Quilting and needles

Today I finally decided to start quilting the stitchery quilt.

I have spent more than half the day quilting and now it feels like that is enough for today! When I decide on quilting, I can sit the entire day, but of course with many (coffee) breaks in between. :) Now I have yet to decide on how to - if? - quilt the stitchery blocks... 

 

 

I started out with SCHMETZ Quilting needle 90/14, but by experience I knew it wouldn't work as it should. I'm using Superior Threads King Tut #40/3 and Masterpiece 50/3 for the bobbin. Superior Threads recommends needle 90/14, but it seems to me the needle is too thick? For this quilt I'm using Quilter's Dream batting and flannel backing.

Every time I have used needle #90/14, it skips some stitches - and (of course) that happened today too...

Do you see the long stitch? That is what happens... :( This was the 3rd or 4th time I had to unpick - far from happy about that! :(

I changed the needle to GROZ-BECKERT #75/11, which does not cause any skipped stitches at all!

Why does it happen only with the #90/14 needles? Are they really too thick for the three layers? Anyone knows?  

 

 

Can't wait to get this quilt done! I said in an earlier blog post I should not be tempted to start any new projects this year, but then I had to buy some very cute whimsical Christmas panel and fabrics... :) Want to make 4 place mats and one wall quilt out of the panel.... :)

 

Click here, and it takes you to one of the places we went together with my friend J.

 



Birthday Quilt Revealed

10 wonderful days have passed by - my very best childhood friend Johnny stayed with us - and it is time to reveal the quilt I made for his 50th birthday (later this year).

When I started working on the quilt earlier this year, the plan was to make blocks representing our happy childhood. After making two blocks only, the idea to do a NYB block for the center piece popped up...   

 

 

 

It took time to decide how to proceed, but I ended up with 'flying geese' blocks.

I had some yards of black solid and decided to frame each block. I wanted to add a black solid border before the binding, but I didn't have enough fabric and only a few days to finish it, so it ended up with the black binding only.

I have free-motion quilted each block making loops, except the NYB center piece and the flying geese, which is stitched-in-the-ditch.

All fabrics are from my stash, except the four blocks with the boy and the girl... When I first saw it, I knew I HAD to purchase it for this quilt!

 

 

Elks, carrying home a spruce for Christmas, just being friends, chocolates, trees and of course; Sunbonnet Sue... :)

 

 

...just being friends, boat, cats, sweets, snowmen, ducks...

 

 

... the red cup, more ducks, gone skiing, more cups...

 

 

...elks, house, friends, card trick, trees, Overall Sam...

 

 

...and here he is - the BD-baby! :)

 

 

Johnny left for Norway last night. I'm missing him tremendous already - but that's life!

Today I'll have to do some housework and later on start quilting the 'stitchery quilt'. I managed putting it together and finished thread basting it just a couple of days after Johnny arrived. Had to tidy up the dining table, you know - lol!  This - and a few other projects will keep me busy the next four weeks, before another dear friend lands here! :)