The work goes on. Because I am a beginner quilter I am journaling my progress through the maze of steps it takes to create a quilt. (Maybe a grandchild will benefit from my doing this some day...mine, yours? Who knows?)
These two are my largest to date (of three!) not counting the two little nap time mat/quilts that hardly count because they were just large sheets of fabric with borders, not really pieced with lots of pieces! Unlike these monstrosities!
The top photo shows the pinning of the "sandwich": the pieced top, middle batting (brand: warm and natural cotton) and the backing fabric (which I'll show later).
The middle photo is obviously the "quilting"on my machine. I am using a special foot on my machine made especially for "stitching in the ditch" or in the seams for those who do not yet speak "quilt talk". This foot helps although I am still far from perfect. Some stitches are really well hidden and some show. (They are not supposed to show). I am using a variegated thread that has burgundy, blues and greens. So if it shows on the lighter pink, well it SHOWS! Oh, you can see a bit of the backing on this shot too in the far right side.
The third photo shows some of the parts that are quilted. The pinned square is not yet done but all the squares without pins are done. Of course I still have to pull threads to the back and tie them off. I think my teacher would have me hand needle thread them into the fabric to hide them, but I like to tie and cut. (I have always been some what of a rebel when it comes to instruction from teachers. Probably to my detriment.)
I got up early so I could sew for at least an hour this morning before I have to go to work. Tomorrow will be a big sewing day as I do not work on Fridays! This is really fun, but I am really also tired of these quilts and want them done. I'm more excited about getting the fabric for the appliqued Rose Quilt I will learn to make in a class in another two weeks from now. But, patience Lynn, one thing at a time!
Some people send their quilts out to be quilted. And some do them by hand themselves. I prefer to do it myself, but using the machine.
I might also add that my sewing machine sits on top of MY GRANDMOTHER'S card table. A lovely thing in itself (light wood, with lime green top). My grandparents played cards on this table. I have the chairs that go with it too with their carved wood backs in a leaf pattern. And my grandmother was a seamstress in her own right, who made many of her own dresses and suits and coats. My cousins tell me she also made them doll clothes and matching dresses for them. She knit clothes for my doll. I used to love to sit in her sewing room on the floor and play with her boxes of buttons and threads as a child.
