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Please don't remind me that I'm poor; I'm having too much fun pretending I'm simply "living green" like everyone else these days.


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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Planning the month

The next quilt is stabilized.  As you can see, it barely fit onto the machine.  This is the end of the leader.  It's an on point setting quilt with lots of large open areas for quilting.  I'll show each area as I start working on the quilting part. 



It doesn't matter how very careful I am with stabilizing a quilt..... on point settings always give me trouble.  Every one, no matter how careful the maker is about measuring, there is the problem of friendly borders.  Just the very slightest stretch as the maker sews the border on and I see this when it gets here to me.  The stretch during sewing is ever so slight and never noticed by the maker.  Almost always near the center of the quilt is the place where the most stretch happens. 



One way to minimize the stretch of on point settings is to sew straight line stitching around the edge of every block and every setting triangle before sewing the top together.  Be extra careful not to hold the fabric in your hand while sewing the stabilizing line as you can stretch it without even knowing it.  Use a stiletto.  Sewing a stabilizing stitch line around the edges keeps the bias cut fabric from stretching as the top is sewn together.   Measure every block and setting triangle for accuracy before sewing the top together.  Hmm.... sounds like this would be a good topic for the helpful hints blog because there is a shortcut technique.  I use the shortcut technique when I make my on point quilt tops.  Maybe I'll have time to do a tutorial during the holiday break. 

Well, anyway, here is the design I've chosen for the border.  It's a very wide border.  I'm marking a chalk line three inches from the outside edge and 2 1/2 inch from the inside seam for the two feathers.  I'll keep the freehand feathers within those lines as I stitch them.  After the feathers are completed, I'll go back and do the lines between the feathers.   



I have 4 very large quilts to do this month.  From experience I can estimate each quilt will take at least a week to finish on a regular 8 hour schedule.  Hmm.... that means the rest of this month is full.  In years past I would be switching to 16 or 18 hour days this time of year to get these four quilts finished because I had so many waiting.  I'm glad my life is moving at a slower pace.

2 comments:

kathi said...

I also DETEST any "on point' quilt that arrives. I FLATLY REFUSE to make one myself. so. i look at them and think. MORE POWER TO YA HONEY. the last quilt "on the rack waiting" is a "lone star". center. fairly well done. BUT those setting squares and triangles. oh MY GOODNESS. And i look at it and say. MORE POWER TO YA honey, because i would NEVER EVEN ATTEMPT it. next week for THAT one. giggle.

Gudrun said...

Thanks for the information about the fullness/bias and handling tips. Much appreciated.
Gudrun