I have been diligently quilting my Texas Teardrops quilt, but I'm not going to make my goal this month. I stayed with my dad an extra week so I could go with him to a couple of doctors appointments, but I don't think that would have made a difference in the end. *sigh* Oh well!
It didn't help the time line that I decided to use a beautiful solid fabric for the backing on this quilt and then chose to add some of the extra applique pieces to the back so I will essentially have a two-sided quilt. I am having fun with "ghost" quilting in the setting triangles and the inner border, but that means I have to draw on the applique pieces in order to quilt the design. My biggest problem is deciding what I will quilt between the appliqued teardrops!!! The size of that area varies greatly and makes it more difficult for me to decide what I want to do, so taking more time to make sure I figure out the perfect quilting design is all right with me!
Here are a few pictures of what I have so far:
I love mixing the curves of the ribbon candy and the angular triangles (with pearls) in the center. How I managed to get two with "empty" pieces in the applique together is beyond me, but you know how that happens!!
Isn't the backing color fabulous and you can see the applique on the back just peeking over the take-up bar! So much fun to use a solid fabric for backing, but every time I mess up the tension, it is very visible - there is a row that is hidden that I need to go back to and pick out because I let the bobbin get too low and the bobbin tension got really tight (that makes for easy removal, but then I need to re-quilt!).
Here is a shot looking down the frame at the quilt - you can see the chalk markings on the inner border where I am going to do "ghost" quilting and just to the left of that you can see where I did "ghost" quilting on the solid gray in the outer border. My beloved pink Innova is in the background with the handles holding the tools I use all the time - flower pins, self-threading needles, long tweezers and scissors on the left handle and chalk pencils and purple air-erasable pen on the right handle. Nice to have what I need close at hand and not laying on the quilt top.
I can't wait to finish this quilt and put it on my bed, but it will probably take me all year to get it finished since I'll be spending 3 weeks a month with my dad and one week a month with my husband! But, that's just fine with me!! I hope you realized your January goals!!
7 comments:
Lovely! seeing as how I've only made one quilt in my life, and it was a baby quilt at that, I never thought about the time and creativity put into the actual quilting part. The piecing is the more obvious work, but it's the quilting details that make it extra special. (I have no idea if I used the right terms.) :)
You are in the midst of some trying days. Your attitude about it all, including your flexibility with quilting goals, is inspiring.
Different seasons of life require changes in our perspective. I've never seen an Innova with color. Was it a special order? Love mine even if it is just gray.
Your quilt looks wonderful and I love the quilting you've shown so far. I think you're right to change your time goal for finishing - that way lies frustration (wonder how I know that?) but by being flexible you can enjoy it all the more.
You are doing an amazing job on the quilting. It's really lovely. I can see why it takes so much time! You'll finish it next time.
I absolutely love the colours of this quilt, it will look amazing when it is finished. I do hope your Dad is doing okay, always difficult when you are having to split your time. January goals, no where near done!!!!!! February will be gone before I know it and I will then be two months behind!!!!!! Hugs, Susie x
It looks great! I can't wait to see it off the Frame!!
There's something very peacock-ish about this one. I love it.
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