Unity Border 10--post 16

Close up view of block elements

 To quilt the final border which is only at the top and bottom of the quilt, I again repeated elements. I used a template to quilt the circle. Next, I free motioned some shapes around the edge of the circle. (I quilted a lot of these in the center of squares and in the geese border!)

I used a ruler to quilt the straight lines in the triangles that surrounded the circle. I quilted a free hand continuous curve in the star legs. (I quilted these same elements in other parts of the border.) I repeated the background swirl design in this border. Repetition is good way to unify the quilting elements in a quilt. 

I have more than 18,000 yards of thread in this project. I have worked on it nearly every day since I started the Unity project with Bonnie Hunter in her COVID sew along last March. 

Finished block

It will be a wedding gift to my daughter and her husband to be when they marry. Her husband to be has followed along with the progress of this project. He made a point to tell me that he liked the colors, the stars and the quilting patterns. He also liked the back. He also said that my daughter is always using the quilts and he has none to keep him warm! He has asked that this one be for him. With that kind of want, I know that the quilt is going to a good home.

The reason I put in so many quilting stitches was to be sappy. I wanted the stitches to represent their love for each other and for each stitch to represent one day. In short, may the love they have for each other today only grow deeper with each day they are together.

Along the quilting journey, I did run into some snags. Sometimes, I didn't know what to quilt in a space. I found if I relaxed and didn't dwell on not knowing, I could hear what the quilted wanted. Although, I doubt that I will ever get over the fear of putting the needle into fabric and stitching relying on my subconscious plan!

Broken ruler foot

I did have an equipment malfunction. I broke the second #96 ruler foot. I was quilting straight lines and noticed the foot was at a slightly different angle. I thought that I needed to check to ensure the lever that holds the foot in place was fully engaged. When I checked, the foot fell off the shank. I was quilting at my usual slow and deliberate pace!  

I texted my dealer with a photo and the word "help!" She texted back to tell me she had another foot in stock and to bring in the broken one so she could exchange it. She reminded me that Bernina knew that there was a problem with this foot and had alerted dealers that this could happen.  I appreciated the fantastic customer service.

This week, I completed the quilting and am working on hand stitching the binding. Perhaps, I will finish this project before the big guy in the sleigh visits!

I'm linking to Oh Scrap and Quilting Is More Fun Than Housework. 

Don't forget to check out the Clark County Quilters quilt show. There are some amazing quilts, fun quilts and cute quilts in the virtual show.

View of the quilting on the back

Regarding COVID:

Worldwide: 66.7M confirmed cases; 1.53M deaths 

United States: 14.7M confirmed cases; 281K deaths

Oregon: 83,243 confirmed cases; 1,021deaths

The UK received vaccine doses first for front line workers. The media has reported that the vaccine will be available to frontline workers in the United States before the end of the year. California has been testing a drive through inoculation process to employ when the vaccine is available to the general population. Sources report this availability could be as early as next summer.

In Oregon, we continue to have record numbers of confirmed cases. This week, a news station reported that Providence Portland hospital has converted 100 beds in addition to the 82 beds already serving COVID patients. Plans are in the works to convert an additional 39 beds for COVID patients.. Staffing all those beds is an ongoing challenge. Other hospitals throughout the state are increasing beds available to COVID patients and are also facing staffing challenges.