Quilting Layout!

Just finished my least favorite part of any quilting process...sandwiching and prepping for quilting. Ready for some machine quilting... just as soon as I figure out where I put the applique pins to hold the tape firmly in place.

 I have a layer of poly behind the Warrior logo for dimension using a mock-trapunto technique that uses wash-away thread on the front.  After much debate I decided to not add extra batting behind the words.  Didn't want to draw attention to the fact that the "Mo" should have been an inch higher to match the "ub" on the right.  Planning to turn that upper line into a tire track.  Then will decide if I should do the same below, or add the V-twin and Crue'd Pig to the bottom corners.

Determined to Finish

I have finished joining the first 3 rows of practice panels.  This makes me officially 1/3 completed.

Yesterday, I finished quilting the last 9 of the 46 practice panels.  I trimmed all the panels to size and added the connecting strips to join 4 of the remaining strips.

Today's job is to watch TV and do the hand stitching on these strips.  And making the 2 and 3 color connecting strips for the last round of joining.

I have fast tracked this project recently because I admitted to the planned recipient who will be getting this quilt.  And she's moving out the of country in a few months.

Stalling

I was going to get started on the IWMC quilt, but got sidetracked.

These are the practice panels that I've been using for FMQ.

I matched up the remaining sections with batting and background yesterday, and worked on finishing these up.  There are only about 9 blocks to go.

There has always been a master plan for all these little sections that I've been quilting on.  They were designed as variable width strips put together with a QAYG technique.

The connecting strips are 1.5" wide, folded in half and the raw edges lined up with the edge of the completed block.  There's a yellow strip on the back (all the backings are different shades of yellow or gold), and the front strip matches the block.  On this section, the strips are half green, half red. Then I butt the raw edges together and zig-zag.  The strip is then flipped over the joining stitching and hand stiched in place on front and back.

I like the way the finish looks with the hand stitching.

I am trying to repeat some designs that I tried early in the project to see if my progress is noticeable.

The red version was my first try.  The hooks are much more restrained and rounder on the right than on the left side of the spine.

The green version I did yesterday.  The loops are more flamboyant and the whole process felt smooth and flowing.

I guess I am getting better at this with practice!

Practice

I have been trying to get back into the groove of FMQ with some practice panels.  Some things I am quite pleased with, particularly the EKG fill which will be background for an EMS block.  I am discovering that dark fabrics are much harder to see my progress.  This is problematic as the project I'm practicing for is a black background.  I am also wishing that I had purchased black instead of grey for the back of the quilt.  I thought the black on the back would make for an interesting whole cloth look.  But it totally shows any errors or thread tension issues.  Oh well.  Time to jump in and get it done.  I've been putting off the quilting for months.

Planning Quilting

I had stalled out on the IWMC quilt as I needed to decide on the background quilting.  I'm back on track having figured out a couple problems.

I drew out a cartoonish version of the very detailed Crue'd Pig logo.  It was not in the original plan, but is now my favorite bit for the background.

I discovered that they do, indeed, still make ConTact paper.  I was also pleased to discover that a dressmaking tracing wheel does an excellent job of transferring a design to the sticky backed paper so I can use is as a quilting template.

And a practice piece demonstrates that it sticks well for FMQ.

This is going to let me follow through with some of the ideas that I have that wouldn't work with my traditional marking methods since I'm quilting on a black fabric and have not had luck with any marking tools I've tried lasting long enough through marking and quilting on a domestic machine.

Once I finalize a tire-track pattern for the border, I think I may be ready to start quilting.

Pickle Math

I spent most of Saturday finishing up wedges and cutting out red melons and corners.  Here are the first 2 put together.  I am not so sure if I like the fabrics I used for the corner squares.  However, they will be alternated with some black squares, which may make a difference.

The good news is that I found the lost wedge, so I'm back to having an even number.  The bad news is that whatever  math strategy I used to determine the number of wedges I need now eludes me.

And the last time I thought through it, I figured I needed a multiple of 8 as there are 8 wedges in 1 ring.  But 80 wedges = 10 rings... which makes no sense for a quilt size. (9 rings arranged 3x3 is only 54" square). I think that I originally planned for 72 squares to finish 63x72" before borders.   I suspect that I am about 64 wedges short of the number I will ultimately need.  Which begs the question: Where did the missing templates go and/or why didn't I print more?