Fantastic day

I have had a fantastic day at my friend's home today.  I have learned a lot and I mean a lot as well as finding the right ways and the wrong ways to do things.  It is perhaps the best way as I now know what to look out for and what to do about certain things if I go wrong.  I will pop up photos a little later on - camera not co-operating at the moment but I will pop up later on.

From this:

Today have added the binding panel plus some two colourway small squares in the corners. Was hoping to bind in the same fabrics used for the actual quilt panel however there was not enough fabric. So a cream colour was integrated into the mix.  The small squares in the corners were then prepared as per the colours of the above quilt panel. The pictures will reveal all when I am able to load them.  Its a bit painful at the moment so will add them as I can.

I was then taught how to press, sew continuously, and work my way around binding the quilt.  The back, batting were then added to the top panel and I was shown how to ease and pin out the top without any wrinkles (you can feel through the layers when there is a wrinkle).  

I was then taught how to quilt through all three layers.  It has gone slightly wrong on the first part of the stitching and I have to remove this.  Apparently, the feed on the lower layer was feeding through a lot faster than it should have done compared to the top and in effect ended up pleating the fabric where it should not.  I am going to need a walking foot for the machine to stop this.  

I have homework to do.  I have to complete the quilting on this in readiness for a further session when we are able to.  I have never quilted anything before.

One of the problems I had was in feeding or should I say guiding the quilt through the machine.  I was lent a quilting glove to help ease it through.  Because I had not done this before and it was my first time I reduced the speed and had it on low. When I do normal sewing I usually zip along at a more normal pace so it felt slightly alien to be on a go slow but I did it with the best of intentions.  However it would appear that I was better at a faster speed and the quilt seated and "lay" a lot better as a result.

Plans for next time are to bind and sew the edges either by slip-stitching the binding or by machine sewing it and to complete it.  

I do have two Moda Christmas design jelly rolls and my friend is going to start me off on a jelly roll race.  I had bought these two jelly rolls to make lap quilts to use around Christmas.  I had not appreciated until today just what a jelly roll will make.  My friend showed me one that she had completed and it looked fab.  So I am very excited 

Although it is my first quilt, I am going to pass it on to Project Linus.  I shall make sure that I take plenty of photos though.  I have no one to give a baby sized quilt to at the moment and so it might as well go to a good cause.  My friend and mentor thought perhaps I might like to keep it with it being my first quilt and all, but I want it to be used and give love and be loved in turn.  I understand that many of the young people who were given a quilt a few years ago still have them, still use them and in some instances have passed them on to their children.  That is lovely - a full and loving cycle.

I must say that I am getting very "hooked" on this patchwork lark.  I am slow, but am gradually getting there and I am excited about making this quilt and about making others in due course.

My host also made lovely home made French onion soup served with toasted sourdough bread with Gruyere cheese melted all over it.  It was tasty and lovely especially on a grey chilly day where it went down a treat.  A is fantastic in any event and very good company.  

I have had a brilliant day and learned a heck of a lot and once the craft room has been sorted a bit more I intend to start on the recycled shirts stash and start turning them into a quilt.  I need to clear the table where the machines are, so that I can cut out the relevant pieces with the rotary cutter.

I am a visual learner and have very much appreciated the one to one tuition. It has been an excellent day with excellent company.

Catch you all later.

Pattypan

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