Progress on this quilt is slower than it should be. I need to devote more time to it every day so I can see steady progress.
I intended to quilt diagonals across all of the quilt, including through the sashing and cornerstones. It worked well when I went from corner to corner on the 9-patch blocks and through the cornerstones, but the pattern was broken when the diagonals moved down the block and across the sashing in only one direction. Reconsidering, I decided to continue with the diagonals in the 9-patches and cornerstones and quilt straight lines in the sashing.
I quilted many of the 9-patch blocks and am going back to quilt the sashing. It seems very puffy though I haven't found that there's excess fabric top or bottom when I quilt it. Just puffy. I usually quilt from the center out (except for Baptist Fans) but the way I'm doing it now leaves those sashing blocks for a little later. I'm sure it will all come out in the wash, so to speak.
I'm using masking tape as a stitching guide. I noticed that the tape kept shifting as I stitched so I began pinning it in place. It seems to work well enough. I'm grateful I don't have to mark this quilt.
If you're wondering what this quilt looks like, here it is.
When my daughter cut a watermelon in half last week we were surprised to see a star across the center. Nature gives us such delightful surprises.
In the room where I sew I have a wooden shelf, painted off-white, with small compartments where I keep odds and ends--old lace in a glass jar, spools of green thread in an old, cup with green decorations, vintage square glass kitchen containers, beautiful and interesting seed pods.... Useful is not always beautiful and because the shelf is also useful, not every cubby has something beautiful in it. But I thought this view was beautiful. Behind one glass container I've stacked some wooden spools of cotton threads in one of my favorite color ranges.
I'm linking this post to Slow Sunday Stitching at Kathy's Quilts. Thanks for hosting, Kathy.
I hope you have a good Sabbath.
--Nancy.
.
Gosh that The Blue and The Gray is one beautiful quilt!
ReplyDeleteI had to stop hand quilting as I have raised a big blister on my thimble finger and a cut from needling--ouch!! So put that on the back burner (sniff!! missing it already!!)
Hugs from the sauna that is SE CT today Julierose
Thanks so much, Julierose.
DeleteThat's too bad about your blister and the cut. It might not help in this situation but when I first begin to get a blister or a tiny cut I often use liquid bandage, aka Nu Skin. It hurts like heck when I put it on but it helps heal and lets me continue quilting. I like the store brands best.
Sometimes slow progress is all that we can manage. Enjoy the process and try not to be discouraged. As you well know, every stitch you take is one stitch closer to a completed quilt and what a beautiful quilt it is going to be! :o))
ReplyDeleteThank you, Joyful. In this case, my progress is so slow because I'm taking it too easy and just not quilting every day. And I definitely have time to quilt every day! But yes, you're right, every stitch is one stitch closer to a finish!
DeleteYour quilting stitches look fantastic! It's going to be a wonderful finish. Love your pretty threads in the cubby!
ReplyDeleteThank you for your kind words about my quilting stitches, Karen. I'm getting better at even but I think small is beyond me unless I keep practicing for the next 25 years. ;-)
DeleteI really like the double line quilting through the nine-patches. I looks great. You'll be done in no time with all those nine-patches done
ReplyDeleteI've had to pin my masking tape at times too. . . the things we do~
The watermelon looks so juicy and delicious. It kind of matches some of the thread in your little cubby.
Thank you, Robin. I thought the double lines on the diagonal would lined up across the whole quilt but they didn't. I'll explain why with photos in a later post. And I wish I had all the 9-patches done but I think there are still a few around the edges to do. I'll get this finished one of these months.
DeleteYes, the watermelon is just a few shades darker than the threads but still in the same range.
I love those Beautiful colors as well. They remind me of pink lemonade.
ReplyDeleteI hadn't thought of pink lemonade but yes, I agree, they do remind me of that now that you mention it. I always think of them as melon colors.
Delete