Wednesday, April 17, 2013

Progressing On The UFOs

Those of us joining in on the UFO Parade and making an attempt to finish them, were asked if we had a plan, perhaps better would be to ask if we have a method to our madness, in getting the list of UFOs whittled down.  I can definitively say: "NO", I do not have a specific plan, nor any specific method of enticing or coercing myself to get them done, other than the mere fact of knowing that so many of them are as old as they are and that at least a few of them were started to be given as gifts. 

That being the case, I got to work on the one I posted about on Monday (here), which I last worked on  four years ago - it seems it was no more than a year or two ago but my records don't lie!  So yesterday I got my act together and resumed the quilting process.  My quilting is all straight line following either the zig-zag pattern of the blocks or the straight lines of the rows and columns stitching 1/4" on each side of the seams.  I've extended those straight lines into the borders, and am thinking I'll run another set of double straight lines down the middle of all the borders too. 
I've not developed free-motion skills adequate enough to do what I once considered doing in the borders and at this point really want to get "a finish" so will persist with what I am capable of and practice on the side.

When I was working on this yesterday in my not-so-well lit dining room, I noticed after about an hour of stitching that the stitching wasn't looking quite right in a few spots. Very loose and easily pulled up in loops.  Well, it was more than a few spots, it was all of the stitching I'd done for that hour, so yep, you guessed it, I spent the next hour removing all those stitches and redoing all my work.  Before resuming, I checked my bobbin & thread, checked the tension, and ultimately just re-threaded my machine.   It appears that the re-threading fixed whatever the problem was.

Also before continuing, I moved a floor lamp next to my work surface and now I can actually see my stitches as I work.  For the initial quilting along the zig-zag paths, I used a plain dark green thread.  Now that I'm doing the straight lines, I've switched to a multi-colored variegated thread for both top and bottom.  I'm guessing I have at most another 2 hours of quilting to do on this and then I'm ready for the binding.  It will feel really nice to have this finished.  And THAT just might be enough motivation to get some of those other UFOs done!

4 comments:

  1. Very pretty. Lucky recipient. Sharon

    ReplyDelete
  2. Great quilt! Seems there comes a time in every project where you just need to have it done! Such a great feeling when you finally get to put the finished quilt on the bed and enjoy it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. This quilt make my scrappy happy heart sing! I know exactly what you mean about the time and that the records don't lie. I sometimes hate those reality moments. :)
    You are going to have a wonderful quilt in no time!!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. a really lovely quilt...and you will have it finished in no time.

    ReplyDelete

Related Posts Plugin for WordPress, Blogger...