The Sewing Place

The Black and White jobby ... again

Iminei

The Black and White jobby ... again
« on: March 06, 2018, 15:10:31 PM »
This is a copy from the rant thread but is relevant to the black and white jobby which Im sincerely trying to finish before the end of March ....

Black and white jobby


When I first started quilting I found the most difficult aspect of any quilt of a certain size was the layering. I simply didn't have the area available or, at that time, the expertise.

Step forward to my rescue our Not So Local Quilt Emporia which offered a FREE layering service ... 505 style!

This was a great boon! They had the space, the expertise and the products ... which you didn't have to buy but generally you did ... the batting, the 505 and while you were there a stray FQ or two (or three) might just jump into your basket.

So it was win win for all concerned!

Time went by and I became more proficient at quilting and indeed layering and all but the biggest projects could be layered by myself at home on my devils table (it extends but is oval so larger items still try and escape!)

Last year I started making a quilt for my nieces' (now rapidly) upcoming 21st birthday ... it was going to be a double and even though I was going to QAYG it in two halves, I knew I would need help with the layering so I made my appointment with the Not So Local Quilt Emporia and toddled off with my quilt tops, batting, backing and 505 ...

Things had changed ... not only did they now charge to layer ... £5 per quilt top, which meant £10 as my double quilt was in 2 sections and counted as two ... but quite frankly, I think they did a perfunctory and really poor job of it!
The wrinkles will disappear as the 505 dries I was told ... Yeah Right!

Of course I said nothing. One of the woman who now runs the shop quite frankly has always scared the living bejeezus out of me (and others I've been told)!

I took my quilts home and looked at them rather sadly. They were appalling!
So I set to ... ironing the tops out trying to achieve something half decent and in the end folded them away ready to be quilted early this year.

Here we are March 2019, and I know that I have been procrastinating about Lucias quilt aka The Black and White jobby, so yesterday I brought it down and suddenly realised exactly WHY I had been so reluctant to start on this beautiful quilt.

It was as bad as ever! Leaving it for 6 months had not improved a thing!

So I set about ironing the tops, desperately trying to make a silk purse from a sows ear, and was getting somewhere near abouts or so I thought....

I took it to the machine and started with some stabilizing stitches ... lengthways, crossways and on the diagonal
and as I did it started to pucker .... these are great big max length stitches and the top was wrinkling under them...

Pathetic! I have never in my entire time of quilting had a pucker or wrinkle and the only reason I could fathom was that it had been layered so shoddily.

Half an hour and a phone call later; I was ripping the stabilizing stitches out, separating the layers (which was very easy, no surprise ) joining the backing halves, inserting and stitching the last piece of sashing to complete the top and then joining a double beds length of wadding too .... GGRRRR .... which is not as easy as you would imagine  ...

but it is done and in an hour or so I will be off to see Andrew of White Orchid Longarm Quilting to get Lucia's quilt professionally quilted !!!

It wont be cheap and I had really wanted to quilt it myself, but I know my limitations and a whole double bed size is just too much, but luckily although presently unemployed I do have my redundancy payment to dip into....

But one thing I do know ... I will never go to that Not So Local Quilting Emporia for layering again ....
and am indeed considering a full embargo, as their workshops are expensive and you have to schelp everything you would possibly need over there and if you perhaps forget your cutting mat or light, they dont let you borrow one of theirs, you have to buy one instead!

Thank you for listening, but unsurprisingly I'm still p****! Maybe things will be better after I get to White Orchid.


I have been to Andrew and am (hopefully) going to be very happy at the resultant stitch....
I have asked him to send a pic and when I get a pic of the pattern I will post it!

I was also really happy with the finished ie in one piece quilt top ... It looks really modern and hopefully she will lke it ... for that pic you will have to wait as its waiting its turn at White Orchid!
« Last Edit: March 06, 2018, 17:06:02 PM by Iminei »
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Iminei

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #1 on: March 06, 2018, 17:05:02 PM »
Here is the pattern/design for the quilting ...



..... distance between lines vary from 1/2" to 3" (I think) Andrews going to quilt it in a very (sssh) light pink.
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

supergran

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #2 on: March 06, 2018, 19:47:25 PM »
It's going to look fantastic Iminei, and well done you for managing to undo the bad workmanship of your not so local shop! I agree, it isn't easy joining large pieces of wadding, nor is it easy to join sections of quilt that need to be matched. Ask me how I know!
I'm disgusted with the quilt shop. If they charge for doing a job, then it should be done properly, and to tell you that the wrinkles come out after drying... Who are they trying to kid? I would never go through their doors again for anything, and I hope I never order anything from them by mail order.
The cost of the professional quilting will be worth it I'm sure, for such a special gift. She'll love it.  <3

Ploshkin

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #3 on: March 06, 2018, 19:50:53 PM »
Ooh, that quilting should look fabulous.
Life's too short for ironing.

