Basting and Quilting...

Despite having this week off work I haven't gotten much sewing done. I have however, finished piecing my quilt top and today was spent basting and quilting. Of course the first half of the afternoon was spent clearing up the living room and vacuuming so I had the space required to lay out the three layers. I then basted the three layers, my can of basting spray running out just before I was finished, so the last 6 inches or so weren't basted with the spray. Not ideal but not a disaster either. I don't know if it's overkill or not, but I then did a few rows of big tacks along the quilt as well, just to be safe; three rows in one direction and 5 in the other.

I've been stitching in the ditch along each 4 inch row, so it will have 4 inch squares of quilting like the last one. However, I've had to stop for the evening as I ran out of white thread. Well i haven't run out, I still have some poor quality stuff, but it's all fluffy and breaks in the machine, and I'd MUCH rather stop and go and buy some Gutermann thread tomorrow than risk the hassles of using crappy thread. Stitching in the ditch is challenging enough, I am definitely not ready to try stippling on a quilt yet... I'm just not practiced enough at moving the whole thing around and making sure it's not falling off the table etc.

I've done all but two of the rows of stitching in one direction, so I guess I'm about half way through the quilting... then it's onto binding and then some snuggling underneath it! I can't decide if I like it or not. I don't hate it, but I definitely don't love it (unlike my couch quilt which I still love and makes me smile inside every time I look at it). I guess I'll wait and see what it looks like on my bed before I pass judgement... although I will be surprised if I don't make another one to replace it's usage on my bed eventually... but there's nothing wrong with building up a collection of quilts is there...? My Gran's love of patchwork and quilting has definitely rubbed off on me, and now I've finished my first (and almost second) quilts I just want to carry on making more.

However, after this quilt is done it's back to sewing clothes. I have fabric for a pair of pyjamas and two shirts to make, and have a skirt that I started making about this time last year that needs finishing (made of the dappled grey in the middle right of the above picture). I miss measured and it came up far too big and I haven't bothered going back and taking in each of the seams yet...