I started quilting the Checkers quilt yesterday. I'm doing a square-ish loop pattern with a bit of a retro 50's feel. I've been meaning to do something like this since I saw Meagan's quilt last year. More recently, my friend Stacey at Peppermint Pinwheels rocked a right-angle meander on her split-log cabin.
This is probably the densest quilting I've done, and boy does it use up a lot of thread. I've lost count of how many bobbins I've emptied, and I'm only about one-third done with the twin-sized blanket.
And now, back to the machine for more quilting on this foggy Saturday morning.
love the square quilting
ReplyDeleteDo you draw on the pattern first or does your machine do it automatically? I just can't imagine doing this as a free stitch. I'm not really a quilter. I'm just finishing up a first-time table runner as a practice for a quilt. The machine stitching at the end is the hardest part, by far. Any tips?
ReplyDeleteDeb
@One Day: It's a free stitch. For me, following drawn patterns is actually harder than doodling with the machine. There are some large solid sections of the quilt, so I've marked a grid with my hera marker to keep track of direction. But there are lots of places where my lines get a little wonky off grid. I just turn the corner and re-align, and it ends up making the pattern look richer, IMO. And my little machine is 40 years old, so no "automatic" here!
ReplyDeleteI'll grant that it is physically exhausting.
Are you free motion quilting? It helps to have a good darning foot and gloves to help grip the fabric (inexpensive knit gardening gloves with rubber finger tips are good).
Lookin' good so far! I haven't tackled free motion on my home machine yet.
ReplyDeleteLove the retro-squarish quilting! And love that it's not too grid-rigid: makes it more organic, which is a nice mix with the retro nod.
ReplyDeleteI don't mind winding a zillion bobbins as much as I mind the constant de-linting of the bobbin area. What brand of thread are you using?
Tried the gloves and can't stand them, my hands get hot. When I build my dream house (money gods, are you listening?) I will have A/C in the sewing room.
I've tried that FMQ stitch and yours looks absolutely amazing and really cool - when I do it it looks crap. Don't know why. My brain just cannot jerk my hands around properly to do that one, which annoys me because yours looks so good.
ReplyDeleteAs I FMQ all my quilts on my domestic machine, I have a profound respect for anyone else who does. Dan, your creative talents here truly shine through gloriously - that design is stupendous - WOW ! Take care of your shoulders as this has to be hard on them with all the yanking and swiveling of fabric
ReplyDeleteYou are an inspiration
I feel honored! I got a new vintage machine this summer that I'm hoping will help me do FMQ more easily, with less skipped stitches and broken needles. Now if I could get someone to baste my quilts for me I'd be all set! The tops are piling up :)
ReplyDeleteFrom now on, when deciding on a quilting pattern, I'm going to think to myself, "What's going to make this quilt rock?"
ReplyDeleteAha - now I know why you looked to so focused when I saw you last week - you did not want to lose your rhythm! Looks fabulous...
ReplyDeleteWow - pinning this to my pinterest board for future reference! Love it!
ReplyDeleteI'm trying this next. I've been thinking about it too long. I'm also loving the paper pieced star. Good stuff lady!
ReplyDeletehee hee. I mean dude!
ReplyDelete@Katie: Ha! Maybe I've been referred to that way by my campiest friends (maybe!). I considered several responses, but decided to let it be.
ReplyDeleteAnd thank you!