Just keep quilting, just keep quilting (stash report week 5)

Happy Sunday!

The sun is finally shining here and I think we're off to the park soon.  It rained so much this week. Is there anything more depressing than rain in the middle of winter?!

DS and I watched Finding Nemo and that "just keep swimming" tune that Dory sings has been in my head.  However, I changed it to "just keep quilting."  Our quilt show entry forms were turned in at Tuesday's guild meeting.  I am now committed to my three entries - must stay focussed!  One is sandwiched and stabilized with SID, one is quilted, and one is in progress - and giving me fits!!

see that big ol' stitch on the left?
there's a needle hole under it

Free motion quilting is not my forte', however, I keep trying.  I'm not a big stippler or meander-er.  Instead, I use stencils and mark, mark, mark.

I've got some firsts in this quilt that are probably great reasons why it should not be intended for our guild show:
(1) using a sheet as backing = tight weave => fmq skipped stitches
(2) the quilting design is placed over 2 blocks elements which means quilting over seams, endlessly => also a possible explanation for fmq skipped stitches
(3) thinking quite seriously about doing my grandma's method of turning the backing to the front for binding

after the unquilting

Numbers 1 and 2 are driving me crazy!  We'll see about #3.  I have had more stops and starts with skipped stitches and breaking thread.  I've re-threaded, re-bobbin'ed (is that word?), changed needles from a universal 90 to a top stitch 90 to a quilting 90, played with the tension over and over. That's why I now blame the seams and the sheet, thanks to a google search and some quilting forums!

Last night I spent about 2.5 hours unquilting one block.  First, I did not like the purple thread on the yellow fabric and will try the gold variegated thread already used in several blocks.  Secondly, the tension was tight on top when I switched to the purple thread.  Finally, the King Tut seemed to show every uneven curve - almost as bad as quilting with Isacord.  Thicker thread is much more forgiving.

Luckily, I have one block that has not been quilted and since I am trying to stay out of the shops, which do not have a great selection of quilting thread anyhow, I will try out some green 28 wt Aurifil that I won last month that happens to match.   (an aside:  there are tons of LA's on our area, maybe that's why the shops don't carry lots of thread)

Since "just keep quilting" is my motto, there isn't much to show atm.  Last night I got one neutral hexie done.  Beside it is a FQ that I won at our guild meeting in our UFO Challenge drawing.

Hhmm....there seems to be a purple theme this week, doesn't there?







To the numbers...
Used this week: 0
Used year to date: 2.15
Added this week: 0.25
Added year to date: 2.50
Net used for 2012: -0.35


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Have a great week!!