The Sewing Place

By the Sea

Iminei

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #30 on: April 24, 2018, 12:02:26 PM »
The B&W jobby, now rechristened The Whale, was quilted on a longarm by Andrew Whittle of White Orchid Quilting.

We talked about designs, I wanted something that would bring out the spriraliness and at the last moment he came up with the design we used ... I loved it at first sight.
We discussed thread .... Black would've been hideous as was Red because exactly like Rubes I wanted the White kept clear. We tried White but it didn't work on the red (Why ??? I have no idea) and then hit on a very pale pink ... which was marvellous!

The Whale is now wrapped and ready to embark on a 1000 mile journey to its new owner ... tomorrow!





pics at the end of the tut
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Acorn

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #31 on: April 24, 2018, 12:08:18 PM »
Do you (Rubes and Imi, and anyone else) use different colours for the top and bobbin threads?

This is going to be the first time I've machine quilted anything of any size, and I don't want the quilting to stand out as it is inevitably going to be chockful of wobbles.
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Iminei

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #32 on: April 24, 2018, 12:24:12 PM »
Certainly I do ...
In the cot quilt, (now wrapped and ready to go) I have used variegated thread in the lattices and white on the back.



You have to be a bit careful about tension, otherwise your top thread can show through on the back (bad news on a white backing) but you do generally have a tiny pin prick of colour showing (well at least I do) but it certainly not noticeable



In the pic above there is a double square of white stitching (with a diagonal run of stitching dissecting it diagonally, underneath the corner of the quilt ) that is variegated on the top, there are pin points of colour but you really cant see them.

linky
The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

rubywishes

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #33 on: April 24, 2018, 13:08:57 PM »
I always use the same colour needle and bobbin. I'm a scaredy-sook!!!   I try to choose my backing fabric to suit not only my quilt top but also my thread choice. I try to use multi coloured or busy patterned backings....both types are able to hide a multitude of quilting woopsies and thread colours! I did do one quilt ages ago with different coloured threads in the top and bottom and hated the little dots of colour I got through. No matter how hard you try, as Im says, often you will get dots even if your tension is fine.

 (Errrr, BTW Im..dots? .....in your pictures? Ha!.....I see no dots in your gorgeous quilt my fine feathered friend :loveit:....cripes, now I can show you dots that would make you shake your head and tut tut! :()

Another thing to consider is the weight of your thread. A thicker weight thread will stand out more in your quilting whereas a thinner/finer thread will blend into your patchwork. If you're planning to do dense quilting, perhaps a thinner thread would look better? Once again, your choice, your preference.
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!

Lowena

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #34 on: April 24, 2018, 13:13:33 PM »
I hand quilt so thread is always the same ..Perle no 8
Triumph of hope over experience :D

Kenora

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #35 on: April 24, 2018, 14:13:15 PM »
I sometimes use different colours for top thread and bobbin, but as Imi said you do have to be careful to get the tension just right. You still get a little dot of one colour coming through (which irritates the hell out of me  :devil:) but there doesn't seem to be anything you can do about this. :S In the past I've spent more time trying to adjust the tension to get it spot-on than I have on the actual quilting - crazy, I know. :\
Minding my P's & Q's in Portreath

Acorn

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #36 on: April 24, 2018, 14:28:49 PM »
Setting tension is definitely not my favourite thing, and as I'm talking about white and deepish blue, I think I'd better start looking for a blue and white batik-y backing fabric so that I can quilt in white all over.  I've seen some extra wide batiks somewhere (online) in the past few days, but I don't think there was a blue and white.   

It's frustrating, because I have a blue and white batik that I was thinking of using for the binding, but I don't have enough for the backing - and I've had it for a very long time, so very little chance of getting any more.
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Iminei

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #37 on: April 24, 2018, 14:58:11 PM »
Is there enough of your backing to piece it around a block or some such?

The Imperfect Perfectionist sews again

Acorn

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #38 on: April 24, 2018, 15:19:23 PM »
That is an interesting idea - and, of course, there is the quillow pocket to do, which could have something else inside/underneath it.   I will measure it properly and do some sums.
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Acorn

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #39 on: May 02, 2018, 10:55:48 AM »
I have done about half the piecing (which is very good going considering what else I've had to do this last week or so!)  Maybe a picture later when my phone has charged.

I have made it a little larger than I intended (I am very bad at making quilts small), and as it needs to be able to fit into its pocket, and also needs to be quite lightweight, I am going to use polyester wadding.  Can anyone tell me what weight is appropriate for a fairly thin quilt?  Is 2oz so thin that it's not worth it?
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

Ploshkin

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #40 on: May 02, 2018, 15:17:05 PM »
I've used Soft and Bright polyester wadding (from Cotton Patch) for the few quilts I've done.  It's lightweight, not too thick or bulky but really warm.  I've looked on a bag but there's no weight.
For my last one I used a Hobbs polyester one just because that's what the site I had the backing fabric from sold.  It isn't a patch on the Soft and Bright which is a nice, even thickness without wrinkles.
Life's too short for ironing.

Deafoldbat

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #41 on: May 02, 2018, 19:26:51 PM »
2oz is the standard weight for quilting. If you want thin polyester, you could try Thermore, otherwise any regular all cotton
or 80/20 will do.

Acorn

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #42 on: May 02, 2018, 19:30:48 PM »
Thanks DOB - I've always bought it in a real shop before, and never paid any attention to the weight.

Thanks Plosh - the Hobbs one is the one I was about to buy, so that's very timely!
I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.

wrenkins

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #43 on: May 03, 2018, 07:56:59 AM »
@Acorn I cheated with my (as yet unfinished) quillow and used a little fleece throw/baby blanket which just happened to come in the perfect size. About 150 x 120cm ish. If you really want to cut corners you can use it as a backing instead. ie just two layers and not three as your normal sandwich would be. (I'm looking at you SIL!!!)   :ninja:
Harbouring resentment is like swallowing poison and waiting for the other person to die!

Acorn

Re: By the Sea
« Reply #44 on: June 04, 2018, 12:29:58 PM »
Well, I have competed the piecing and sewn on the borders, and I'm pretty pleased so far.  I am just about ready to make the sandwich and get quilting... and I'm terrified!  It's a very long time since I quilted anything large by machine, and then it was pretty basic.

While I love the all-over quilting done on the quilt shown on the pattern, in the interests of simplicity (and my sanity) I think I would like to do something that follows the zig-zags, so I am effectively doing a strip or so at a time, with a bit more control over where I'm going.

I also have to bear in mind that the pillow pocket on the back needs stitching on with straight lines, and I really don't want to spoil the appearance of the top (although that is negotiable - I would like it to be a quillow, but I can live with missing off the pocket in the interests of appearance!)

What would you experienced and wise quilters suggest?

Here is a fairly poor picture of the quilt sitting on my ironing board as a reminder.

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I might look as though I'm talking to you, but inside my head I'm sewing.