I don't have much done but at least I've started. It took me a long time just to thread the needle. I almost gave up. I think I need to get a needle threader. I have a push button one but these needles are too big for it. My intention with this hand quilting is that it look a little "rustic". I'm so rocking "rustic"! It's harder on the fingers than quilting with regular thread, I think. It takes a little more pressure and muscle to pull the thread through. I'm waxing the thread -- that's what that pale yellow thing is ... so that it will travel through the fabric a little easier. I read about doing that somewhere and I already had thread wax.
I worked at this for just over an hour and I'm very happy with how much I accomplished considering I'm pretty slow at this stage and am still taking just one stitch at a time instead of building up a few on the needle before pulling them through. I need my fingers to get a little tougher first and I need to get a little more natural rhythm and technique going with the thimble, which is a little snug on my finger. I might need a bigger one.As you might recall, I had planned on doing this over the long weekend but I didn't take a single stitch until tonight. With such good weather and despite my having a cold, we worked at house painting and other household chores. But now that I'm started, I hope this goes quickly so I can get to the binding stage, which will be another first.
If any quilters read this, please weigh in with me about whether I should be using straight binding or bias binding and why. I'm confused.
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I always use binding, cut and made, on the bias. (I was taught this way when I started quilting 500 years ago!) I can make metres of it from just 50cm of fabric, and two simple seams! I prefer it because apparently it copes betters with the wear and tear on the edges of a quilt.
ReplyDeleteHi Suz! Thanks for weighing in on the topic. Bias has been my inclination philosophically (thought I can't put my finger on it - I must have read it somewhere) but the straight binding sounds easier to make. And what with being new to this, I'm a little nervous about trying something very complicated. You make bias sound easy, though. Then again ... if you've been making it for 500 YEARS (!!!! AS IF!!!), it it any wonder you can make it in your sleep?
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