Finally Figured Out Ricky!

 

Hi Everyone!

This is going to be a real quick post because I finally figured out AND COMPLETED that Ricky Tims binding on my Carolina Christmas Quilt!

I know, I’m slow, so what else is new!?

This was finished at quilt retreat and am just now getting around to putting a post together to let you know how it turned out.

To backtrack, here are the previous posts on the Ricky Tims binding…

I Think I Found What I Was Looking For

Prepping Is A Lot Of Work

Practicing My Piping

After that piping step I inadvertently made a mistake sewing the piping strip to the binding strip, in short, I sewed it together using water soluble thread!  WRONGO! Then when I sewed the combined pieces to the quilt I realized what I had done (water soluble thread would have dissolved and the piping portion would have come apart!).

Then surgery happened… (which made lifting this quilt impossible…so it sat…)

And the mistake sat around…

But it is finished now!  Almost a year and a half!  I took the piping apart and re-sewed them together using the proper thread, then attached the binding all around the quilt.  It took a couple of hours, mostly because I slowed down trying to figure out the corners.

The other thing that slowed me down was the 7/16th seam allowance.  I must have used a thicker cotton batting than what Ricky used because I could not see how he was getting a 7/16th seam allowance!  No matter, I made it work!

I will say though, after putting this binding on I’m going to continue this method, or some variation of a piped or flanged binding that is sewn on.  It works and looks great!

Thanks Ricky for the instructions in your video!

~Cathy

(I’ll post a picture of the finished quilt once this rain stops and I’m able to hoist it outside for a photo!)  this is a picture of the top…

Started: December 2009
Finished: April 2013
What I Learned:
1. Bonnie Hunter makes BIG quilts
2. Bonnie Hunter uses A LOT of pieces
3. I can do this
4. I’m not good at Hand Quilting!
5. I didn’t need to buy a machine quilting system…
6. I learned how to FREE MOTION QUILT with this quilt
7. I learned how to do the Ricky Tims binding!
8. Now that this one is finished, all other quilts will go much faster!

Happy Sewing!

~Cathy

 

 

Quilting The Carolina Christmas – The Spiral Border!

The Quilting is Finished!!!!

I completed the spiral quilting of the border this afternoon.  I made a quick video for your viewing pleasure.  There is some narration, but it’s my first production at that so go easy on me!  Anyhoosy…here’s the vid:

Now all I need to do is the binding!  My FIRST binding, yikes.

Yes…I haven’t bound a quilt this big, just small stuff.  I’ve been looking at videos on you-tube so I think I have an idea how the process works but I remember a few years back seeing a video on machine quilting by Ricky Tims.  Does anyone know what I’m talking about?

I think I’ll stop off at the library and see if it’s available for check out.  I just remember he did something really cool with the binding!

~Cathy

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Quilting The Carolina Christmas – The Holly Border!

Yippee!

Here is a video of me quilting the Holly Border.  I think it might be a little long but you can see my scribble!  I do speak a little so turn the sound up if you want to hear (sorry, no sub-titles…just saying to myself…”holly point, holly point…blah, blah,blah) otherwise just watch…

~Enjoy!

Til the next step!

~Cathy

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Quilting The Carolina Christmas – Running Out of Thread

Yesterday I ran out of thread!

Look…I just had this last little corner bit to do before working on the borders!Fortunately I had wound several bobbins and have a couple left to work through.  I’m hoping I can squeeze it out of them!

In the meantime I did find Aurifil at Linda Z’s in Arlington Heights.  But unfortunately they did not carry the same weight I am using.

I bought what they had, as it is the same tri-color variegated thread but am hoping this difference in weight will not be noticeable.  I’m using the green spool (40 wt) and Linda Z’s carries the orange spool (50 wt).

Does anyone know if there is an estimate chart for thread usage?  Lesson learned here no doubt!  For a King size quilt purchase 3000 meters of thread!

Til next time!

~Cathy

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Quilting The Carolina Christmas – Pulling Threads or Un-Quilting

I know many of you are new here, reading about this quilt, but some background on this Carolina Christmas Quilt might enlighten you as to why I might be Un-Quilting a section of this quilt.

About a year and a half ago I was trying to quilt this particular piece using a frame system whereby you just had to set your machine on a rolling base and it would be sooooooo easy.  I had even test driven the system at a quilt show and thought my quilting answers were found.  But after my first attempt (above) it was disaster.  I packed up the system and it’s been under my sewing table ever since.

