5/17/11

Pride cometh before a fall

The photos here are just a tease. They're a couple of shots of "West of Paris, Texas". I can hardly believe that this beauty is coming out of my machine.


I was so inspired by the beautiful work I saw at Free Motion Quilting Challenge that I could hardly wait to sit and do some quilting. Feathers, because feathers are truly the most relaxing things to quilt...if I can relax and just let them flow. And, I've managed to relax and look what has flowed.


This first picture is from the center of the quilt. There are four blocks, each quilted with a feather wreath and then the crossing feathers in the longer strips. The longer strips were borne of mistakes that I made and I ripped and retried a couple of times. My last try resulted in one side of the twist and left half the block unquilted. So, I drew the other side and they were perfect together. Next, I just had to reproduce that happy accident three more times. The feathers in the green are from a stencil, but getting that to look just right took a bit of time. The lighter thread really shows up on the dark green sash, so it had to be darn near perfect. Several of those sections came out and were put back in before I was happy.




This next section shows the borders that surround the center. The braided border had to be marked for me to keep my lines of stitches straight. Again, marking that took time, but the result is worth it. Those bricks are also quilted in the ditch, so after washing, I should get a really great look there. And, the feathers are free hand on spines that I traced using bread plates from the kitchen. I used a larger plate in the corner and smaller plate in the straightaways.




All those feathers get a single outline around because I think that outline really sets off the quilting better. I don't fully understand why, because the outline seems to disappear around the main quilting and the main quilting shines brighter. When I compare something that has been outlined with something that hasn't, I can definitely see a difference.


So, I'm watching this perfect outlining come out of my needle and feeling the pride of good work. I get to a corner and reach kind of behind me and to the left and grab the corner of the quilt and flip it around and bang, there goes the coffee cup and I've spilt on the quilt back.


But did I shout a very ugly word and kick something? No, I did not. (not this time anyway) This is not my first time to make the coffee mistake. I seem to do this about once a year. And, I've learned that coffee stains do not have to be permanent. I cleaned up with a towel and blotted all I could out of the quilt and tied of the stitches and carried it to the kitchen and soaked the coffee spot. In my experience, that will blur the edges and blurring the edges goes a long way toward keeping this from looking like a stain. Even if there is some discoloration after I'm done, it won't be much and will fade into the surrounding fabric. Now, I'll finish my quilting and bind it and then I'll find that spot and rub a paste made of oxy-clean and resolve (formerly shout) into it and after that's washed, no more stain. At least historically that has worked and I'm sure (sure, sure, sure, sure!) that it will work this time.


Unfortunately, from now until it's properly washed, when I work on that quilt, my mouth will water and I'll crave coffee. Oh, well. I'm not going to give up my coffee and sewing, so better that I learn what to do when I have an accident.


Before I left home this morning, I went and checked on my stain. Most of the water was evaporated out and I could barely see the original spot.


Take care and have a great Tuesday.


Lane

14 comments:

Lynette said...

Oh, it's beautiful!!!!

Becky said...

Lane, the quilting is exquisite!! As for the coffee stain....I did the same thing on Libby's Frog quilt. I was a fairly new quilter so I was distraught....but in my years of laundry I have always had the attitude of "try some stuff...it's already ruined and something might work"! So after I finished the quilting, I did just what you said with the Shout stuff and it came out and never showed at all.

Keep up the great job!
Hugs, Becky

lw said...

Maybe use one of those traveler's mugs for quilting coffee? The ones that close up unless you open the part you drink from?

If I had something to drink in my sewing room, my cat would help herself and then knock it over.

Paul said...

Your FMQ is getting better and better... I have to ask, How deep is the throat (Needle to body, in case I've used the wrong term...) on your machine?

I want to try FMQ, and I am going to on a small Mug Rug or something soon, but I just don't think my machine has much room there. I honestly don't think I would have enough room to quilt even a small child's quilt in anything other than straight lines.

Your quilt looks GREAT!!
Paul

Janet O. said...

I am so impressed with your quilting--just beautiful!
The laundry products you mentioned are both on my shelf and it is amazing what they can do!

Laura said...

You quilting is lovely! I am getting inspired to try it myself.

Elizabeth said...

Those feathers are absolutely amazing. I was late for work this morning because I was drooling over the pictures (that and because I was slow at getting my prep work for dinner done). This is really some of your best work.

I love the criss-crossing pairs of feathers. If imitation is the sincerest form of flattery, be prepared to be really flattered.

xo -El

Pauline said...

Stunning! I'm just afraid to try it???!!! Guess I'd better go back to the original post and begin at the beginning!
Pauline

Piece by Piece said...

The quilting is lovely Lane. Oh, how I wish I could do that.

Unknown said...

As always, your quilting is beautiful! I look forward to seeing the finished product! I think it is neat that you use plates to help you out with your marking! Hey - the mother of invention!

Glad the coffee stain is almost gone!

Tennye said...

The quilting is exquisite I would love to be able to do that kind of feathers. You have a right to be proud of yourself. Yea!!!

Patricia said...

I am so very jealous!!!! Your quilting is beautiful. I tried to do some FMQ---NOT---Why don't you move next door so you can teach me :c)

Coloradolady said...

Lane, I have to tell you this story. Yesterday I was looking at this post and reading about your quilting and looking at the pictures. I was really admiring your quilting skills once again...to my self, when my husband walked by and stopped, looked at the photos and said, " WOW...who did that???" I told him you did and he said...very impressive....does he know how good he is??? I said....of course he does not realize how amazing of a quilter he is....and he said....well that is by far the best looking I have seen, and well, you have dragged me to see plenty!! So there.....it is written!!

I made a quilt and quilted it myself, it was a small child quilt, nothing fancy with the quilting, just wonky lines in a horizontal and diagonal pattern. But...I did it, start to finish. By myself. I was rather proud of myself...and your words rang in my ear the whole time...."If it is messed up, well it is from my hand not someone else.".... I remembered what you said before about being upset with a LAQ and decided this was doable if I just tried....it is a start!!!

Have a great day!!! Loved your work on this quilt.

Barb H said...

Beautiful quilting, Lane. It just keeps getting better and better!