UFO Report

I realized I had set a lofty UFO goal for November, and I didn't even come close to meeting it! However I did get started on it, so it's all good. I realized I was making this project into a very big challenge in my mind, and was therefore procrastinating getting started. Once I decided to look at this project as "only 48 miniature projects to quilt", it seemed more manageable to me, and I got the first panel pin basted to start the quilting.
I have the perfect recipe for enjoyable quilting with my Brother 1500, which is:
*Aurifil thread in the top and in the bobbin, 
*a Magic Bobbin Washer in the bobbin, 
*a Topstitching 90 needle (which reduces skipped stitches), and
*Machinger gloves.
It took me a long time to find this perfect formula and I spent a lot of money over the years on fancy threads that only made me 1) swear a lot, 2) waste valuable time on testing and adjusting terrible thread tension, and 3) struggle with machine quilting. But this combination is as smooth as silk, with perfect tension every time with my sewing machine.

For each block I put the walking foot on and stitch-in-the-ditch around the inside edge of the sashing.
But I only sew to where the screwdriver is pointing so that it will be easier to attach this panel to the others because there will be no quilting close to the edges where the seam allowances will be.

Once that is done, I put one of my free motion quilting feet on the sewing machine and get started on the block. This photo shows an open toe foot that works well when I want to see exactly where the line should start and stop.

And this free motion foot has a plastic disc that is good to use when the block does not lay flat. It seems to mash the quilt top a little flatter to quilt through, but it's less precise. I use this one when there are lots of bulky seams to quilt over/through. 
I am viewing each block as a miniature quilt, and try to think of a design to quilt that has as many continuous lines, and as few stops/starts as possible.
Right now I am more than half finished quilting the centre panel. 
My December goal will be to finish the machine quilting on all 3 of the panels of my Votes For Women quilt. It's another lofty goal, especially at this busy time of the year, but I will have some days off over the holidays and might have the opportunity to work on it then.
Hop over to One Monthly Goal and see what other quilters are going to work on in December.