& the Quilting Goes On - Design Wall Monday

 

Hours later, I'm almost done with quilting up the Fall quilt.  Its been fun since the the quilt lines went in so easily.  Actually its been really fun - so fun that I think I'll pop right into the next one in the series.  You see  - way back when - I originally thought that I wanted to design two wallhangings to flank the back door of my familyroom.  I thought it would be nice to make them sister quilts relating to each other but not exactly the same.  So I came up with  4 sets of 2 and just picked a set to start. 

Well - now looking at the original designs, I'm thinking that maybe sister quilts wasn't too hot an idea.  I think I'd much prefer kissin' cousins quilts.  So I picked one of the more complex quilts to do up next.  I love the idea that the original elements of the design is there but that the composition is

getting more complex. 

Also one thing I noticed when I was quilting, was that originally when I started the quilt I had used a yo-yo technique to turn under the edges of the circles. You know - you use a freezer paper template for the circle - cut the fabric out a bit bigger than the circle - stitch a quick running stitch around the edge and just pull until the edges gather underneath the template. . . .well I do like that finish.  That way I didn't have to add any other stitching around the circles and they had a nice crisp edge.  Gotta remember to do that one the next one!

Ohhh and another thing I learned with this quilt.  Have you all ever heard of a thread sock??  Well I got a few with my spool stand but really never knew what it was for.  My new friend Valerie clued me into the fact that you use it to make sure your thread comes off nice and even.  But I never had trouble with my thread coming off evenly - well - until now!  A few years back, I bought these nice large spools of  Polyneon varigated thread.  Their are gorgeous - but I could never get the big spools to thread into my

machine nicely.  So there they sat - until I remembered what Valerie had told me - put the sockies on and Wow - what a difference.  Worked like a charm.  Who knew???  (Well Valerie obviously - grin)

I'm thinking the rest of the week will have me finishing this piece, starting the next and doing some more hand dyeing.  My order from Pro Chem came in and I want to try some of my new colors!

See more Design boards at Judy's Patchworks!