Finish One

The first finish of 2011! This wallhanging/tablerunner was set into a top on January 29, 2009. It has been on my sewing table, basted, for at least a year. My plans had been, as always, to hand quilt it. But, with reality setting in, I decided on Friday night to try my hand at machine quilting it.



Here is a picture of how I baste even for machine quilting. I know those who really machine quilt are falling off their chairs laughing hysterically, but I know my pieces will come out flat if I baste like I do for hand quilting.

There is quilting in the ditch in the middle of each block, around the white edge of each block and around the outside (blue) of each block. Then I marked an undulating line in each of the sashing/cornerstone rows. I matched the thread to the fabric I was quilting, except the blue cornerstones--they got red. You will see a bit of the white line still left--I used the Sewline white marking pencil. The marks will come off when I wash the piece.

Here's the back. You can see more of the quilting motifs from this side.

Saturday morning I trimmed the piece, added a hanging sleeve to a short end, and did the binding, both hand and machine stitching. I decided to add the hanging sleeve because I think this will make an equally good wallhanging for a long, narrow place I like to have a little something. And red, white, and blue will make it great for summer hanging.

By the way, the little churn dash blocks were set using Sharyn Craig's twist & turn set. Easy to do, great look. Also useful if you have blocks of unequal sizes--the setting makes them all the same size.

I finished quilting an applique piece tonight. Hopefully I can get that bound tomorrow. How are the rest of you doing?

Til next time!

Sharon

P.S. I am listening to Savor the Moment by Nora Roberts.