Thoughts On Micro-Stippling

I'm micro stippling this quilt because the fabric begs for it, really, it does, and that is the only reason.  Pictures will follow next time, sorry.  I'm "micro-ing" the inner square of the Irish chain like quilt and leaving the house, which I fussy cut to be in the center of the square, free, to sort of puff out.  I may or may not trapunto.

The result is really more pleasing than I thought I could produce.  I seem to be keeping a very even look.  I'm managing to get about 1 1/5 diamonds done in a day and that is a rather large area of a freakin' huge quilt.  It does however make the quilt real flat, and the thread is a quilting thread weight, so that is part of it, but I did that because it is intended to receive actual use as a bed quilt. 

I'm sure this will remedy somewhat with the gorgeous texture I know it will have after I wash it.  And yes, this quilt needs to be washed after about 6-8 years sitting waiting for me to muster the courage to do it justice.  I am glad I waited now, because I have a lot more skill at machine quilting then I would have even just a year ago.  Partly due to watching You-tube, partly from just getting some more quilts through.  So I am just really proud of myself to be finishing it at last.

Micro-stippling is great for getting the frustration out that builds up when you care for two very young kids.  You can kinda just get mad at the empty space on the quilt and declare it will be destroyed with your meanders.  It harms nobody, and pleases the thread companies, and at the end of the game one may actually finished the UFO that has haunted them on the shelf for years.  Plus, it is something that actually shows, and it stays, read does not need to be re-wiped or moped again in a hour.

Micro-Stippling also is not great for people that like to finish all at once.  It is best done in small, do-able chunks, so as not to leave your shoulders and thumbs/forefingers about to fall off.  I'll admit to a couple mornings being super sore from it, ah, wait or was that lifting my 30lb. 1 year old?  Yes, 1, no longer a baby.  Awww.

I finally filled a bunch of bobbins up.  I'm using blendable variegated thread, but two different brands and two different color ways on top and bottom.  I have been changing my needle extremely frequently and using micro-tex sharps. 

I am also attacking, (since I'm on the subject) my bags of scraps in vacuum bags in the garage.  Every morning when I start the wash, I grab a few handfuls and bring them in to get ironed and cut out in strips, squares, or templates as appropriate.  This should create quite the scrap quilt.  And satisfaction that what previously took up a whole lotta room, will have been gone through.  Plus, I will have a quilt all cut and be ready to just sit down and piece it.  Yes, sometime in the future when I have some time to sit down and piece.  I guess one steals those moments while the dishes wait, and the kids watch Mighty Machines.  Sometimes I too, feel like I'm working hard doing mighty things, with my might machine.

Binding

This is how I did my binding last time.  Yup, rolled around a Dixie cup and the little scrap triangles stuffed inside the cup.  Nice, neat, and because the cup is waxed it removes really neat if you want.

I went on a binge ordering bobbins because I reached the point where I was unwinding bobbins by hand just to use them again because I was out.  So lets just say I am stocked up for awhile.  I like to wind a lot at a time of the same thread, especially piecing thread.  And then of course I am always using the opposite machine of what I already have a bobbin in such color wound for.

So here is the quilt that I bound with this binding:

Made as a house warming gift for Aunt Laura my sister-in-law.  The sage green exactly matches her wall, and I made the quilt before I saw the wall so it is happenstance.

Lesson learned quilting this quilt is that let yourself be free when you machine quilt.  The quilting went so fast, I was ultra relaxed about it and just did what came into my head, some loop de loops, some swirls, I just went with the fabric.

All the fabrics are from stash, even the backing was on-hand, so it felt really good to know that a whole quilt came out of my collection, and no it is not now just sitting on the shelf collecting dust, but out doing good service in the world.

Flannel "Gee's Bend" Quilt

"Mamma I'll help you bind it!"

Just fun to work with extra hi-loft! Warm, flannely, and the perfect project for Feb. to make me feel like I actually do accomplish something. I bound it in navy satin blanket binding because that's what I had and I wanted to finish.

It is amazing the transition from top, to quilted top. This quilt has simple fastly done quilting, and yet it took a, "I'm not sure I'm gonna pull this one off quilt" to a love it!

Just the right size for two little boys to fight over!