The rows were together. I auditioned borders.
Unpieced, as in the EQ draft?
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With a set square?
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With a set square and triangle to carry the design?
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With a strip of white? This made the quilt too big
Once I decided on the border, I went shopping for more purple and began piecing the borders.
October 28
With all 42 blocks done I was pretty stoked about how far I was. I *just* had the borders to do. That felt pretty good.
Pieces for one border
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Click to enlarge
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October 28
With all 42 blocks done I was pretty stoked about how far I was. I *just* had the borders to do. That felt pretty good.
Pieces for one border
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But then I ran into problems. My computerized sewing machine couldn't... that is wouldn't sew across the seam where the Flying Geese unit was. It always *jogged* right around the 'x'.
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Click to enlarge
It was maddening. I'd pin before and after each unit, slow down at the critical moment, even tried turning the hand wheel one stitch at a time and *still* it wouldn't sew straight across the 'x'.
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So I picked them all out...
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... and switched to Adella, my Featherweight. She hummed right over those 'x's' without a hiccup. And I could go full speed so I made up for lost time. It occurred to me that the blocks had flown together, so I was due to run into a snag.
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Sometimes the mechanical really is better than the computerized.
While I was piecing borders I started sewing red and cream Bowtie blocks as leader-enders. I'd been immersed in purple and green for several months and they added interest to piecing the border.
While I was piecing borders I started sewing red and cream Bowtie blocks as leader-enders. I'd been immersed in purple and green for several months and they added interest to piecing the border.
November 1
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Attaching the last border
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Attaching the last border
So here I am sewing yards and yards of border on this mammoth quilt on my Featherweight, she sewed it like a dream. Thanks GF!
November 5
The top was done and I arranged to have Marian quilt it. We talked about the designs I had in mind and the way I wanted to feature the two-block, all-over pattern so that the elements flowed across the quilt. I was so excited she was willing to work with me on how to quilt it. I usually quilt my own work and was hesitant to give up this part of the process, because quilting makes the quilt. For Marian, she was excited I had ideas and suggestions so when she quilted my quilt I would be happy with it, it wouldn't be a shot in the dark.
She suggested I test the designs I had in mind by laying vinyl over the top, then drawing with wipe-off markers. That was a blast, if I didn't like it, I just wiped it off!
To be continued...
The top was done and I arranged to have Marian quilt it. We talked about the designs I had in mind and the way I wanted to feature the two-block, all-over pattern so that the elements flowed across the quilt. I was so excited she was willing to work with me on how to quilt it. I usually quilt my own work and was hesitant to give up this part of the process, because quilting makes the quilt. For Marian, she was excited I had ideas and suggestions so when she quilted my quilt I would be happy with it, it wouldn't be a shot in the dark.
She suggested I test the designs I had in mind by laying vinyl over the top, then drawing with wipe-off markers. That was a blast, if I didn't like it, I just wiped it off!
To be continued...
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