Monday 22 November 2010

UFO - tick !!

I am SO glad this one is done. English paper piecing takes a long time anyway but when you're stopping and starting for umpteen other quilts well time just flies. Last time this appeared on my blog I was up to the navy blue hexagons. I then found this lovely print in my stash and appliqued the whole thing on. With mitred corners too I'll have you know - lol ! That was a job in itself. Then a 3 inch strip of navy added. This did 2 things - made it bigger obviously and meant I didn't have to bind those funny shaped edges. I thought long and hard about hand quilting this but decided it would probably add another couple of years onto it ( took about 3 years I think anyway )


So I took the bull by the horns and quilted it on my Janome 1600p - only the second one I have done on this machine. I used a lovely pastel variegated thread and meandered away. My machine quilting is not perfect by any stretch but I love how this turned out. I am glad I went for the machine option although it would have looked good hand quilted - especially as it is all hand pieced but there you go.
At one point I nearly abandoned this. I had started out just working in rings round a single hexagon but after a while decided I didn't like it. Because the fabrics are pretty I went ahead and unpicked the whole thing. This was on a quilting day with my group. Whilst everyone else was sewing away on lovely new projects I sat and unpicked and unpicked. Took all day and some of the evening too when I got home but then I was able to start again.


These pictures should click to make bigger if you want.
Anyway after my last post when I told you all my machine had been stripped and oiled by me it was working like a dream - for about a couple of days. Then the funny noise re-appeared. So this time I did take it to the repair place. Apparently I may have a slipped jockey pulley - ouch !! Sounds painful - lol ! They have had it 2 weeks now and I am anxious to get it back. They have a lot of machines in and told me there would be a 2 week wait so I'm sure it'll be home soon. I have another back-up machine but to be honest don't get on with it that well. I have done a little on it but am looking forward to using my other one.
I have pulled fabrics for Bonnie Hunter's latest mystery quilt and this is what I'll do when my machine gets here. I will show you my colours next time as well as some photos of what I've been doing whilst my poor machine has been in hospital.
I have finished my SSCS gift but of course can't show photos of that yet. But lets just say I went out of my comfort zone a little and did some hand applique - shock !!
Anyway time is getting on and I have to dash - take care xxx

21 comments:

Rhonda said...

OMG, your quilt is outstanding...excellent job on the piecing and the quilting....I love the colors and everything about it.

Isabella said...

It's lovely Andrea thanks .

Gail said...

The quilt is lovely and I know how you feel about having a work in slow progress finished!

Kristie said...

Oh that is beautiful!! Love those colors and you have so much time in that quilt! Beautiful!!! I want to do Bonnie's mystery too, but haven't had time to pull fabrics yet.
Kristie

Elsie Montgomery said...

How lovely! The slow progress was worth it.
btw, the shop where I take my machine books appointments. You can take it in the night before and have it back the next day. Of course if it isn't working at all, that is not a bonus, but for a cleaning, etc. such a great idea.

Maria said...

well done, it's an amazing feeling when you finish one of your UFOS isn'It?, love the paper piecing.
regards

A Time for Stitching said...

It's beautiful! You must feel so happy to get it finished.
Teresa x

Gene Black said...

Wow, great job Andrea.

Doodlebug Gail said...

That's lovely Andrea - your quilting looks fabulous!

claudia said...

Fantastic quilt! Lots of labor of love in this one1

Chookyblue...... said...

good to hear your SSCS is done......lots of parcels being completed........have you posted it off yet???

julieQ said...

Beautiful! I just love it...that is such a lot of work.

Floss said...

This quilt looks great, I remember you posting about unpicking it, what a lot of work. But I think it was worth it.

Quilts And Pieces said...

Oh it is wonderful!!! Oh how happy it is done!

Rose Marie said...

Oh .... this is wonderful!!!! Well done!

Sarah said...

WOW Andrea! This quilt looks FANTASTIC! Well done! I have not been bitten by the Hexie Bug yet.... Too scared I will start and cant stop as alot seem to do LOL!
x Sarah

Gamawinkie Renea said...

good job. inspires me to try this type of piecing!

Teresa said...

Your GFG quilt is wonderful - congratulations on finishing it, and I am just starting mine.

Evelyn aka Starfishy said...

Beautiful job! Great use of that sewing machine you were just recently saying that you don't use all that much - see, you just were waiting for a masterpiece! Cheers! Evelyn

Lynda said...

I think that's the best idea to finish a hexagon quilt - by appliqueing it onto a border fabric. Your choice of border fabric is perfect, as it showcases the hexagons and doesn't over or underwhelm them!

Unknown said...

Beautiful!!!