Sewing lessons & finishing
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- Published on Wednesday, March 13, 2013 17:42
The other day I decided it was time to finish a big project. All that was left was to finish the binding on 1 1/2 sides. When I looked at the quilt, I realized I did not remember which needle was in the sewing machine when I did the other 2 1/2 sides, I didn't know what the settings were on the machine as to length and width of the stitch, nor did I know which thread I had used to sew it with.
After making a couple of sample stitches, I figured out the length and width. Only after going through that process did I realize that I had, indeed, made a notation on an index card of that information. I still needed to match up the thread, even if it would not show on the finished quilt.
This quilt was cut and basted in the 1940's. It's a large (approximately 100" x 100") Hawaiian quilt of red on white background. A friend purchased it from the cutter/baster's son in the mid-1990's. I hand appliqued it in exchange for some hand quilting on another quilt of mine. It took more than a few years to do that. My friend, Alice, sold it to me in 2007, as she decided she didn't want to hand quilt it. Now we're up to 4 owners and 2 workers.
I put off getting it quilted for a long time as I debated trying to get it hand quilted or have it machine quilted. I do not hand quilt and, besides, I would be insane to make my first attempt at hand quilting on something so big and scary.
I took the quilt to Richard Hood, in Buford, GA, to do the honors of quilting it on his long arm machine in 2011. I brought it home and let it sit for a long time. Then I realized it was taking up too much room in my sewing studio and I should "get to it and do it" as a great aunt used to say. I could have written a book about the quilt on the label but got it cut down to the basic information.
Now I'm ready to finish the binding in the next few days. My lesson learned? Always make a note about the project I'm working on as to thread, needles, length and width settings and any other pertinent information about the project....just in case I don't get to it in a year or two or 73! I plan to write all the information on a card and attach it to the project or the pattern, or the main fabric before putting it aside for another day.