Leaves--post 4

Beginning of the pebble quilting

Sixty hours later, I finished the background leaf quilting in the leaf blocks. I finished the background quilting February 12. The following day, I started quilting pebbles in the flower portion of the blocks. I used a brown silk thread in the needle and a brown Aurifil thread in the bobbin.

I have found that I can quilt a maximum of two hours a day and not all that time at one setting! My brain remembers the days of quilting long into the wee hours of the morning; but, my body cannot manage to quilt that long. My back, arms, wrists and neck complain after fifteen minutes! The younger me would chastise my performance. The more mature me pats me on the back for making progress.

Border quilting I didn't choose

It took me about 40 hours to finish quilting the pebbles. Next, I quilted the red sashing. In my head, I planned to quilt large circles using a quilting template. I found I couldn't push the template so I quilted straight lines using a template. I stitched two blocks with the lines. These were okay; but, the completed lines didn't "speak" to me.

Border quilting I chose instead

I let the work sit overnight. The next morning, those lines still weren't speaking to me. For one reason, the lines were difficult to do. Secondly, I liked the texture the circles created. Circles reminded me of raindrops in the fall.

I tried the circle template again. (The template is a Westalee product.) This time, I was able to move the template. Why I couldn't move it the day before, I don't know. Perhaps, in my weakened state, I didn't have the strength to move the fabric. (I was day six of a nine day cleansing fast which is the third day of three days of ingesting juice and water.)

Circle template with adapter on foot

I compared the two types of quilting and decided the circles were the better option in terms of providing texture and in terms of me being able to stitch them. I ripped the straight lines and continued with the circle template.

My template will allow me to stitch larger circles than you see stitched in the sashing. I have an adapter to put on my quilting foot which shortens the circle diameter. I used it; but, I was surprised that while quilting, the adapter wiggles off of the foot. I had to pause and push the attachment back on the foot one to two times in stitching a single circle!

Thirty-six hours later, I finished the circle quilting.  I've invested about 148 hours in the quilting. I'm chuckling because I thought it would take me about 80-100 hours to finish the quilt back in October! Oh well, I'm making progress and making progress is what is most important to me!

Our quilt show is scheduled for April 9-11 with the quilts turned in on April 7.  The next quilting I'll be doing are zig zag lines in that brown border. Surely I can finish that over the next week. Then, I'll be down to the binding, sleeve and label. I sure like how this quilt looks on our bed. Do you suppose our youngest daughter will notice if her quilt ends up on our bed?