Playing...

I don't have a grand plan...

It's evolving...something risky for me.  But I am learning a LOT.

:o)

The beginning...

I am starting a new quilt with these fabrics for my sister-in-law who is very ill.  (She had an aneurysm leaking near her brain stem in October resulting in brain surgery.  It's been a long and tough process of recovery but she's moving forward.)  Her favorite color is purple...any shade of purple.  And she has this 'thing' for anything with strawberries on it.  I found a Moda batik with strawberries that came in a colorway that included purple. Score!

Then I am adding a variety of prints I have been longing to work with.  Here are some samples.

Can't wait to begin.  :o)

Stitch length

When I grew up (back with the dinosaurs), the stitch length indicator on a sewing machine indicated stitches per inch...8, 10, 12 etc.  When I got my first Bernina, back in the 80's, the numbers were different.  I remember thinking 'it must have something to do with metric and I don't do metric.  My machine's default is 2.5 so it must be about the same as an old Singer 10' and I eyeballed it from there.  Well, duh.  There is a pretty simple explanation about stitch length numbers that can be found here.  I can't believe it has taken me over 25 years to finally get this straight in my mind.

All this heavy thinking was a result of wondering what stitch length people use when they are straight line quilting.  I used a 3.7 on my last straight line stitched quilt shown here.  I like the way it looks but wonder about it's durability.   So I have been asking blog friends what they use. My unscientific poll reveals bloggers use anywhere from a 2.5 to a 4.1 stitch setting for straight line quilting.  I suppose what you are quilting makes a difference...what kind of fabric, what kind of batting, what is the purpose of the piece, etc.  I wonder if there is a 'quilt police' rule.

I am finally quilting some tops that have been waiting for a few months.  Here is my Asian influenced quilt.  I am using a 3.8 setting.  What stitch lengths do you like to use for machine quilting?

And a 2013 finish...

As I read my friends' quilt blogs with lots of accomplishments for the year already, I am feeling a little sheepish about finally showing my first quilt finish for this year.  Above is my beach themed baby quilt for a new baby boy born in Bermuda.

I used the Dear Stella's All Hands on Deck fabric for the front and back.  I used Kona white for the binding.  The batting is Dream Cotton Select.  The quilting is 1" straight line with a 3.7 stitch length setting.  The blocks are 6" finished and the quilt size is 42" by 48".

And this is the back which is very simple and I think stands alone as a classic look whole cloth quilt.

Washed and dried crinkliness...

  :o)

Pinned

One evening, two sore knees and three band-aids later...

:o)