Wednesday, February 4, 2015

The Gardens Of A King is 100% Done!

The quilting on this quilt really had me stumped! I've been pondering how to quilt it for quite a while. You remember back in October I had quilted the center and wasn't happy with the thick batting, so before I added the borders, I unquilted it! That was lots of work, but needed to be done.

 

To an advanced quilter, this quilt has great "negative space" to fill, but to a beginner custom quilter, I just couldn't see anything but simple shapes. In the coming months I will be teaching a BOM on this quilt and plan to make another. Maybe by the time I quilt it, I will be an improved negative space quilter!

You can see the quilting's not perfect, but I am happy with it and will improve on the next quilt I get quilted.

See that striped fabric under the outer sharks tooth border? That is a scrap of fabric used to help me while quilting. My foot tends to catch on lofty battings so I lay strips of scrap fabric just under the edge of the quilt edge and baste them in place as I baste the edges of the quilt before quilting the center. After the quilting is finished, I cut off this strip of fabric as I trim the outer edge. Any leftovers that have been sewn in stay there and become part of the batting inside the binding. I do my best to keep this extra fabric 1/4" inside the edge so it does not extend into the body of the quilt and show through light fabric.

When folks see my quilting machine, they often ask what kind I have. This is a Bailey Home Quilter 17" mid arm. It's mounted on a Hinterburg frame...nothing fancy at all, but efficient for what I need and it makes a beautiful stitch.
Last night was my trunk show for the Garland, TX guild. These ladies have such an active group!! One activity I was impressed with is that those interested can participate in a BOM exchange. Each month they get block instructions for the blocks that will be brought the following month. When they bring the finished block their name goes in the hat for a drawing to win the blocks. They had enough blocks for 3 drawings of 17 blocks each last night! How wonderful is that!!! They had several other programs and this guild has lots of participation in their activities!! They laughed and chatted and had good food. Wish I lived closer and could visit and stitch with them more often!!
Today I'm teaching the Wild Zebra cutaway appliqué technique to create a difficult looking quilt with ease. The class is at Sew Let's Quilt It in Dallas.
Tomorrow Punchneedle Mini Quilt and Friday Wool Appliqué at Happiness is Quilting in McKinney.
If you are nearby and want to join in, call the stores listed above and join in the fun!
Saturday is the English Paper Piecing workshop where I will teach all sorts of English Paper Piecing tips and techniques, including my favorite way to baste for English Paper Piecing using starch.
Thanks to the Garland Guild for inviting me to join you this week!
Take care,
Missie
 

 

 

 

 

9 comments:

  1. The quilt is gorgeous and i love the quilting on it, beautiful combinations.

    Debbie

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  2. A beautiful finish and I think the quilting is just fine.

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  3. Beautiful quilt and great quilting. I do not like the really heavy quilting, I think it takes away from the piecing of the quilt.

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  4. Your quilt looks amazing, Missie! You did a good job of quilting.
    I have many an unquilted top because I don't know what to do for the quilting. : )
    Sounds like you are running every minute. Good luck on all your classes.

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  5. Beautiful quilt with gorgeous quilting!! Well done!

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  6. Beautiful quilt with gorgeous quilting!! Well done!

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  7. Wonderful quilt and so tempting to be started.
    Greetings,
    Sylvia

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  8. I really like the quilting you have done. It's lovely and not too much. I hope you will realize that you are better than you give yourself credit for!

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  9. Beautiful quilt Missy! Congratulations on such a grand finish!!

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