I have been less than diligent about working with my wonderful Sweet 16 machine… I started Tommie Lee Turkey in November nad quickly abandoned the project due to Santa making and indecision about what to quilt where. And so the machine sat. The other day I was re-organizing a studio closet and came across my quilt-tops-to-be-quilted pile. I’m not sure if I ever wrote about finishing up the Orphan Blocks Mash-Up quilt. I decided that this was the quilt I needed to practise on and quickly got it layered and pinned.
Years ago I was teaching a friend to hand quilt. She was really frustrated with her stitches. I said it took lots of practise and the choice she had was to find some patterned fabric and practise quilting on that until she was happy with her work or to continue quilting her beginning sampler quilt. She chose to work on her project. I have been working on bits of fabric for practise but I finally decided the other day that I needed to take my own advice. I like the mash-up quilt, but I don’t feel precious about it, so it’s perfect for my needs; it has lots of areas for free motion and lots of places for ruler work (straight lines). I am quilting with white thread and so it’s virtually invisible on much of the top, so I don’t find myself constantly saying “that looks crappy, that’s okay…” I also know that when I wash the quilt, it will look even better as the stitches will sink into the quilt. So I am working a little each day and feeling better.
The Halloween Hexie quilt made the trip to AQS Phoenix and I’ve continued working on it at night. It’s so fun to put together.
And I have to share this hilarious picture of Gizmo with you. A week or so ago we had the cats’ teeth cleaned and this vet shaved both ankles for the I.V. drip. With Gizmo’s long hair, we think he looks like a poodle ready for the Westminster Dog Show. We laugh every time we see him, poor guy!
I know who you are talking about when you mentioned the hand quilting! When I look at that first quilt I did, and examine my first hand quilting stitches, I’m pretty proud of them! It seems like every time I start a new hand quilting project, my first stitches are never as good as the ones I do later on in the quilt. Practice makes perfect!
;-D. Good to hear from you Louann! I’ve been thinking a lot of you as I struggle with machine quilting… I’m actually going to hand quilt a few areas as I know I can’t make the machine do what I want. I’m sure your hand quilting is amazing these days!
Gizmo looks like he’s wearing Uggs!
How funny and you’re right!!!
I learned to hand quilt on an actual project, too, and can see my progress as the stitching moves from the center (where I started) out toward the edges. I came a long way in the course of one quilt and it’s kind of fun to be able to see that so clearly! Poor Gizmo! Hard to maintain your cat-like dignity with poodle paws!
I think it’s the only way to do it. I’ve been doing samples but at some point you need to do the real thing. Isn’t Gizmo so funny? I am going to be sorry when the fur grows back.
I love stitching and all the practice. The Halloween Hexie is really awesome! T
Thank you! I have made so many hexie quilts that I started doing themes. I completed Christmas a few years ago and am enjoying Halloween.
Hello Debbie, just want to give you a head’s up that I linked to your AQS post on the Japanese quilts: https://chasingbrightshinyobjects.wordpress.com/2016/03/08/quilt-envy-at-aqs-phoenix-stellar-japanese-quilts-on-display/. Loved your thoughts and photos!
Thanks so much! I will check you out as well. Weren’t those quilts just incredible? I really enjoyed the show…
Deb, two tips – ask me how I know! -to assist you with your Sweet 16….
Clever Craft Tools’ Grip & Stitch for the long stretches of quilting (edge to edge) and
Martelli’s Gripper Rings for the detail quilting.
Lucy, my Sweet 16, needs to be used again and it’s like beginning anew since the quilting isn’t my forte. But Lucy does make this part easier.
My recommendation is to test-drive these tools (find a friend who has them) to see if they’re beneficial to you.
Thanks so much!!! I will definitely check out your suggested tools. I was looking at someone’s post about tools the other day, but they use a longarm and it’s hard to know if they are appropriate for a midarm sitdown. I know no quilters here…..
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