here is a close up …
I do like the effect of the diagonal quilting and I will certainly try it again. I learnt, however, that I need to pin baste more. Harriet Hargrave in my quilting bible (Heirloom Machine Quilting ) writes ‘My general guide is no further apart than three knuckles…’ I certainly didn’t do that. Plus while I was sewing the anchoring lines, there was a bit of puckering which I just ignored. Why? What was I thinking? The puckering just got worse.
Now I just have to bind it and add a hanging sleeve. This is the first time I’ve added a hanging sleeve, so it could be interesting.
Oh and I just love that purple low tac masking tape! I used it to mark all of my lines (and one piece lasts for ages). Best marking tool I’ve ever had.
I went shopping (to my local Lincraft).
I bought Bias Tape makers, flower head pins and fusible web tape.
Why?
I watched the ‘Quilt as You Go’ dvd by Margaret Cormack – it comes free with the latest ‘Quilters Companion’Â magazine. Margaret used bias strips to cover up the joins in her quilt and I thought they looked fabulous. At first I thought I would be limited to block based quilts, but she had some examples of her work and it was amazing what she achieved with this quilt as you go technique. So I’m motivated to get started on something new. However, I am determined to finish my Alphabet wall hanging first. I’ve cut the backing and the batting, now I just (ha ha) need to get on with the quilting.
Filed under Quilting
Only to discover that my maths was wrong and I needed another two blocks. I made another two blocks. I decided to sew a strip of the blocks together and then join them to one side of the quilt. Aahhh, it’s half a block too short or if I still a block from another side it’s half a block too long! Too much to fudge it. Seam allowances you are my nemesis! Each block is only slightly out, but when you multiply the error by 12 blocks it’s way out.
Lesson learnt: It might be easier to piece block borders first and then the inner unpieced border to fit.
I’m feeling disgruntled and I want this quilt finished – so I’m going to quilt it and bind it. I will use all of those hour glass blocks (all 38 of them) to make a dolls quilt.
Filed under Quilting
