It is my first time using fusible web, so I did some experimenting on leftover scraps. The only problem is that my quilt is already basted. I have decided not to unbaste the whole thing but just to unbaste the borders when I am ready to fuse the applique pieces. I was so eager to try the applique that I did all the basic grid quilting at record pace. Then I unpinned the border, folded the backing and batting back and fused the applique to the border. I re-basted the border and free-motion stitched around the motif edges. Although there will be some fraying, it turned out pretty well and just looks like a quilting design on the back, so I think that is the way I will be going on this quilt.
I am not nearly as excited about my red Out of the Box quilt -- the evil Red Monster I posted about yesterday. I originally intended to hand quilt it with parallel lines in the background and motifs in the squares, and I got about 1/3 of the way through before abandoning hand quilting. Parallel lines have got to be the world's most boring motif to quilt by machine. They are also considerably more difficult to do well than I thought. My supposedly parallel lines seem to wander here and there. I have decided to throw in some random changes in direction and odd geometric motifs here and there to hide how awful my parallel lines are. I am thinking I should eventually give this quilt away, but I feel bad for whoever receives it!
I have -- or should I say had? -- a fantasy of doing an intricate whole-cloth wall hanging with very variations on traditional motifs including cross hatching -- that dream is now dead. I have no desire to do so many parallel lines again! I still may do my whole cloth quilt, but crosshatching and channels will be a very small part of it!
So, in all it's glory, the Red Monster. It has a lot of threads because of the basting for hand quilting, and you can't see the quilting (probably a good thing!). I can't wait for it to be done!And its better loved brother, with my son's feet:
lorimn95
3 comments:
Sounds like you have a good plan for the Blue Marquee quilt! I happen to like the Red Monster (and its brother) also, but you are right - straight line quilting isn't brain surgery. :) You're doing a good job with it!
They're both great, but I really love the red one!
laura
I really love the red quilt. And parallel line quilting is pretty boring. I am a huge fan of writing words in free motion. I have a friend who quilts political messages into quilts.
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