October UFO Update
October's UFO is basted and it is now taunting me! It is saying "just do an all-over stipple design...fans are too hard to free motion". Sometimes my mind wanders to easier UFO's I could work on and put this one back in the closet! I fall asleep at night wondering how I will handle all the bulk of the quilt in the harp of my sewing machine if I move from one side of the quilt to the other.
So then I got to thinking that hand quilting fans would be much easier and I even got out a marking stencil that Julie sent me a while ago to see if that could entice me to hand quilt. But I know it will take me 20 years to finish and I already have a hand quilting project on the go that I have been working on for more than 10 years, so I put the stencil away again.
Then I distract myself with cleaning up my sewing area (you know it's bad when I'm cleaning!) and then started organizing bobbins, which are mostly empty from using up bits of thread for my crumb blocks. I wound up 5 bobbins this weekend to be prepared for the moment when my motivation arrives and my courage is high....which hopefully will be any day now!
October's UFO is basted and it is now taunting me! It is saying "just do an all-over stipple design...fans are too hard to free motion". Sometimes my mind wanders to easier UFO's I could work on and put this one back in the closet! I fall asleep at night wondering how I will handle all the bulk of the quilt in the harp of my sewing machine if I move from one side of the quilt to the other.
Then I distract myself with cleaning up my sewing area (you know it's bad when I'm cleaning!) and then started organizing bobbins, which are mostly empty from using up bits of thread for my crumb blocks. I wound up 5 bobbins this weekend to be prepared for the moment when my motivation arrives and my courage is high....which hopefully will be any day now!
13 comments:
This UFO is a quilt with enough strong lines for visual interest--it will look good no matter how you quilt it. Have you considered clamshell? They give a nice look and are easier to repeat than the fans. Just a thought. : )
You have used so much variety in your quilting recently, there is no shame in a nice quick meander. There are some simple variations of lopsided and swirls that go fast as well. Have you seen the free downloads at patsy Thompson designs (http://www.patsythompsondesigns.com/media/uploads/2010/08/19/files/ptd_faf04_archesiglooshats_.pdf)
I have often found inspiration there. Good luck, it will look great whatever pattern you choose.
You make me laugh! I understand how cleaning is so much easier than starting on something like the quilting. But I think hand quilting would be fabulous on this! But I also think any machine quilting you decide to do would be great.
That is a gorgeous quilt.. love the colors. If you need anything else to clean, I will msg you my address. ;) ha! I think it would look wonderful no matter how you quilt it.
Hey, I know THAT pattern! That's Judy's 2010 June Mystery, right? LOVELY colors!
Yup, yup....was one of my UFO's too.
AND seeing yours has inspired me to get downstairs to work on some of MY UFOs.
You could always "stitch in the ditch" oops - I mean somewhere in the vicinity of the seam. LOL (FYI readers --- This is in reference to a speaker at our guild this week )
why not machine quilt the fans? :)
Free motion fans are easy....I do them all the time and love the effect!
I love the idea of the fan quilting but, like you, see it as being too difficult on a domestic machine! Hope you find that inner strength now that your bobbins are all wound!
I think I detect a bit of procrastination, just like I do. When I have something that's troubling me, or confusing me, or frustrating me -- I switch paths and cut up scraps into squares, or sort through ripped out magazine articles, or anything else that keeps me from doing what I should be doing.
I agree with Ms. Scraphappy. If you really want it done, and done this year, do a quick meander and call it done. I sometimes toss in a little star here and there, or a butterfly, or some double loops. Just a little variety with a general meander makes it special.
Good luck with the decision making.
Depending on how large your harp on your machine you might be able to do this. Is it lap size or bigger. I did a queen quilt on my Bernina once and said no more.
I'm not sure the fans would enhance this quilt... it has a strong feel to it. I'd almost think of doing stipple in the light areas except in the pinwheels. Then the issue would be what to do in the pinwheel area. Just sayin'.
Oh my gosh, that picture of your quilt makes it look miiiiiles long!
Good luck with the quilting! That's one of my least favorite parts... :}
Don't give up on the free form machine fans . . . . I keep running them through my mind thanks to you *s*
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