Very little sewing was done last week – I was just too tired after work.  I did sew a some more black & white 4-patches which are my current leaders & enders project.

These black & white blocks are for the quilt 501 in Miss Rosie’s Spice of Life Quilts book.  The pattern calls for 240 4-patches, so I am about half way there.  It was getting a bit boring sewing the 4-patches even as leaders & enders, so I sewed a few of the rows together.

This project may just move from leaders & enders to top of the list.

I haven’t forgotten the pile of quilt tops that need to be finished.  The next up is the Autumn 9-Patch.

I am quilting pumpkins and leaves on this top.

Blessed Easter to everyone.

Marlene

I had quite the adventure quilting with invisible thread.  I checked out several sources on the internet for tips & hints, I used polyester monofilament thread instead on nylon, the correct needle size was in the HQ16, the top tension was loosened – but nothing worked.  After spending an hour loosening and tightening the top & bottom tensions with no results, I was seriously considering stuffing the quilt into a closet and starting a new piecing project.

But once I cooled down, I decided that I had nothing to lose by trying the tread on my Bernina with the stitch regulator.  Success!

It seems that I spent more time trying to get the correct tension than I did actually machine quilting.  I made notes on all the settings on the Bernina so that next time it will be easier.

The goal for tonight is to finish the hand sewing of the binding and sleeve.

Quilt guild is this Saturday and I want to have it done for Show and Tell.

Marlene

The binding on Hugs & Kisses is half way done, but during my breaks from the hand stitching, I started machine quilting this top.

I am using the same quilting design on this top as I did on Hugs & Kisses.  This top was completed in 2007, so it is time for it to be finished.  The pattern is a quarter log cabin also known as Bento Box and it is 48 1/2″ x 60 1/2″.  The binding on this quilt will be applied by machine.

The goal is to have both of these quilts completed by the end of the week.

Marlene

I think the quilt police was inspecting my work.  🙂

I have finished the quilting on five quilts.  Now it is time to start a marathon binding session.  I will post pictures as I finish each one.

I also have decided on the next piecing project which will include making templates.  What are you sewing on this weekend?

Marlene

My daughter suggested a better name for this quilt.  It is now Spidey-Ninja-Frog.  Here is a close-up of the quilting – a spider web, of course.

Using the walking foot on my Bernina, I quilt 4-6 lines that all intersect at the same place.  Starting near the center of the web, spiral around from line to line using the edge of the walking foot as a guide.

This is a great quilting design for Spidey-Ninja-Frog and Halloween wall hangings, but I don’t plan on using it on anything larger.

There is binding to finish on the next quilt (pictures tomorrow), then it is on to Easy Street.

Marlene

This quilt top is all prepped and ready for quilting, but what design should I use?  I know that feathers and flowers will be quilted in the black patches, but the tan background was the problem.  Cross hatching and spider web quilting motifs were considered and rejected.  Nothing really jumped up and said “Quilt me! Quilt me!”.

So with visions of quilting motifs dancing in my head, I started piecing this quilt top.

The pattern is Urban Chic and it is nice mindless sewing.  It kept my hands busy while my brain was trying to make a decision and it worked!  I finished the center of the Urban Chic quilt and settled on a quilting design of loops and flowers for all the tan background and borders.

I hope to have the tan & black quilt finished in the next couple of days, and then it will be time to sew the borders on the Urban Chic quilt top.  This seems to be the way I work – juggling several quilts in various stages of completion at the same time.

Marlene

Except for sewing down the binding, JP’s placemat is complete.  However since his mother reads this blog, I won’t be posting a picture of it until February.  So I wanted to show this quilt instead.

This was the final quilt finish for 2011, but the first one quilted on my new toy –

a HQ Sweet Sixteen Sitdown machine!  The sampler quilt is 47″ square and it was quilted in one weekend.  I am very happy with the HQ and anticipate many happy hours getting some quilt tops completed.

I quilted a double loopy design in the center and a design from the Pajama Quilter in the border.

Denver Broncos are in overtime, so I will talk to you later.

Marlene