This big of a project isn’t easy to quilt on a home sewing machine. But I’m determined to do it. There is something about the perfection of a well down Long-arm job, that is just that. It has taken quilting to levels that really, only an industrial machine can do.
Shoving 55″ of quilt into the harp space of 10″ takes a lot of work. Thank God I have my wonderful sewing machine, quilting table. This baby weighs a ton, and being able to have 90% of it resting on the table is the only way I can get the job done. The rest is on my lap, which can be a drag – literally. Here we have the center block out of 49 blocks. I don’t have big long passes with the quilting, but this one was the hardest. First of all, figuring out how I will quilt, second, just all the bulk all around.
By the time I took this picture I am much farther along with the quilting, much closer to the edge. This gives a good idea of how much of the quilt just gets piled up behind the machine.
Another view, letting the quilt fall on the floor. although when I am actually quilting, all of that bulk will be pushed up behind the machine, and some to the side on that side table.
Here I have the basic design. Quilt in the ditch around all of the colored pieces. Put a basic ribbon pattern in the larger background area, as well as create a full concentric square the joins the adjoining blocks. That is it. Enough of a design to flatten the background and make the flowers and cornerstones pop!
Can you see how huge this thing is??? From this distance it is a little hard to see that the center six blocks are quilted. I need to put this on the floor from time to time just to admire the work.
Better view, the flowers are popping. There is cohesion in the background, so even if the quilting isn’t very clear. The eye is seeing the same thing over and over, which is creating a pattern. Our brains need pattern to make sense of things.
From this angle as well, you can see the quilted vs. the unquieted.
And a closer look.
Out of 49 blocks, I only have 14 left along the edge. At this point the quilting is much easier, I make sure that the edge of the quilt is always under the harp. It’s been going fast now. One thing that I have learned is that when quilting, I cannot have long stretches. It’s got to be small contained areas. That way I’m not fighting with moving the quilt much. In this case, it is block by block, and the areas being quilted are small and manageable.
This time I took it outside for the picture. Yes, the driveway is dirty. I may end up vacuuming this beast. I think I’d break the washing machine trying to launder this.
Another angled view. I really love this! I am so pleased! Sure there are kinks and there are tight areas, but I’m the only one who will every be this close to every inch of the quilt. I think it’s stunning. Now that I am close to finished with the blocks, I have to start thinking about how to quilt the borders. There will be no outlining anything on the border. Those vines and circles will not pop, whatever I do it will be all over quilting. Stay tuned!
Leah