progress

I'm still at the machine quilting, LOL, though making progress---I am about to start quilting #9 of 13 having marked Baptist Fans on one of the tops Saturday afternoon. I quilted #8 yesterday but it was a small one with a fair amount of zoom lines. Friday, was a "lost day"-- I had a medical test that took a chunk of the morning. I was not feeling too red hot once I got home so resting and taking it easy appealed to me a lot more. Baked some banana muffins and started on supper prep basically between reading an old Nora Roberts paperback from my shelves. (Another goal--read some of these Friends of the Library collected books, book club titles that I have so I can donate them back for their cause)

I might have started quilting the one I marked except that the tension started acting up and I needed to get some white thread first anyway. Changing the needle, re-threading and adjusting the machine dials was not doing the trick. Consulting the manual indicated that the numbers were where they needed to be. I ended up cleaning and de-linting the machine. That did the trick. So other than winding some bobbins, I am good to go now.

When I picked out the next top I wanted to do, I decided that one in the pile was far too small for kid's quilt donation so I am NOT going to quilt it. Took that one out of the tally and added the top that I intend to pin at the meeting on Tuesday (my bonus challenge quilt). This little panel, however, would be a great learning tool for the person who donated it and added so many quilts to the stack in the first place. Hey, it is small (wallhanging sized), is pinned with flat batting so less bulk on the machine bed. It won't matter if you mess up plus I'll show you how to do it. Oh best clarify THAT sentence--show you how to quilt, not mess it up though some days I could that part too.

I have a volunteer for free motioning one quilt. Liz (not sure if she has a blog to link to) emailed me off post about it. I do have one she could do the honors with her Handi-quilter. THX!! Once I get the particulars I will be happy to send it on.




I did take a picture of a couple of the more recent completions-----first, Lois' Twin Sisters top. Cute and scrappy. The pattern is in Eleanor Burns' Quilts Through the Seasons. Linda C has made one as well which is one of the remaining quilts in the pile. I think I will mark a small square in the centers of the blocks on that one though rather than accentuate the pinwheel blades as I did on Lois' version just to shake things up a bit.

I want to make one of these but I believe I will change the strip size to make a bigger block. Burns has you cut 2 1/2 inch strips for a 5 inch finished block. While these are cuter than the dickens this small, you also have to make a whole lot of them. Even with two blocks for the deal, positive and negative versions, that is more than I would want to make--boredom factor would probably set in. I don't know if you can spot the pairs of blocks from this view or not. Lois did say that you should have a high degree of contrast in the fabrics. She thought that a few choices were too close in color or pattern and the pinwheel didn't show up as well.



This is one that Linda C made from some leftover 9 patch blocks and strips around them Courthouse Steps style. I had cut that binding for another project long ago and didn't use it at the last minute so it came in handy for this one with all the floral fabrics. Stashbusting wherever you can, right?

As I work I think about what I would like to be doing next as a "reward" of sorts. Piecing is always my first love in the quilting process. Quilting is okay (and necessary) but a stack of it can be a burden. Since the last two in the pile are my own two challenge quilts, I know I will have binding to finish but that is NO reward, LOL. The next FABs whacky challenge from Pat and Cher would be fun. I kinda, sorta know what I want to do with it. That will need to be done but I have some time leeway yet. I really need to finish the quilting, hand and machine, on the RR crossing if DJ is going to be able to use that this winter but I need a break from machine quilting for a week or two, anyway.

But what I really would like to start on is the Nancy Halvorsen "Be Attitudes" quilt. I fell in love with the one that Julie K was working on. I have the book and some of her Williams Inn fabric line to get started on it. In fact, that was my birthday present from my husband-- he gives me money and I spend it on what I want which works out well for BOTH of us. HERE is the link to Julie's top. I can see where this could be an ongoing top, like the redwork Santa blocks I started. Lots of handwork with the button hole stitching. Well, that is all a distant dream if I don't get cracking on the matters at hand but if it keeps me motivated, then so be it.

Hope you are having a good day in whatever you chose to do. Thanks for stopping by. Till next time