I can sympathise completely!
Over the past few months - on and off...mostly off - I have been struggling with the quilting on this string pieced quilt. The quilt was constructed using a combination of an antique centre star and new satellite stars made up from antique fabric. The border is a mixture of reproduction and antique black prints.
The antique blocks were foundation pieced, so to try to make things easier for myself, I chose to do big stitch quilting using Sulky thread... how hard is it to quilt large and even when for years I have been trying to perfect small? Totally nuts.
Several mistakes conspired against me. The batting I chose is awful (mistake no. 1) 100% cotton to try to achieve that flat antique look, it is tough and hard to needle and I'm sure it has extra scrim; the reproduction black border fabric is extra stiff (mistake no.2) maybe because it's black and heavily printed? and big mistake no. 3, I chose to do a mini Baptist fan on the border and not something simple.
This weekend, out she came again after an extended holiday in the cupboard, and we sat together watching the World Cup at ridiculous wee small hours of the morning (oh dear! our poor Socceroos!)
One more side finished - so now there is only one more to go. Happiness is close at hand.
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4 comments:
This is an amazing quilt!! You will love it dearly when the marathon is over - and you are close to the finish line:) Hang in there. I have a soft spot for string quilts, and this one makes my heart sing!! Your quilting is wonderful - and you write beautifully too!
Oh, but it's lovely! Power through the problems and I'm sure you'll love it when it's completed. :-)
keep going, its beautiful
I have a quilt like this on my list to do, a string star quilt.
Kathie
I sooooo relate about your hand quilting!!! I too am struggling with some of the same issue on a quilt I'm quilting now. I am finally learning about the different battings. The batting I am using (warm & natural)is indeed hard to needle. I have 2 other quilts already sandwiched and basted with the same batting...ugh!
I was told when I first started to make quilts that was the batting to use.....not knowing there would be a difference if I decided to hand quilt instead of machine quilt!!
Live and learn they say....boy, I'm living and learning MORE than my share, but each year I become a little better at my quilting craft!
You have a great blog and I love your quilting style!!!
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