Friday 20 November 2015

Snow Happy Hearts..... quilting progress....


As you may recall, at the end of last week I finished piecing my Snow Happy Heart Quilt. So, at the weekend I was keen to get started on the quilting.  I chose some backing fabric that I had in my stash (Northern Solitude by Holly Taylor for Moda) and pressed it carefully. It is a lovely green colour but the photo doesn't do it justice.




I selected some batting and measured, cut it and layered it on the backing fabric.  Then I very carefully laid the quilt top on the batting and backing and spent an hour or so hand basting them together.  I was eager to get started on the quilting and I was looking forward to some stitching time while I watched some television.





I usually hand quilt using a relatively big stitch and I don't hoop which works fine for small projects. However, things did not work out as planned.  I think the batting I used was thicker than normal plus, with the embroidered sections there was interfacing on some of the fabrics and, I just couldn't get my hand quilting stitches to look as I wanted them to.  I should probably add in here that I haven't hand quilted anything larger than a small wall hanging for some time, so I was probably also a bit out of practice!



I ended up taking out all the basting stitches, replacing the batting with a thinner piece and then tacking the layers together again.  To save time with the basting I used a tack gun. However, I still wasn't happy with the hand quilting stitches, so I unpicked the quilting that I had done and decided to try machine quilting instead.  I am not very well skilled at machine quilting but I thought I could manage some simple straight line quilting.



I started towards the middle of the quilt in the 'May' block and, have kept the quilting to a minimum as I want the quilt to have a natural look.



As the quilt top is fairly scrappy, I thought I would quilt in a scrappy fashion too.  I am just quilting each section with what I feel enhances that section.



Cross hatching squares, some stripes in some of the 'geese' and a few squiggles in the larger strips of fabric.


So far things are going quite well and I am quite happy with how it is looking. The back is also looking quite neat (if you don't look too closely!) so all in all perhaps a good decision.



Machine quilting is also a bit quicker, so I should have it all finished in time to hang it up with the Christmas decorations!  I hope to get some more quilting done this coming weekend! 


32 comments:

  1. Christine, how frustrating. But it looks beautiful.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Brenda! It is going quite well now and I should get it finished in time to hang for Christmas! Christine x

      Delete
  2. What a pity! But it looks great now too.
    Valomea

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Valomea! I am pleased with the progress so far! Christine x

      Delete
  3. First I've even heard of a quilt tack gun! Your quilting is lovely. I love the little zig-zags- are you using a walking foot or is it free motion?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Linda! This is all being down with the walking foot.... I wasn't confident enough with my FMQ to try it! Christine x

      Delete
  4. I love it!!!!!!

    Greetings Marion

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Marion! Have a wonderful weekend! Christine x

      Delete
  5. It's beautiful Christine. I started making the snowmen, but stopped after a couple of months. I had over-committed to projects, and couldn't think of a use for the snowmen. Now I'd like to go back and do them, and use your quilt for inspiration if you don't mind. That is, assuming you're not planning to send your original to me! LOL!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sunny! I understand that over-committed feeling Sunny! I am pleased that you would like to use my quilt for inspiration! I think this will be a quilt that stays in the family a long time!! Christine x

      Delete
  6. Your machine quilting looks nice, you don´t have to handquilt everything. I never handquilt, it is just not one of my favourite things to do.
    KATRIN W.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Katrin! I do often machine quilt.... I am just not too confident with it! Have a lovely weekend! Christine x

      Delete
  7. This is gorgeous Christine, I love your stick-to-it-iveness! You are doing great!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks Shelly! What a lovely comment! Hope all is well with you! Have a lovely weekend! Christine x

      Delete
  8. The quilt is fantastic , I like everything , the snowmen are so cute and the Quilting did you hammer out great. It is as always very nice with you .
    Wish you a relaxing weekend
    Greetings Sandra

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sandra! You are very kind! I hope you have a lovely weekend also! Christine x

      Delete
  9. Taking out your quilting twice must have been frustrating. Your quilt and quilting look great to me. What a beautiful quilt. Love it!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Renee! It was a little frustrating but I am happy with the progress I am making now! Have a lovely weekend! Christine x

      Delete
  10. Phew - it took a bit of faffing but you got there in the end. I think your quilting is the ideal solution for this wonderful quilt top - adjusting the pattern depending on how the block 'speaks' to you. It is a beautiful winter quilt Christine. 💟💟💟

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Amanda! Yes, I got there in the end! Hope you are enjoying a lovely weekend! Christine x

      Delete
  11. It is looking gorgeous - love the simple but different styles of quilting - by the way what is a tack gun?

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you! A tack gun is a tool which shoots one of those little black tags that you can see in the photos through the layers of the quilt and holds them together. I don't know if this makes sense but I hope it does! Christine x

      Delete
  12. Well, I have to say that your hand quilting looks pretty nice compared to my feeble attempts! Your machine quilting is great and it's awesome that you will have your adorable little quilt ready to enjoy in no time!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Karen! I am pleased with how the quilting is going now and I am pleased that I should soon have it finished! Have a lovely weekend! Christine x

      Delete
  13. Sometimes things just have to be done with trial and error. It sounds like you are well on your way to having this completed in plenty of time for Christmas enjoyment.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Mary Anne! I hope to get the rest quilted this week! Hope your weekend is a good one! Christine x

      Delete
  14. I think you have made the right decision , it is looking great and as you said will be ready for the Christmas holidays .

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Sheila! I am much happier with it now and should get finished quilting it by the end of the week! Christine x

      Delete
  15. Hi Christine,wow I think it's looking fantastic,you are amazing my friend xx

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you so much for your sweet comment Shez! Christine x

      Delete
  16. Liebe Christine,
    ich finde deinen Quilt total schön und sehe auch nicht was du da bei den Quiltstichen beanstandest, für mich sieht alles perfekt aus! Mich würde nur interessieren wie groß der Quilt geworden ist, dass kann man bei den Fotos nur sehr schwer abschätzen!
    Liebe Grüße
    Steffi

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Steffi! I like how the machine quilting is looking and it shouldn't be too long before it is finished now. The quilt is approximately 36 inches x 48 inches as the blocks are 12 x 12 inches square. Christine x

      Delete

Thank you for visiting my blog and leaving me a comment. It is lovely to hear from you and very exciting to read what you have to say!!