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Friday, July 31, 2009

Quilting Double Delight

I am still working on quilting my Double Delight blocks. I finished quilting the 20 star blocks (see them here) and then moved on to the outside of the stars. I wanted to use a Sulky Blendable thread but it kept breaking. I am pretty stubborn when it comes to making a thread/needle combination work and tried all of these various needles. I was about to give up and thought to check the website for the Blendable threads and read that a topstitch 90/14 needle is recommended...it's the only needle I didn't have of course. The 80/12 (the embroidery, the quilting and the topstitch) needle was still breaking the thread. I sent my husband to the sewing store on the way home from work today to pick up the topstitch needles and I am eager to see if that will fix the problem.
Until I could get the proper needles to use the Blendable threads,  I worked on the double 9 patch blocks. I am using Aurifil thread in these blocks and it never breaks on me no matter how fast I quilt! I don't know if it will show up in this photo well enough to see, but I have quilted feathers with 7 little branches (or barbs or lobes...or whatever you call them!) in the plain blocks of the double 9 patches. In my quilt I have 30 double nine patch blocks and they are finally all quilted. My machine really does deserve a rest, but it's not going to get one because now that I have the new needles, I will see if I can finish the star blocks with that Blendables thread. And then I'll only have the borders to quilt!!

4 comments:

  1. I am always amazed at the difference the right needle/thread combination makes. I am sure you will have better luck with the 90. I have used the 90 topstitch and metallic needle interchangeably with good results (just in case you can't find the topstitch). The store is usually out of the needle I need :) Your quilting is beautiful-I can't get the picture to enlarge but I love what I can see of it. I can't wait to see what you do with your DD. I love your new flying geese header by the way :)

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  2. I always use a 90/14 as I find it's the best needle what ever the thread.
    I recently ordered some Aurufill from the US as I've heard such good things about it. We struggle to get it over here unfortunately.

    Love and hugs Gina xxx

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  3. You are one busy girl just quilting away...good work, love the feathers.

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  4. hiya, whenever I machine quilt (really simple stuff, nothing fancy like your beautiful work) I always use a top stitch needle because of the larger eye. Sometimes I will use a jeans needle if I am going thru thicker batting. I also use the basting stitch lenght on the dial, this can make the biggest difference. Schemtz is the only needle I use in all my machines. hope this helps! (mauh) Liz

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