Sandwiches and Pins

OH, the delight of a new project... 

I have been thinking and drawing on this new piece of linen for  while - it's a gorgeous Madeira tablecloth, about 50 by 50.

so yesterday was the day to sandwich it...

So - I know there are people 'out there' who are still looking for good ways to sandwich quilts for machine quilting - so I'll share how I do it.  I should quickly add that I learned a lot of this technique from Cindy Needham, and she teaches it in detail in her first Craftsy class,  "Design it, Quilt it"...  which I highly recommend !!

So, here we go.  I sandwich in my garage on two small tables I bought from Home Depot.  (no cars are allowed in my garage !)

Step One:  backing;  right side down, I put the seam in the middle on this one;  I don't always.  I believe long-armers like the seam horizontal;  on my DSM, it doesn't matter. 

I use these wonderful springy clips - they are tablecloth clips, and fit on any table - you can get them at any camping goods store or online.

I use two layers of batting.  First a layer of thin, low loft poly or cotton -  I am currently using Quilter's Dream 'request'  - then a layer of Hobbs Wool.  Only wool gives the look I like.  Remember, this is going to be quilted within an inch of its life !

 Next comes the fabric "top", or "underlayment".  this is Dupioni silk.  Yes, it's expensive, I just tell my Visa card to be quiet ... it's worth it!

Next we put the linen on top....

 See how lovely that Dupioni is going to look through the cutwork???

 And now LOTS and LOTS of pins !!!  The edges of these vintage pieces are always stretched out - after all, they are many many years old...  so it takes a lot of pinning to get it all laid out flat....

Update today:   we're off !!!!  Sewing away ...  I'll keep you up to date as it progresses - this one is going to take a while !

Happy Sunday to all !  There are a few hours of weekend left - enjoy !

Kate

Do You Think I was the First to Finish My Bonnie Hunter Mystery???

Hi there - you a Bonnie Hunter fan ?

Did you make Grand Illusion ????

Did you finish it yet?  top?  quilting?   binding ????

Well, I didn't..............

I didn't even start..............

But I did finish the top of ...............

DRUMROLL.............

EASY SUNDAY - the 2013 Mystery !!!

I love, love this top, and can not wait to quilt it - I need to do something fancy, I think. 
For now I'll just enjoy the top...

Tomorrow is Friday - yippee !

Kate

Happy Valentine's Day

Oh Oh OH-  I learned a new skill !!!!

I have been wanting to learn to add captions to photos for such a long time !!!  Who knew it was so easy !!

My first product is this photo, which will go into a pet Valentine's Day photo contest - isn't my little darling adorable???  (I know, I am a bit partial)...

Kate

So Exciting !

Oh my friends, I am so excited !!!

My quilt titled "Sonoma Sunday" got juried into the Mid-Atlantic Quilt Festival !!! 

YIPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE







Sonoma Sunday

I think the linen was from the 1930s era - it's beautiful embroidery... and I had such fun beading all the little grapes !

 And then I lost my mind completely and decided to hand-embroider over all the stitching in the feathers, and bead in the center... 

So now I have to get busy and get a hanging sleeve on this piece !!!  Why do I always wait to put off the hanging sleeve - good grief.................

Kate