We had the mid season update, which the photos on the left were featured on. To summarise, (the post is here) and the things I DIDNT manage were as follows. Table runner for me, my own Bee quilt, quilt for bestie's baby, work out how to quilt "not so hidden stars", 5" charms top, and more hexies. Hmmm, read the post, it didnt sound as bad as that summary just did! Also, I pledged not to join in on any more swaps or QAL's and stuff til I got it all done...
Didnt do too well with that addition at all really. I started my own QAL...... I also took part in the For the Love of Solids Swap
And the Mouthy Stitches Zippy Pouch Swap
And am taking part in the name tag swap for Fat Quarterly Retreat.
However, list wise, I did get round to sorting out the quilting of the "not so hidden stars" top. Its just not entirely finished yet! I did Free Motion Quilting (my first time on a quilt) and some hand stitching in some of the stars.
One more star to hand stitch. Hmmm. Quilting looks a bit dubious really... but not entirely bad for a first time. Actually have the binding sewn on already, so when the hand quilting is done I just need to hand stitch binding to front and hey presto - one utterly manky, dusty, cat hair covered, been in use daily since I signed up for winter sitching quilt, finally ready to wash!
The quilt for bestie and her baby is progressing. Slowly. In a two steps forward five steps back sort of a manor. I was half way through quilting it when I noticed that the tension had gone and on the back the top stitches were massive big baggy loops. Bit annoyed, but then I started retracing it to find out when that had started. Wouldnt you know it, after about the first 2 inches of quilting... So, that has been completely unpicked. I'm wondering if its the thread. Its Gutterman Quilting thread, which I've used before with no problems, however its never done this before either...
So with those two "almost"s, no more hexies done, the 5" charms top closer to reverting to a bunch of 5" charms than progressing to a quilt, my own bee quilt still in scraps and pieces all over the spare room and the cupboard, one might think that there's been very little sewing done in the cupboard this winter at all really.... But I disagree. None of these were on that list!
So maybe not a list with everything neatly crossed off, but I've had fun, and I've done the best I could.
Now I dont know about you but my eyes are desperate to close and I've come close to snoring twice now so I'll stop for now...
Ooops, have to link up to Sarah at Fairy Face Designs!! Now that I've stayed awake an extra five minutes or so, you should too - so go check out how everyone else got on!
You are too funny! And Stars is looking fabulous. For someone who often claims to be doing nothing you seem to have made quite a lot of things.
ReplyDeleteFor someone who says she doesn't do much you've done an awful lot! I've had this loopy thread on the back thing before when I've done straight line quilting. I usually get one row that does this. I more often than not use Gutterman Quilting thread - but it also happened when I used some YLI thread too. Luckily I usually only get the one line that does this and with luck I have always managed to pull the loopy stitches out in one go and save that thread to stitch the binding down.
ReplyDeleteWell done on fmq. Looks brill from here! Continuous looping on the underside is sometimes caused by the machine or bobbin not being threaded correctly. If it's only ocassionally looping there could be debris in your bobbin chamber e.g. a broken needle tip etc. Not sure if any of that will be helpful, but in my experience it's not usually the thread that causes looping. Hope you get it sorted out. Jxo
ReplyDeleteThose bags are fantastic! Don't worry if they weren't on the list, they're great!
ReplyDeleteI think you are doing great. Your fmq is lovely and I really love that quilt. Very occasionally a spool of thread suffers a bad wind at the factory. It looks like yours might have, I have never seen a spool do that. I would try a new one and you can save that spool for bobbins, just be careful that the bobbins wind nicely too. In fact, if you don't want to get new thread, and can wind nice bobbins from that spool, you can use the bobbins on the top of your machine for the needle thread, just make sure that the thread releases nicely.
ReplyDeleteHi, I just read about the Stained QAL and although I am late to the party I am on my way to select some fun fabrics from my stash to try this out. Thanks so much for sharing such an interesting pattern. I am a happy new follower!
