Sew into Solids - Week # 13

Thirteen may be a lucky number for me because this is the week that I'm closing in on a finish to the quilt for my Sew into Solids project!  I just stepped away from the machine, where I'm stitching on the binding, so there's a good chance that before this day is over I will have it bound and ready for use (just in time for summer ... great timing, I know ;o)

The scrappy border was cut from the leftovers of the FQs used for the quilt top, so the colour change occurs every 20" or so.

 Remember when I lamented, just a week ago, about being unable to decide on how I would quilt it?
I found inspiration online and decided to place the FMQ design within the boundaries of each block of the quilt.  Here's a peek....

The quilting is far from perfect, but I'm glad I tried a new design instead of staying with something familiar and comfortable!

 I find it most helpful to sketch out how I will quilt a design and this time around, I taped the sketch onto my machine to aid me in getting the hang of this new FMQ pattern.  I also did a test sample on a muslin quilt sandwhich, to make sure my thread tensions were correct and to help me get familiar with the motion of making these shapes on my machine.  Test swatches are pretty routine for me.   I consider it as a bit of insurance against having to bring out my seam ripper on my quilt.

The inspiration image is a free pantograph from the internet (shown in the top right corner of the paper).  My sketch is the larger imitation of the original.  For the first couple of rows, it was really great to have the sketch to refer to, as I got familiar with the design I found I didn't need to refer to it.

 Here's what the design looks like on the quilt's back:

This view shows the direction I used to feed the quilt through my machine for quilting - I basically went in a line, forming the loops alternately right and left.  I discovered it was easier forming the left hand loops as the bulk of the quilt, albeit rolled up and placed on the right, afftected the ease I had in manoveuring the quilt for the right hand loops.

The pattern runs across the width of the quilt - within the pieced borders and I thought it would evoke the sense of movement with all those curves against the straight lines of the quilt block (which I  realize you can't determine from a photo from the back.  I'm saving front photos of the quilt for the post showing my finish.  Sorry to tease you ;o).  Oh, this pattern doesn't extend to the outside edges of the quilt because I decided to go for broke and really challenge myself by quilting the borders differently.

Again, my stitches aren't perfect, I was trying to channel images of falling raindrops as I stitched.  Sometimes the bulk of an intersection of several seams would send my stitches askew.  Overall, I'm pleased with the effect of this free motion design, although I know I wouldn't win any awards with such imperfect stitching! lol

 I mentioned above that I quilted the borders of the quilt different from the main blocks.  Keeping with a theme of water, I choose to pebble stitch the borders.  This is the first time I've tried to do this style of FMQ on something larger than a pillow.  Whew.  I certainly used a lot of thread!

A peek at the pebble quilting on the border, viewed from the back of the quilt before binding.  Lots of texture with this!

I can't wait to begin handstitching on the binding!  The finish is soooooo close now.

If you've been following along with my progress these past weeks, you know I'm now going to encourage to visit my co-host for Sew into Solids, the lovely Jane , and then direct your attention to the other members of our group.  Gorgeous work with solids is being shared in our Flickr group and you're certain to be inspired...