Workout

I started working on the part of quilting that I find most challenging this week. That is the part that entails putting the layers together, adding the binding, and, of course, the quilting!  This quilt is a big challenge because I have never quilted a big thing like this on a machine ( I have only tied) and I have never done binding the "right" way.  Usually I just cut the backing fabric a bit bigger than the front and fold it over. 

I looked it up, and most sources say to put the layers together, "baste" them with safety pins to hold the layers together, and then quilt before adding the binding.  So that's what I did!  I am doing what is referred to as "free motion" quilting, which means that you just make pattern in a free hand manner all over the quilt.  I make little scrolls and loops like my grandmother does.  

I started working on this last night and learned very quickly that a full size quilt is alot more difficult to manage than the little scrap sandwich my grandma taught me this tecnique on!  My hands hot tired really fast and my neck and shoulder muscles were sore today!  No kidding! 

There is a way to make it easier...

These gloves have little grips all over the fingers!  They helped but were not a magic solution.  I think I just need to get in shape!

I tried to take some photos of my work but the lighting was not the greatest and it is hard to see the quilting.  I will report that it is OK for a first try but pretty mediocre in comparison to the quilts my grandmother has made for me!  I can live with some off-kilter scroll patterns but I am dissapointed in how the back looks.  There are ALOT of puckers and gathers and I don't know how to avoid them.  After spending so much time on the front I feel bad that the back looks questionable.  Oh well, at least it is just for my own use! 

Well, good nigh!  I am going to go apply some BenGay to my aching muscles!