ReplyDeleteHee hee, I think it looks like a perfectly good list to me!
ReplyDeleteSarah, I think your pink Gutermann is hand quilting thread - not to be put in the machine. If it just says "quilting" on the reel it is for hand only - it has been pre-waxed.
ReplyDeleteIf it is suitable for machine it will say machine quilting. Unwind some and hold it up - if it looks kina kinky it will be hand stuff.
Other than that, reckon you've achieved heaps and your pics are looking rather smart.
Well at least you have done something to write about. I don't think I achieved anything on my list....And hold on...you ran your own QAL....does that not suck all of your sewing time?
ReplyDeleteYou`ve done amazingly Sarah when you consider your fabulous QAL and the work that went in to that!
ReplyDeleteyou have been busy!! And all of it looks amazing
ReplyDeleteYou always come up trumps! (Oh do you say 'trumps' for 'farts'? I don't, but if you do, that's not what I meant) xxx
ReplyDeleteOh you do make me smile missus! Judith is spot on with the loopy resolution, and as for Hadders .... I can;t wait to meet her for real! You've done a brilliant job over winter, now take that well deserved rest, and let Ellie cat watch over you whilst you snooze :)
ReplyDeleteI love the wallets!
ReplyDeleteIs that your design or a pattern? Can you point me where?
What great looking projects! Can;t wait to see the quilt finished off =D
ReplyDeleteYour projects all look great. I was going to say what Sheila said. That looks like hand quilting thread. Usually the gutterman hand quilting spools are more grey coloured, and the machine ones are more orangey. The thread feels more stiff than usual. I might be wrong though, I'm using my phone so was zooming in and squinting :)
ReplyDeleteoh sarah! i just love everything! you beat the crap out of my accomplishments and you were asleep for much more of the time than i was! xoxo p.s. i am totally in love with that girly flowery wallet... if it needs a home i would gladly offer mine! xx
ReplyDeleteWell done babes for going for the FMQ - looks wonderful! Re loopy stitching, the thread on that reel looks a bit loose? My machine has a hissy fit if either the bobbin or the reel are not wound tightly, or are getting too close to the end. But mine does give me a clue - it sounds like a bag of nails has been thrown in!
ReplyDeleteYou rocked it this winter! Come on and give yourself a huge amount of credit for starting (and running incredibly well) your very own QAL. AND you made some of my favorite makes in the past few months with your FTLOS and MS swap goodies. Sarah, you flew this winter!
ReplyDeleteBusy doing nothing but fabulous stuff - may not have been on the list but as long as you are stitching does it really matter!?
ReplyDeleteYou have done so much fabulous stuff! Your work is always so beautiful :)
ReplyDeleteI love the hand quilting and I'm sure it'll be fab once the manky has been washed away ;)
I'd try a new spool, I've not tried the quilting thread but I like the Sulky.
And of course the Stained QAL was pure genius and thank you!!
Some lovely work here - as for the thread this sometimes happens if you thread the machine with the foot down as then the thread can't get tensioned!
ReplyDeleteYou make such lovely things! (Even if they're not on the list!) I love the FMQ and hand quilting you did on Hidden Stars - it doesn't look at all dodgy! (I was going to ask if you're sure that thread's suitable for the machine but I see Sheila and Fiona have that covered!) Your QAL has been amazing - I'm surprised you've had time to do anything else!!
ReplyDeleteYou've done brilliantly babe! I love it all, but particularly the stuff that wasn't on the list...I like impulse makes :) x
ReplyDeleteWow...you've been so busy! I'm going to slink back to my wee "sadly lagging behind" corner!!!
ReplyDeletePS I read somewhere that when you thread your machine, keep your hand on the spool so that the tension is taught from the first stitch....seems to work for my machine, so hopefully it might do the trick....
I'm terrible for starting new projects when I really should be finishing the ones I've started! Looks like you've achieved loads though and the FMQ looks brilliant.
ReplyDelete