Threads Gone Wild!

5 days to quilt this bad boy!
No hair loss.  Thankfully.
Baby clothes survived.

Thread loss?
(In a good way.)  kinda.

2 trips to Joanns for a medium sized Gutermann and the smaller 110 yd spool and I ask why do they make 110 yard spools!!!  Probably so this lady can go the first time and think "Oh this is enough thread.  No PROB!"  Then drive all the way home to have to come back the next day:/:/

At least I was able to pick up some Krylon Spray paint and scrapbooking paper for my illustration.  That makes me happy!

First I had to paint the frame.  Did I scrape the old wood color off?  No...durrr..ah well back to the drawing board.  Yes,yes I scraped the 3 coats of banner red off and then started over.  It is shiny and not perfect,but well who is-ha!

All of this run around took me two days embarrassingly enough.  If you click on the pic you can see the glitter paper  I chose to cover my cereal box matte.  I think it adds a nice glitzy,glam, extra pizazz to this already sweet little print!  Keeper!!!!

The quilt was still on the machine, though, so in between the frame dilemma chaos, I was quilting away or trying to;)

There is a zig zag pattern through each block which for some of them was quite "on the edge of my seat" kind of quilting.  You know the kind where you are really hoping it all goes smoothly.  All OF IT.  Some were good and some were trying.  The jersey knit blocks and, specifically, smocking outfit were NOT fun.  I changed my needle after a handful of these buggers due to some online searching late in the afternoon one of those days.  (It all becomes jumbled at some point!)  I was using an 80/12 and then I jumped up to a 90/14.  The larger needle really handled well on my heavier appliqued blocks,but still not good for the jersey knit.  I really needed a ballpoint needle folks:(  Somehow I managed and prayed.  Seriously.  There was also a small problem with thread.  Besides it constantly disappearing, there was also an ugly lint pile up developing below.  Darn it.

Hope ya'll don't mind all this complaining.  Trying to be real!

The setbacks that I was having did force me to step back several times and take a break.  This allowed me to get a new,fresh start each time.  I also go on Flickr to search out new quilting designs to keep me moving that creativity to the next level.  For the center, I did microstippling.   This wasn't planned originally,but after becoming soaked up in my improving stippling I kept going.  At some point,I then, realized I was doing microstippling.  Now I had to do the whole center that way.  Yikes!  I do love the way it turned out.

The next border with the colorful squiggles I did in swirls which I am quite pleased with those.  The  green border further out, I  did in large and small loops and the dinosaur border is in a squiggly/wave line.  That one is my favorite.  The movement is extra special.

I used a broadcloth in lime green for the binding.  It pressed very nicely and clung to the quilt edges with ease.  Another spool of Gutermann in lime for the binding. 

The backing is full of great designs!  Now I can smile:):):)

Point taken.......

Jersey knit fabrics need a ballpoint needle.

Baby clothes are soooooo cute,but a challenge to quilt with those buggers.  Challenge can be met!!

I am totally trying Aurifil.

My friend, Dana @ Old Red Barn Co. has me convinced.

I may be critical with myself and the quilting process,but in the end I love what I did with this quilt.  There are some wonderfully, soft pieces of clothing throughout that are so lovely and the depth of the quilting has made it a nice medium weight to keep a kiddo nice and comfy!  I am pleased to have been able to create memories for a mama whom loves her children dearly.


Love ya'll!!!!

Sara