I dreamed of a blue and gray bed quilt.
Squares in a square, and then it kind of developed into "split squares in a split square".
So much for the gray--the blues ran away with this quilt.
I dug into the 1/4 yard and 1/2 yard remnants. My goal is to reduce my scraps/remnants by making one scrappy queen size quilt each month. So far, 5 quilts finished. But really, the count is 6 queen size quilts since the beginning of the year I'd forgotten about--one I built for an artist friend Sue with kaleidoscope blocks, yo-yos and hand stitched beaded prairie points called "Folk Art Quilt" pictured below.
Because I added yo-yos to this quilt (while quilting it) I had to move the take-up rail upwards to make room for the extra yo-yos adding to its thickness. The rolled up quilt kept getting fatter and fatter as I quilted. I needed extra space under the take-up rail.
Moving/messing with the take-up rail caused me lots of problems on subsequent quilts. I moved the too tall take-up rail down for the next quilt. But this adjustment made the quilt frame out of square. I learned a good lesson, but it I was slow to process what was going on. Problems coming my way.
I couldn't get my head around why I was tugging and snugging at my next quilts during the long arm process. I checked quilt frame level and it was perfect. Here's the deal though. Listen closely, and pretend your shoulders are the take-up rail . . .
Now stand up straight as you can, hands at your side. Nice and straight shoulders you think? How about curling your left shoulder inward about 1/4". Go ahead, curl your shoulder slightly forward. Now, your shoulder is not square. I was driving my quilt slightly sideways down the road. All the tugging and snugging I did, trying to keep things in line while I quilted was puzzling to me, but I wasn't understanding why.
This is how you can screw up your machine timing, and the position of the stitch finger. Ask me how I know, and better yet ask me how much it cost to repair it. Ugh.
***
Jon squared my quilt frame for me on Sunday. He cut me a wood tool too, to check distance from the left, right, middle of the belly bar to the take-up rail. He scribed Sharpie lines at the left and right uprights on the belly bar and take-up rails . . . to give me an opportunity to check and double check before I start a project. It is another couple things to add to my start up checklist. But that's ok. Lesson Learned. Did I tell you my serger died last Monday? Oh my, what a week!
Ok--now let's get on to the photos of Night Shirt Quilts. It turned out fine, I got my long arm machine repaired. Wonderful work performed by Ken from Green Bay, the sewing machine whisperer. I re-loaded the quilt and finished hand stitching binding Saturday night. Done.
Squares in a square, and then it kind of developed into "split squares in a split square".
I dug into the 1/4 yard and 1/2 yard remnants. My goal is to reduce my scraps/remnants by making one scrappy queen size quilt each month. So far, 5 quilts finished. But really, the count is 6 queen size quilts since the beginning of the year I'd forgotten about--one I built for an artist friend Sue with kaleidoscope blocks, yo-yos and hand stitched beaded prairie points called "Folk Art Quilt" pictured below.
Because I added yo-yos to this quilt (while quilting it) I had to move the take-up rail upwards to make room for the extra yo-yos adding to its thickness. The rolled up quilt kept getting fatter and fatter as I quilted. I needed extra space under the take-up rail.
Moving/messing with the take-up rail caused me lots of problems on subsequent quilts. I moved the too tall take-up rail down for the next quilt. But this adjustment made the quilt frame out of square. I learned a good lesson, but it I was slow to process what was going on. Problems coming my way.
I couldn't get my head around why I was tugging and snugging at my next quilts during the long arm process. I checked quilt frame level and it was perfect. Here's the deal though. Listen closely, and pretend your shoulders are the take-up rail . . .
Now stand up straight as you can, hands at your side. Nice and straight shoulders you think? How about curling your left shoulder inward about 1/4". Go ahead, curl your shoulder slightly forward. Now, your shoulder is not square. I was driving my quilt slightly sideways down the road. All the tugging and snugging I did, trying to keep things in line while I quilted was puzzling to me, but I wasn't understanding why.
This is how you can screw up your machine timing, and the position of the stitch finger. Ask me how I know, and better yet ask me how much it cost to repair it. Ugh.
***
Jon squared my quilt frame for me on Sunday. He cut me a wood tool too, to check distance from the left, right, middle of the belly bar to the take-up rail. He scribed Sharpie lines at the left and right uprights on the belly bar and take-up rails . . . to give me an opportunity to check and double check before I start a project. It is another couple things to add to my start up checklist. But that's ok. Lesson Learned. Did I tell you my serger died last Monday? Oh my, what a week!
Ok--now let's get on to the photos of Night Shirt Quilts. It turned out fine, I got my long arm machine repaired. Wonderful work performed by Ken from Green Bay, the sewing machine whisperer. I re-loaded the quilt and finished hand stitching binding Saturday night. Done.
Feather Bouquet, free style edge to edge - free motion quilting
taking the beast off the frame
backing features art panel of left over blocks from the quilt top
Time to Rest!
I love the double border. Used up sub-assemblies from the smaller split squares, sewed them end to end to create border. Bye, bye, scraps.
I bid a fond farewell to a particular fabric. Navy with small turquoise paisley. You are gone now, used up in several scrappy quilts. I loved you, you little bugger. I will miss you.
Thanks for stopping by my blog.
