rachelg

Hi everyone...I finished this little quilt I was asking about machine quilting patterns for earlier. I knew I wanted to machine quilt it due to my wrists, but had never really done it before. I went with my mother-in-law to her church quilting group. I learned so much in the two days I was there. (Haven't been back because of work, but going for a little bit tomorrow.) After the first day, I came home and made a dozen quilt sandwiches to practice on. That really helped. I kept a list of setting for my machine and practiced whenever I could. I have so much more to learn, but this was fun. I did stitch in the ditch and the stipple. (I won't do both next time.) I think the hardest was stitching the binding. I am not so sure I will keep doing that by machine. We'll see. Anyway....here it is finished. It is 35x31inches.

Rachel

mermaid

Awww, that looks great! Isn't it fun? I love hand quilting--especially during winter months, but the machine quilting is addictive. So many variations for quilting. Sometimes I love to do the close stippling, other times I widen and make the stippling not so close together..the looser quilting seems to make the quilt feel softer. And I like to make flowers connected by vines with leaves--I just ramble over the top. Another way I like--- to draw designs on the back and stitch from the back, or back with large print that I can follow with the machine. I have not yet mastered the feathers, but I don't care. You have opened up a new world for yourself--have fun and continue to show us your work.

SusieQOH

You did a beautiful job!! I love that sweet quilt and your quilting is great! Sorry about the carpal.

rachelg

mermaid...Thank you so much! You know, I wondered about the stiffness of this quilt. Your explanation makes perfect sense. I will remember that for next time. I do not know how you can make designs, lol. I cannot follow a pattern to save my life. If I start sewing on a design I have drawn - I wind up all over the place. I am not so sure even practice will help. : ) I also didn't do so well on the machine binding. I love hand binding. I will give it another couple of practices before i go back to doing it by hand....which will take forever, but look better.

Thanks so much for looking and your comments. : )

Rachel

rachelg

SusieQOH, Thank you so much! That means a lot. : )

Blueridgebeverly

It is such a pretty quilt! You did a great job stippling. Working with your mother-in-law's church group was a great success.