Seminole Table Runner Finish

So I have finally finished quilting the Seminole Table Runner I showed in my last post. I am a little later posting than planned. Its been a rough couple weeks schedule wise around here but it is finally finished.

I really love quilting and trying new techniques together with tried and true methods. For me the tried and true method is FMQ with my BSR. New to me is walking foot quilting. I have used my walking foot in the past but I never quite got the results.

First things first I pin basted my layers together.

 To finish off this runner I used 100% cotton batting and a thermal fabric backing that way it can stay on the table during dinner and will take the place of trivets and pot holders. I grew up in a large family but we only have one stove top and sometimes a dual oven but to get the meal on the table and keep it hot we were rotating things in and out of the oven and always looking for pot holders to protect the table cloth and table. I used my dual feed foot (built in walking foot) to stitch in the ditch around the center patchwork. When doing stitch in the ditch I usually use my BSR, that way if my seams aren't quite straight or laying flat I can make the stitching fit at the ditch.

When I do use my walking/dual feed foot I do a finessing to make sure my stitch ends at the points. By using the hand wheel on my machine I can make the stitch a little longer or shorter to make it end where I need it.

Next I used my BSR to add detail quilting in the centre four patches. In the black square I added a triple petals and in the gray I did a side to side wave.  I moved across the centre of the quilt from end to end for the swirl and then added the triple petals after.

After the center four patch was done I put my 1/4 inch dual feed foot back on and stitched point to point  in the background fabric. I then also stitched a 1/4 inch on either side of the first stitch line.

When I got to the outside on the centre patch work I used my Hera Marker from Clover to mark the straight lines. I no longer had a point to shoot for with the stitching and adding the crease line from the Hera Marker made it easier to stay on the straight in relation to the rest of the lines.

Instead of cutting my thread when I reached and end point I back stitched/stitched in place to knot my thread and did a jump stitch. I usually do this when a jump stitch will waste less thread than cutting the thread and starting it again. If you use this method make sure you get a good knot in your thread otherwise you will lose your stitching and have to do it all over again. After I was done stitching I went back and clipped all the jump stitches.

After the middle of the runner was complete I used the dual feed foot and stitched in the ditch around the borders. Finally the runner was done, except for the binding, aka my least favorite part.

Thanks for stopping by!

Adrian

Modern Quilting

I was a reluctant quilter in the beginning, feeling like why bother when I had so many women in my life who already quilted. I felt why would I need to learn this when if I wanted a new blanket for my bed one of them would make what ever pattern I wanted. This all changed after my mother-in-law opened her quilt shop.  She is a lover of Bernina and we became the local dealer for Bernina shortly after opening. At one of our first store events, Bernina brought in several of the Bernina 440 QE for a demonstration of the BSR. One of the women who was suppose to attend cancelled at the last minute and a machine was open. After a preliminary explanation of how it works and some basic ins and outs of the machine, I was let loose.

I felt like I was finally home! I had tried many other crafting and sewing hobbies over the years but never felt like it did that day. Since that day I have been finding my quilting style. I love trying new quilt techniques and colour combinations. One of the things I hope to chronicle in my first blogging adventure is my exploration of colour, skills, and styles of quilting.

QuiltCon2015 Charity Quilt Challenge Made by the Essex County Modern Quilt Guild

A friend of mine and I started a chapter of The Modern Quilt Guild last year and I am happy to say we are progressing well. Exploring what modern quilting means and being sewist support for anyone and everyone interested in quilting. We are doing challenges and swaps with other guilds across Canada and the US. We are hoping to continue our growth within the modern quilting world.

I have made several quilts over the last 8 years very few of which were for me. I love the quilting/top stitching because it gives me the chance see many styles of quilt which I would never make for myself. Its the adding of the finishing touches to enhance the piecing, applique and design of a quilt that I really love most.

I hope to share my process, tips and tricks, and fun things I am working on with this blog.