Between the Quilting

Smitten is layered! 

The quilting has begun!!

I appreciated all the lovely comments and compliments about it in my last post!

Very gratifying!! 

My goal is to finish the quilting by September 25 before I head out on a couple teaching trips so the finishing details -- burying threads and binding -- will be my travel stitching.

 

The plan is to complete at least two blocks a day -- hopefully that pace will prevent me from getting too tired and impatient and stitching too fast and getting sloppy.  My arthritis is limiting so more than an hour at the quilting machine is tough. 

So far, so good.

While I'm working on this, I'm catching up on some odds and ends of piecing.  First in line were the last two blocks for Anneliese's #smorgasblocks project at http://eyecandyquilts.com

If you haven't checked this delightful sewalong out, she gathered up ten free patterns from ten bloggers and organized them into a "sampler" style quilt.

 

One of the things I enjoyed about it was trying out some blocks I've admired but never tried like this arrow!!  So simple and I added my own little personal (secret) touch.  Years from now, quilt historians will ponder why I did it.  They'll never guess! 

I was moving too fast as I'm prone to doing.

Then I set to work on the orange peel blocks -- 11 of them.  Isn't that an odd number?  How is that even going to work.  I decided to glam them up with some hand buttonhole stitch using pearle cotton.  I took advantage of two beautiful late summer afternoons to stitch in the back garden.

I've stitched miles of buttonhole around appliques finishing a quilt top that a friend started so here are a few pics of turning a corner that might be useful to you.

 

The stitch at the point needs to be secured or it will slip around.

So after I've made the stitch, I make a small stitch by going to the back on the outside of the loop.  This secures the loop at the point. 

Then I come back up inside the loop catching just the point of the fabric and everything is secure and I'm ready to head down the next side of the motif. 

My quilt has evolved a kitschy, mid-century modern look and I think the buttonhole stitch is a perfect accent for that theme!

And here are all the units together!

So that's why 11 blocks will work!

This might be the end but there is a border plan Anneliese will be sharing this weekend, so I'm waiting to see what that is before making the final decision. 

It's a pretty cute quilt!

I'm awed by how she organized the layout -- must be interesting inside her head!!

I think I might have someone in mind to get this quilt, too!!

 

It's been fun to explore new blogs, try techniques and patterns, and trust that it would all work!

I believe if you are working with a stack of fabric that you like, the results are always good!

 

Next up!

Mary