two works in progress

Last week was a busy quilting week. On Tuesday our Senior Quilters group was to meet at church and tie two quilts. Because it was Easter Vacation, the turnout was not what I expected. It turns out, it was just me for the first hour and a half. So; I took that time to work on my own project for layering and pin basting. By the time I finished, the other person arrived and we managed to get one quilt tied. I decided we would “try again” for Friday, and I had a bit better turnout, but darn if it didn’t start out much the same way….the cell phone started ringing, the text messages came in, and again, I was there for the first hour and a half with no help. Thank goodness for a nice wide roll of masking tape!! On Friday we did get two tied, so it was progress. Considering there are 14, we have a lot of work to do. I brought one of those quilts home to bind.
We had a little “make your own” binding lesson on Thursday at my house, and I loved to show the video by the Gourmet Quilter – http://gourmetquilterblog.wordpress.com/2013/04/04/how-to-bind-a-quilt-by-machine-quilting-tips-techniques-094/
and
http://gourmetquilterblog.wordpress.com/2013/04/03/how-to-measure-cut-and-make-a-binding-strip-quilting-tips-techniques-093/
Both videos are great tutorials for new quilters. Making your own binding is easy and economical, that is for sure.  By Saturday, I was  binding the quilt I had brought home (I pieced this one as well); with the purple binding I made.  Now, in the video’s the Gourmet Quilter does not press her binding or pin, but I do both, a little crazy, but it works for me. I only pin to the corner, then make my mitered turns the way she shows.

I was having such a good time sewing and watching quilt video’s Saturday.  I realized that Bonnie Hunter / Quiltville was going to have her QUILTCAM on at 2 pm, so I logged onto her blog – http://quiltville.blogspot.com/ and watched live.  She has so much energy and shares so much information while she sews.

If you look at the computer monitor behind my machine, she is on screen.  Now, this is a fun way to enjoy the company of another quilter.

I was so motivated I finished the binding on the senior quilt, and put my buddy Pete’s quilt in the machine (the one I layered on Tuesday); and started to machine quilt it.

I am cross hatching across the blocks; and I got about 1/4 of the way done.  I stopped when the power cord vibrated out of the side of the machine!

I’m sure that was a sign to take the whole quilt out of the machine, straighten it all up on the table and have a good look at what I had done, and what needed to be done next (LIKE DINNER)….

So, here is where I left  it for Sunday — no sewing today because we tied 2 more quilts at church, and I brought another one home to bind.

You can see the beginning of the quilting starting to leave it’s impressions. I set myself an alarm on my phone to get out to the garage and up to the sewing room and get busy by 10 am Monday.  I would really like to get this finished by the end of the week.  I figured I can work on this all day Monday (Yes, it is wash day…but I managed to get some wash finished this weekend, so it will be light loads all day!); then Tuesday morning make some binding and bind the one I brought home today. Wednesday is busy with family matters, and Thursday I have a class at Serendipity Quilt Shop. So, that leaves Friday to get this DONE!  I have my memorial quilt blocks on the design wall, waiting to be stitched , so the projects are adding up.

I do have to say, I really enjoyed the cross hatching on Pete’s quilt…..a lot of work with my little Brother machine and the 6″ throat, but I like the results….(hopefully the quilt police with the rulers and such won’t examine it….I think Pete will be pleased)