Thursday 8 December 2011

I Can See the Light!

The light at the end of the tunnel that is, and this time it is not an express train headed straight for me trying to wipe out all my sewing mojo. The Etchings quilt is nearing the end. And boy am I happy about that! It is sad when a quilt top you loved making doesn't come together the way you want it to in the quilting. But in this case that is exactly what happened. I wish I was a better, more experienced quilter so that I could have done this more justice but it is what it is. And what it is is a very lightly quilted quilt.


You don't get much a sense of the quilting because of the stitching in the ditch. I have realised I stitch in the ditch like a drunk walking home from the pub on a Friday night. I do not always take the most direct route! Unfortunately. If you flip the quilt over you get more of an idea of the grid I followed for the quilting.



I didn't stitch in as many of the wrinkles as I feared I might, but there are a couple of these mishaps.



I am sticking my head in a hole in the ground and pretending it didn't happen. Is this an atrocious attitude? Normally I would have the stitch ripper in my grip and be determinedly removing all those lines of stitching but I just can't be arsed don't have the time for that as this should have been in the post over a week ago. I quickly flipped the quilt over so I didn't have to look at these mistakes any longer than necessary. And then I made a binding using six of the leftover jelly roll strips.



And stitched it on.



Now I am hand stitching like a mad woman, and have completed one side of the binding. Three more to go. There is a chance that this could be in the post later on tomorrow. And then I can concentrate on this. Only two more blocks and the edging to do before I put some binding on this one as well. This will be the longest I have ever worked on ignored a quilt since I started sewing. It has been going on for years but finally there is hope!



I hope everyone who is the northern regions of the UK is safe from the horrible weather that is hitting them. Stay warm, dry and cosy inside if you can. I miss a log fire when a snow storm is raging outside. I don't miss the snow, the shovelling, the slush or the cold. But that lovely safe and snug feeling when all the weather does it worst outside and you don't have to go out into it gives me a wonderful sense of contentment.

Susan

28 comments:

  1. Susan, you're brave to do your own quilting. I love your quilt.

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  2. I think your quilt is lovely! You're certainly achieving more creatively than I am at the moment!

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  3. Your Etchings quilt looks just lovely Susan. We are our own worst critics and you shouldn't be too hard on yourself. Time will heal the pain of this quilt for you. My "in the ditch" quilting quite often goes for a "wander across the field"! I like the in the ditch foot on my Janome but I prefer the walking foot and can't have both at once so often I go for slightly wonky but more evenly layered quilting. Whoever gets this quilt will be very blessed by your hard work, I'm sure.

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  4. I didn't see any wrinkles...but I do think you have a lovely hole in the ground. Looks very much like mine. hehehe Seriously, it is a lovely quilt and I think once it is washed it will be crinkly it won't even be noticed. You didn't prewash your fabrics did you?

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  5. You go for it girl. Perfection is so over-rated

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  6. I really want to see the whole thing as I think it`s going to look super! I`ve lost all my mojos - help me find at least one of them please!

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  7. Girl...you are way too hard on yourself....the quilt looks great!!
    And coming from a hand quilter; I find it way easier to set a large quilt up in the frames and hand quilt it, than it would be to get all that fabric quilted on a sewing machine....you did a wonderful job....and they say; practiace makes perfect..so keep at it. I am going to take the FMQ challenge..and give it a try. I so want to learn this without the tension that I feel now..I have only dabbled..but I am going to really try..take care

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  8. It looks great and I can definitely tell it's been quilted - the blocks have more definition around the edges...I'm sure they're going to love it, the red backing is fabulous! Can't wait for the 'ta da' post!

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  9. Ignore the mistakes! I think it looks great and sometimes lightly quilted is better! I'm planning on staying in and being very cosy this evening - outside is horrible!!

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  10. Just keep stitching, Just keep stitching, Just keep stitching ;o)

    You'll get it done! And if it is late getting to its destination....blame the weather!

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  11. aww you sound like you've calmed down a bit lol
    Your quilts looking great, and no one in their right mind will notice a teeny wee pucker or two on the back... Who ever sees the back anyway?!!

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  12. Well done on getting it done! It will be loved, that's the point of it all x

    Well Sarah's still commenting, so she hasn't blown away, thank goodness!

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  13. Good for you for ploughing on! I thin 'backs' are overrated! As Sarah says-Who really looks at the back?
    And I'm loving the hand stitching of the project you have had 'maturing' like a fine wine!

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  14. I think you made the right choice in the end, the stitch in the ditch looks great, and doesnt distract from the top at all. Thats exactly how I quilted mine of the same pattern... Although it was only my second quilt and I didnt really know much different lol!

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  15. Your quilt is lovely Susan - don't forget you are making something handmade, with love (hopefully!!)and what's a wee wrinkle between friends?

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  16. it looks fabulous and noone else will see any imperfections, its only you cos you made it, so don't worry!

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  17. I know the relief when a project is finished. I hope to feel that real soon as I am basting a quilt for my son this weekend.

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  18. forgot to say I like the grid pattern very much!

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  19. Quilt is stunning Suz! Who cares about a few wrinkles, there'll be even more when it's washed! Howling a gale here - it's going to be a noisy night! Jxo

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  20. It's all your fault that I finally made it into work today, and then got caught out in a meeting thinking about this quilt and how I might like to create something similar with an accidentally acquired jelly roll of Etchings. Thankfully they just thought it was because I was ill... Anyway, we emerged from the meeting after 2 hours to discover that everyone had been sent home and no-one stopped by the meeting room to tell us... I just stayed put, as I only live a mile and a half from work, and I had a hairdresser's appointment this afternoon and couldn't be arsed to walk home and back. By the time I left the hairdressers, every other sensible bugger had cleared out of the city centre and I got on a bus nae bother lol

    Anywho, your Etchings quilt is obviously fab if I'm daydreaming about it (as opposed to IBM adapters) and the quilting looks just fine (doubt the recipient's about to dig out a set square for it any time soon!)

    Looking forward to seeing what that other thing is...

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  21. High impact enough from your delicious placement of the fabrics Susan! Light quilting is the right decision here! Well done!

    Next! It is looking gorgeous and will look even better when it is finished too! Yeah!

    I have been making last minute pressies for 5 guide leaders! Must finish tomorrow! Eek!

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  22. love the etchings quilt - it looks fantastic quilted just as is

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  23. The quilt looks beautiful, you are being too hard on yourself. I agree with everyone else don't worry about it, after it's washed and all lovely and crinkly you won't notice a teeny wrinkle on the back, which, by the way, is on the back not on the front, so no big deal.
    When I stitch in the ditch it looks like I've had a bottle or two of wine and a couple of G and T's to top up, so I've given up stitching in the ditch.

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  24. Sometimes we crafters have the idea that everything we make must be perfect and we forget that everything we make we learn from. Each thing we make is really a practice for the NEXT thing we make.

    I think it is lovely and you won't see that teeny tiny wrinkle when it's being used and loved.

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  25. Your quilt is lovely! I like that the quilting is barely visible on the front as it lets your fabrics and pattern take the stage.

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  26. I think you're being too hard on yourself. The quilt is lovely and perfect is for stuff that's mass produced. (In China by people getting paid 12 cents an hour ) Your quilt was made with love and that's all that matters.

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