Either way, some of the squares now look like this...
... and some like this...
... and others are completely different.
So once I was done with the mammoth wrestling match to get this all through the machine to produce relatively straight lines, I was left with literally hundreds of threads to sew in, as I stopped short of the edge, leaving the border un-quilted.
What a palarva; it took me the best part of two hours to bury those babies, but I have to admit that leaving the border free of stitching does look great, and it was worth the effort.
If it hadn't been for the Queen, albeit that she broke down half way round, and her even better replacement, Julius Caesar, I would still be straining my eyes this time tomorrow trying to get this quilt ready for binding.
So this evening I am hoping to at least get the binding pinned on...
... and everything is on schedule for delivery to the birthday girl this time next week - hurray!
it's looking fantastic, worth all that hard work!
ReplyDeleteOoh, I love a D9P and it looks so pretty - can't wait to see the final reveal :)
ReplyDeleteI really like the quilting idea, with different effects on different blocks, it looks fab.
ReplyDeleteBit late to tell you and probably quilting heresy, but, I gave up sewing ends in years ago and use the locking stitch on my machine ( you have one too on your new machine!)
ReplyDeleteYou know I didn't know you got different peoples heads on those threading wotsits! Quilting looks fab!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea echoing the disappearing nine patch with some squares having crosses through them and some being plain. And I'm impressed with your leaving the border unquilted, must admit the thought of all the loose ends would have put me off entirely! Its looking great :-)
ReplyDeleteSounds like a lot of hard work... but that quilting looks fabulous. Great colours too - good luck with sorting the binding.
ReplyDeleteIt looks so pretty and really looking forward to seeing the full reveal...both my needle threaders gave up on me the other day. Grrrr. I can`t ever bear to check whether it was her majesty and our Jules...
ReplyDeleteyou should so totally get some of these Hadders ... self-threading needles ... makes sewing your ends in sooooo much quicker ...
ReplyDeletehttp://www.sewessential.co.uk/category.asp?CategoryID=735&NumPerPage=5&page=1
btw ... the quilting looks fab!
Loving the quilting, but why on earth don't you just reverse stitch when you start and stop? I wouldn't have the patience for all that threading & tying. Jxo
ReplyDeleteOh good grief, I just did that on a mug rug with a rather complex design and drove myself potty, I think a whole quilt would have given me a healthy shove over the edge! Looking good though :o)
ReplyDeleteOH! It's looking lovely!! I love the clean look of darning the ends in as well. Often reversing on a quilt leaves a gob of bobbin thread on the back due to the thickness of the layers - Euw! I was going to suggest self-threading needles, but I see miss pings has beaten me to it.
ReplyDeleteIt looks great. Another way to sew in the ends ...
ReplyDeleteThread your needle with both ends of a short piece of red thread (4 inches or so).
Insert the needle into the fabric right next to the end of stitching, and half pull it out about an inch further along
Take the loop created in the red thread and ease it open with fingers
Put the red loop over the threads ends
Pull the needle all the way out, the thread ends will go in with the loop and stay inside the quilt.
This works with the smallest of ends
(you do realise it doesntbhave to be red thread, it just hopefully made the description easier! LOL)
ReplyDeleteArrghh! Google swallowed my comment whole. Why?! Can't remember what I wanted to say now. I think it was to tell you I love the way you quilted to mimic the D9P. The quilt looks gorgeous. Can't wait to see a full photo of the finished article.
ReplyDelete