I then hand quilted scallops…Which you all know takes a very very long time.  So about 1/3-1/2 of this quilt is either hand quilted scallops or is partially messed up due to my rookie machine quilting experiment.

So this morning, after a full week of meandering, I finally got to the section that needs to be Un-Quilted.  Pick, Pick, Pick…  it’s tedious.But it IS coming out thankfully…Once all this is out and I can get back to meandering the last quarter section I’ll be ready to work on the borders!!!!

Yesterday I practiced on pieces of paper swirls, squiggles, stars…But later practiced some Holly and Berries…You can see my progression from top to bottom.  The top…lost in hollyland…to the bottom where I somewhat have a rhythm going on. This would be for the 2 inch inner border area…still thinking swirls for the outer border though.  But here’s that rhythm in my head…

Berry, Berry, Berry, Curve, Down Out, Up, Holly, Curve over the top, Up Out, Back, Holly, Swoop down and up Berry, Berry, Berry….repeat.

I think just a few more practice runs on the drawing board combined with a few runs through the machine ought to get me to a point of confidence to give it a go…

~Stay tuned!

Cathy

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Quilting The Carolina Christmas – Little Sport Can’t Handle It!

Phfft.

Something happened to my little Bernina Sport during the quilting of this Carolina Christmas quilt.  It started squeaking so bad it sounded like Styrofoam rubbing together.  Jim thought it might have busted a bearing.  I have no idea.  It still sews but I’m going to have to take it in to a shop and have it looked at.

I love that little machine.  Mom bought it for me in 1992 during the time before my wedding when I thought I’d want to make the bridesmaid dresses.  It was used and at a good price and it has served me well these 19 years.  I guess I’ll just have to wait and see how much it will cost to fix before I decide anything on it’s fate.  The quilting was just getting really good with it too!!!

In the mean time, I brought down my Bernina 170 from upstairs.  I didn’t really want to go through the set-up again but I didn’t have a choice.  In fact, what I’ve read and what I’ve learned in class is that most machine quilters suggest having a dedicated machine just for the quilting.  I completely understand why since there is much to do to get the bobbin loose and the stitches in proper tension.  Not to mention the table set-up!  Sheesh!

It took another hour or two of meandering to get to a point where my stitching looked passable. The tension looked good, just a few spots that I’ll need to pull out and fix but all in all the all-over meandering is working really well!

I’m 1/2 way through with the center area already and hope to be finished with this area in a few more days.  It’s funny, the more you do of this the more your mind can’t get the swirling and moving out of your head!! Do all machine quilter’s go through this?  I was meandering in my sleep!

For the border I want to get brave and do a swirl.  Ahhh, what the heck…why not?

~Stay tuned!

Cathy

Carolina Christmas Mystery Quilt Progress

It has been three and a half weeks since I started the Carolina Christmas Mystery Quilt from Quiltville.com and I have to say I’m still plugging away at it.

Lordy, Lordy, Lordy … it is time consuming.

Of this I am always fully aware, that is why I can appreciate all those beautiful quilts I gaze at during the shows and festivals.  Anyone who has ever pieced together a quilt surely must have this same appreciation.

I’m probably a little slower than the average quilter as I tend to have this problem of trying to be perfect.  I also have this habit of having to pre-c0unt everything in order to make sure I’ve cut everything out.  I know, I know, I know… Bonnie says to just “cut a bunch out”, but I find that I need exacts.  Suppose this comes from living with an Engineer for 18 years?  Or maybe having my degree from an Engineering School?  A B.S. vs a B.A. or B.F.A.?

I decided to resurrect an envelope system in order to help me with the counting.  I need to make 48 Poinsettia Star Blocks and 52 Fox and Geese Blocks.  I counted out 48 long envelopes and 52 smaller envelopes.  The difference in envelope size will tell me at a glance which block it is.

I’m almost finished with the cutting out phase.

I have sewn all of the HST’s for both blocks and am now just trying to scrounge up more neutrals to  complete the Fox and Geese blocks.

Because I get bored sometimes with the monotony of some of this I did experiment with some crazy stringing and produced 4 blocks with the scrap leftovers.

I KNOW, I KNOW!  Stop!  I know you just though to yourself “well duh, Cathy, that is why it takes you so long!  You go off on tangents and don’t stick to getting the project finished!”.

Sigh.

Well, you’re right, so thanks,  but this weekend should be a great opportunity to  make some real progress.

Must keep sewing.

Must keep sewing.

Must keep sewing…

So if we don’t talk in the next few days, because I’m buried under a mound of envelopes and fabric scraps, have a very Happy New Year!