We were planning to make a trip out to the wineries yesterday, but I think both of us were too lazy. Mike had some clean-up in the yard to do, and I really wanted to finish quilting the Pumpkin Patch table topper. I was still working on the pieced pumpkins.
When those were finished, I got to work quilting vines onto the quilted pumpkins. This was the scariest part of this quilt's adventure.
I would have liked to get those echoing lines a little smoother, but it's fine. We're not aiming for perfection here at the Three Cats Ranch.
From the back, it looks pretty good.
So, I was quilting along when I noticed a sudden unexpected drag. Oh...who would've guessed?
And as much as I tried to shoo him off the quilt, he was all up in my face.
Oh wait...what's this?
Anyone who has a cat knows how this story ends.
Yep...there it is...on the floor, where it belongs.
You know I'll keep bothering you until you come downstairs and put treats in my bowl.
Okay, and while I was there, I baked another Apple Jalousie. Still using apple pie filling. I'm going to foist a jar off on my friend Sue, and I'll probably be able to foist off another jar on Mae at Thanksgiving.
Before Smitty showed up, I'd been having trouble with my thread breaking again. And here I want to review the comments I made about the Sewer's Aid. Ordinarily, I only use this for metallic threads, and I said that it won't soak into the thread fibers. It's different with cotton thread, and indeed, it will absorb into the fibers.
Think about this, however, because it's a tiny little bit of lubricant. When you unspool the thread and look at it, it's barely visible, and it won't spread out like a petroleum lubricant does. Each time that little bit of lubricant passes through the eye of the needle, it lubricates it so that this relatively linty cotton thread won't snag. It helped significantly with my thread breakage. When it started breaking again, I gave the spool another line of Sewer's Aid. Also, I changed out my needle again. After all, it was sewing through as many as four layers of applique, the quilt top, the batting, and the quilt back. After so much quilting, it was in need of a change.
And those two fixes cured my problem for the remainder of the quilt. When I finished the quilting on Eliza, it looked like this.
After that, I took it downstairs and stitched around the inner green border with one of the fancy stitches available to me on Big Bertha.
This is stitch #124 on my Bernina 750QE
When I made my way all the way around the green border, it was finished. I had in mind to do the outer border as well, but decided that would be gilding the lily. Here's how the quilt looks from the back:
All that was left to do then was to add the binding by machine.
This morning I stitched around three corners before I decided to give my hand a break.
Now I'm more than 50% of the way around, and so I'll head back to finish it up after I post this blog.
And this being Sunday, I'm linking up to:
19 comments:
Sweet fuzzy face friend and great Fall project.
Yeah, I get those 'let's knock what ever on to the floor so she has to get up - and while she's up maybe she will offer treats'. I'm doing some housework today, so they are hiding upstairs (vacuum). The pumpkins are looking mighty fine and will be ready for your Thanksgiving decor.
Great job on the pumpkin shapes & vines. And I love kitty feet! It's so funny how they want your attention when you're focused on something other than them. And yeah, I knew what was about to happen to the bottle. Lol. Silly kitties.
Looks great! I have feline help, too. Wouldn't want it any other way!
I love Smitty! He's such a...CAT!
Your pumpkins are looking divine! You are almost done with them! I can't wait to watch your progress on all your other fun projects.
I'm going to do pillow cases for my niece and nephews for Christmas, then if I have time and patience, I will move on to some hanging kitchen towels, more Christmas goodies.
Love the quilting on the pumpkins!
Yes, there are kitty feet creating drag on quilting projects here as well....love that Smitty....and where was Sadie whilst this was going on? I had to laugh when I saw that little bottle, and Smitty looking at it... While we were eating breakfast this morning, Cosmo discovered an empty medicine bottle and quicker than I could even process the thought, the bottle was in the floor, and being hurled across the room! Life with a kitty is certainly never dull!! And I love every minute of it!
Sandra B
scb304@juno.com
Oh my word, the apple jalousie is making my mouth water! I know it isn't the same, but I may have to stop at McDonald's for an apple pie on the way home.
You flew around the binding on the pumpkins, my gosh!! The quilting looks great. I'm glad the thread conditioner worked for the green thread for you too. Huzzah!
The quilt looks great even with the kitty help.
Love the quilting on this! I too have 'help' in the sewing area but they stay off from the table... I think they have me trained to get up and tend them before they get into too much mischief!
And that is why you get so many beautiful projects done, you stay home and work on them. I had a choice, 3 days of hiking for me, lol. I need to buckle down but the weather is not cooperating, way too nice not to get out and enjoy it;)
Debbie
Always nice to have another finish. Just in time to use the table topper for another week or two.
Shouldn't that story have ended with the bottle lost up under furniture?
Beautiful finish, and perfect timing. Yep, that Smitty is quite the helper, you did know that bottle was in your way didn't you?
Wow,it is just fantastic and your helper is adorable!
I know how those helpers are! Max knocked a new spool of thread off the table and chased it all around the room!Without thinking, I picked it up and put it back on the table.We played this game several times before I needed the thread!
The pumpkin quilt is lovely! Finished just in time to put it on the Thanksgiving table!
My first thought was did you have the lid on the bottle? Yes. Second thought was where was he going it bat it next? I thought for sure it would end as Dana wrote - under a piece of furniture.
I think your vines look great. I was noticing yesterday how the quilting on the back of my quilt always seems to look better than the front. My thought was maybe I should quilt them upside down although I know that would not really work.
Ha, you named your machine Big Bertha, I started calling my machine that but changed it to Whoa Nellie. I was saying that a lot.
The quilting turned out beautifully! Sounds like like Sunday was more productive than it was lazy.
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