Today it is time to get to ‘Dream to Achieve’ – Quilting the Quilt!

Prepare your machine:

We will be using a walking foot:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

To attach the walking foot, you need to unscrew the foot screw and remove the foot on your machine.  Attach the walking foot making sure you put the white handle ABOVE the needle screw .

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Select your thread – I am using a variegated thread (Wonderfil  Silco)

Fill some bobbins and thread the machine.

I use a stitch length of 3 and if your machine has a needle down switch, this is a good time to use it!  You can see mine lit up:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you don’t have this, that is OK – just remember to turn the needle down before stopping to remove pins etc.

Do a test sew along one of the edges to check your tension and adjust if necessary.

Let’s Quilt:

Nanny note: This is not the only way to quilt this quilt – this is how I have chosen to do it.  By following my example, you will be stitching either side of all sashing strips which will in effect, divide the quilt into sections and stabilise the quilt sandwich for further quilting.

1.  I am starting by stitching down the edge of the feature strip.  I will stitch in the ditch.  Now because I’m not starting from the edge of the quilt, I want to tie off the threads (I will bury them later). When I bring both threads to the top, I avoid ‘bird nest clumps’ happening on the back.  I start by lowering the needle in the corner of the sashing strips and holding the needle thread:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Then  I pull on that thread to raise the bobbin thread – my finger is showing the loop:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Pull the bobbin thread to the top:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lower the needle again into the corner spot

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Take both threads to the back and lower the foot and start stitching in the ditch.  Don’t be too worried about being ‘exact’ here – you may run onto the edge or out a bit from the edge – that is OK!  It will not be visible in the overall finish.  If you don’t believe me, step away from the quilt a bit and see if it is obvious!  Like any skill, this takes time and practice to get it so don’t be too hard on yourself!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

If you find yourself coming to a pin, stop and lower the needle by turning the wheel by hand

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Remove the pin and keep going

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

When I get to the end of the row, I want to save my thread ends to finish off later too, so I sew to the corner and go one stitch over

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cut the thread and bring the bobbin thread to the top as before

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nanny tips:

a)  Remove the pins when you have sewn both sides of the sashing – this will make your quilt lighter!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

b)  Roll your quilt on both ends, to make turning and stitching easier

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

2.  Now turn the quilt and sew down the other side of the sashing, starting at the end you just finished on.

3.  Repeat so that both sides of the feature strip are stitched.

4.  Now roll your quilt from both ends (as above) and go to one of the central strips and starting at the sashing line we just sewed, stitch from the feature strip to the outside of the quilt.  Turn and go back up the other side of the sashing.

5.  Repeat this until all sashing strips have been stitched.  This is my back showing the sashing lines joining:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We have now secured the quilt sandwich in sections and it’s time to decide how to quilt those sections!

Well I’m off to finish off those threads and give my back a break!  You can see how I do that here.

 

Until  next time

Nanny xx