Quilting the Beauties Off the Wall Friday

Am I the only one that gets to the last phase of a project and just want to say, "Is this ever going to end?"  It seems that I've gotten to just that stage with the Beauties.  This is the time where you need to put your big girl pants on  - roll up your sleeves - and say, "Let's get after it!"

So I spent the week, doing just that - I got after it.

And you know what?  It wasn't half bad.  What I envisioned was actually coming out of the Janome and the Beauties are nearly quilted.  I just love the way the thread work is coming.  The puckers and the texture of fabric is really ringing true to my vision.  So relieved!

You want to know why I don't fuse?  This is why. . . .

And this. . . . .

 

See all the cool wrinkles and puckers and texture you get when the fabric isn't all glued down?  This piece has the nicest hand since two of the suits are silky shirting fabric (read Luscious! ).  It wouldn't be the same if it were all flat and stiff.  I do sometimes add so much thread work that a piece gets a little flat but that's a design decision  - not a bi-product of the technique I've done.  Besides, obviously these ladies are a bit curvy - what's a few wrinkles between friends if they're all in the right places??

So I'm nearly done with this now and don't see any problem getting it done in time for the Albion Fair on Tuesday.  I wouldn't have bothered entering it since our fair is very redneck rural, but they finally updated the quilt categories to include an "Original Design" (Yes - welcome to the 21st century!).