Sakar

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #4 on: March 06, 2018, 21:55:05 PM »
Oh Iminei, that sound really frustrating  -< but you have made the right decision and I am quite sure, it will look great!!

I layer my quilts always on the very day of quilting. Folding and storing doesn't improve the quality  :'(
But I love the 505 basting spray, for me it works very well.

Iminei

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #5 on: March 07, 2018, 08:48:39 AM »
Well to be fair one of the very first things I had layered by the Not So Local Emporia was The Opus and that sat waiting for me to quilt it for ...ahem! .... two and a half years ... and it was fine!

I totally believe it was the workmanship and a meagre costing of 505!

Now I must GET ON!
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

rubywishes

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #6 on: March 15, 2018, 05:29:34 AM »
Very frustrating  for you Im. Mr.Ruby and I had a similar experience with the new carpet laid in our house a few years ago. The company went out of business..disappeared and we have undulating carpet humps and waves throughout our house! Can't afford, and can't be bothered getting it fixed even though it looks a fright...so yes....I certainly can commiserate with you on the shoddy workmanship you were forced to deal with.
Juki TL2010Q, Juki DX7,  Singers: 1917 27K treadle (aka Gertie), 1957 99k (aka Vincent), 1951 99k knee lever (aka Shirley), 1950 99k handcrank (aka Alice), 1927 28K (aka Dora), 1947 201K treadle with motor conversion (aka Livvy)
....and the dusting and vacuming can wait!

Iminei

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #7 on: March 15, 2018, 09:35:42 AM »
Picked it up from Andrew yesterday Woo Hoo!

Its enormous (Ooh Err Misus) but Andrew managed to take an (almost) full pic in his workshop ....



and a close up of the quilting ...



Next binding! Im going to use the black with white star outline fabric used within the quilt for it and then lastly a label, courtesy of Elvis ... I'll wake him when I'm ready.
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Lowena

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #8 on: March 15, 2018, 09:39:22 AM »
I must admit, I'm not a big fan of the pattern but the workmanship is beautiful, absolutely first rate both by yourself and Andrew Don't dither with the binding, it sounds like it will complete the quilt beautifully  <3
Triumph of hope over experience :D

StitchinTime

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #9 on: March 15, 2018, 10:24:44 AM »
I love the quilting pattern you chose. I think I might have to file away that idea for future use as it looks quite doable with a walking foot on a domestic machine.

Iminei

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #10 on: March 15, 2018, 11:29:35 AM »
Ive just finished making the binding for Lucias quilt .

Wrestling with a 4" wide anaconda took a while but I've tamed him now.



I want to make a nice wide border and the magic formula for 2 1/2" wide binding said 7.8 ish widths but Iv'e cut 9 to allow for the 45 degree join in them ... should be enough, but I've more fabric if needs be. Im not going to attach today as I need all the width of dining table I can so need the leaves put in.
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Lollipop

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #11 on: March 15, 2018, 13:35:24 PM »
I didn't realise that you sent quilts away to be quilted. I have never made or owned a proper quilt and thought that they were quilted as they were constructed. I must take a journey to the dark side and learn more!! ;)

Imi your village quilt makes me want to have a go, it's fantastic!!!!

@Lollipop  ... do it, you know you want to !!!  :devil:
« Last Edit: March 15, 2018, 21:12:19 PM by Iminei »
Was Sewnanny

Lizzy777

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #12 on: March 15, 2018, 14:33:36 PM »
That's a lovely quilt.

Lowena

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #13 on: March 15, 2018, 15:31:48 PM »
Most quilts are quilted at home @Lollipop  either by hand or machine. The sequence is... piece, sandwich, quilt, bind. However, sometimes quilts can be too unwieldy to be quilted easily,or people want a very intricate design, and they  are sent to a long-arm quilter ( the machine has a long arm, not the operative  :D )
I wouldn't do it personally, as the quilt wouldn't feel completely my own, but some people swear by it and you do ( usually ) get excellent results.  :flower:
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Acorn

Re: The Black and White jobby ... again
« Reply #14 on: March 15, 2018, 16:15:40 PM »
... the machine has a long arm, not the operative  :D ...

Well there's another illusion shattered.   :[
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.