{Post #919} HQ Frame

Used my HQ frame for the first time last night.  The machine glides soooo effortlessly on it that I nearly pitched it out the window on my first attempt.  After I got a grip, it was a breeze.  I have been using smoky monofilament thread for the last few quilts I did and just changed it out for a wheat color.  Thought all was well until I advanced the quilted part and saw what the back looked like:

Here is a shot looking down the quilt while it's on the frame:

I unsewed all the quilting once I saw the tension was horrid.  Thankfully that is really easy because all you have to do is pull out the bobbin thread and then pluck off the top thread.  I am also really glad that I started with such a small project so I didn't have that much unsewing to do.

I sewed the shams together with a tiny seam to make them one continuous piece to quilt.  The white on the top sham is the sun.  Remember the sun?  Hahaha...

Just got two cheap pillows to put in these, so I'm off to go down and add the backings and make the binding for the outer edges.  See ya!

~Joan

{Post #907} Frame Up & Blooms, Too

My husband surprised me by putting the frame together last night...it took about FIVE hours.  We didn't get to bed until almost one o'clock in the morning.  Can't remember the last time that happened.  It seemed to involve lots of concentration-requiring steps, so we didn't visit, and I didn't try to help.  I sewed.  We're not in Thimbleberries anymore!  


Here are some pictures from the evening:

Having a big birthday party for Rachel tomorrow afternoon, so I need to concentrate on that.  I hope to get a chance to at least read the handbook for the frame and see how to load the leaders and a quilt!

~Joan

{Post #906} HQ Frame & Florabunda

Since I still had my watercolor fabrics out, I decided to cut as many strips for my Florabunda quilt as I reasonably could.  I cut enough for 28 more blocks (already have 8 pieced).  There seems to be a lot of black background fabrics, so I want to sew these up and see what colors I want to add more of.


I don't have more than 3 of any one fabric, and they are not all matched up with the same "neutral".  I then subcut the triangles with my Easy Angle ruler.  It goes so fast during the piecing if you put your strips right sides together and not disturb them until they are sewn.  


As usual, after cutting a bunch of fabric, I can barely tell that the original stack shrunk at all.  I also made some cuts for a scrappy bargello quilt using some of these same prints (I am using 2" x 12-1/2" strips for that).  I wanted to use up the print if it just had one more strip in it.


Here are 28 blocks in a stack, ready to sew:

Isaac hurt his knee.  It is his laundry day.  I didn't want him going up and down the steps, so I did his laundry for him (which was a reason I was downstairs and able to sew some before supper).  I finished sewing the units for the Florabunda in the nick of time to make supper...Broccoli Pasta Soup, one of our favorites.


Here is the pile under my sewing table.  After supper I am going to press and subcut 4-patch units while I watch a movie.

Does that look like 28 nine-inch blocks to YOU?


Here are the long-awaited boxes.  Although I did some cleaning up in the garage in anticipation of moving my Little Gracie frame out there, it might be another week or so before the HQ frame is assembled and ready to use.  I can easily distract myself with other happenings though.

~Joan