Yesterday started with a frustration common to longarm quilters everywhere...too small backing. I started with the next quilt in the queue, measuring the backing and the top. Three inches difference in the length. Rats!! I stared at it for a while, contemplating cutting some width off and sewing it to the length, but decided it would look more stupid to have a tiny piece with a seam at one end than to simply attempt to do with what I was given. On top of the short backing, the quilt is another giant one, making the task of keeping it straight during the quilting a challenge, too. I started by pinning the quilt rather than using my Red Snappers which use up to five inches on both ends to properly apply and quilt. I snugged the batting right up to the pins, and started about 3/4 of an inch down with the quilting. Every row takes 15 minutes. The pattern is curled feathers, a beautiful allover pattern of elegant feathers. Between thread breaks (changed the needle to a smaller one) and computer glitches (froze up the screen twice!) the quilt took all day and still isn't finished. Sigh.
Midway through the quilt, I released the top and floated the remaining bit in an effort to keep it straight. You can see the sides had plenty of space. The backing was a 108 inch wide fabric and is square, so 108 inches wide, too. Unfortunately, the quilt it 105 inches long. That's a major oops on the quilter's part. I found that if I notify the quilter and they take the backing home to fix, I may not see it again for weeks or months! I'd rather solve the problems and get on with my part of the process.
Meanwhile, I sporadically sewed the Route 66 quilt rows, and by the end of the day had it all sewn and the back made. It is now on a hanger, waiting for its chance to be a quilt.
The backing is another Route 66 fabric, so the quilt will follow the theme all the way through.
The boxed square quilt is quilted and bound, ready to go to Hiawassee and be sold to a new home.
I bound it with the border fabric and sewed it down by machine.
Panto: Holly Berries
The backing was from my stash, and was a perfect match to the top fabrics!
I'll start my day with the fight on the Millie. The computer froze twice yesterday, requiring unplugging the machine, and then re-entering the specifics for the pattern and relocating my spot on the quilt. Now, it has placed two long quilting lines from one edge of the pattern to the other, crossing all the feathers! What the heck? I'll be glad to get this one done, and can only pray the next one is easier. Upward and onward!!
Mouse man comes tomorrow!!
Sounds like a frustrating day. One of the many reasons I can't longarm for someone else. The too small backing seems a common theme. I offer to quilt the comfort quilts for my guild and they don't take me up on it because they would have to "waste" fabric to make it the size I need. You always do a masterful job. Too bad that machine is still giving you so many hiccups.
ReplyDelete