One More Done

Simple (relatively) straight line quilting with Mikee for the back. Very soft and supple. I just put the binding on...did it by machine. Sewed it to the back, then brought it to the front and used a zig-zag stitch on the front to finish it. I can't remember which of the blogs I read mentioned using a zig-zag to keep the binding softer, but I decided if any quilt should have it, this one should.

This was a commission, so it's off very soon.

Next...more quilting (I think). I still have two more tops pinned and ready to quilt (well one is already partly quilted). When I finish those I'll make some more tops. Have two more great-nieces or nephews on the way.

Quilting is done

Well, the top is quilted. I just need to buy some fabric for the binding. I don't have enough of the dark brown, and though I do have different greens, I think I want the binding to just disappear into the quilt and not be a statement.

I didn't have any trouble at all with the Minkee, but I did a couple of things that probably made it simpler. I had read some else's blog. She said that she quilted making sure that she didn't cross lines anywhere. I also noted the non-stretch direction and only quilted that direction. I quilted about every two inches and it came out flat and didn't stretch at all. I also made sure I sewed only one direction. In my case from the light end to the dark end all the way across the quilt. It was getting kind of bulky under the harp of the sewing machine, so I decided to try sewing from the other direction. The Minkee shifted some and though the ripples weren't horrible, I decided to take that line of stitching out and continue in just one direction.

I would use it again, but with the same constraints. I pinned about every 4 inches, and made sure that I had smoothed the two fabrics (I didn't use a batting, just the quilt top and the Minkee) only along the non-stretch direction--the length of the fabric as it came off the bolt.

Zip It is Done

The top is done, and ready to be quilted. I will surely have it done by February. I'm going to bring the top and backing to California with me so my niece can look it over and see if it is OK for the gift she wants.

I was going to try to finish the quilting on another top, but don't know if I'll be able to get it done before tomorrow morning. We're leaving at 3AM--so to bed early.

I don't know if I'll be posting much, so, Merry Christmas! Hope you have a wonderful one.