In Stitches

. . . but ain't nobody here laffin'.

I attached bunny's second arm last night. I generally will follow a pattern to the letter the first time I use it. This pattern instructed the arms be assembled by folding down the top edge, sewing the pieces together all around the perimeter (excluding the top), stuffing the turned arm, sewing the top closed, then hand-sewing it to the body.

Even before making the arms I was thinking "there's GOT to be a better way!" I knew darn well that it was going to be awkward sewing a stuffed something onto another stuffed something, even with the appropriate tool (see curved needle on bunny's hand).

As Nann is fond of saying, "Nevertheless, she persevered."

The corners were the worst. With the folded-over top edge, there are 8 layers of corduroy to pull/push that needle through.

I was loathe to use pliers, as I've seen how they can chew up the surface of whatever they're gripping. "Be more stubborn than the equipment" is my motto and it continues to serve me in good stead. The arms are both firmly attached now and no flesh was pierced in the process. A minor miracle and a major victory in my book!

Future arms will be created/attached by leaving a small opening at the back of the arm for turning, and the turned-but-empty arms machine-sewn to the body (as are the legs) before the body and head are turned right-side out. I intend to experiment with button joints as well. I've got enough large button pairs in white/clear/tan for 20+ bunnies, and I remember it being a relatively easy way to attach limbs to stuffed animals.

. . . .

I'm trying a different approach to quilting the current sandwich (Disappearing 9-patch). I'm using a pattern called Open Fan, and thought I'd take the traditional approach of quilting Baptist Fans from the outside in.

Once the perimeter was quilted I started measuring the edges so I could sew up some binding, only to discover a huge pleat in the backing!

The pleat is 18" long. Follow the white pin heads as they travel horizontally across this image.

As is the mind's first inclination when trying something new, I thought it was the fault of the outside-in quilting, but I soon realized the size and placement of this pleat was due instead to faulty basting. After hand-stitching down the pleat edge, I double-checked the entire back for more problem areas. Darned if there wasn't another 18" pleat in the opposite corner!

The first disadvantage to the outside-in quilting: you can't unpin/smooth/repin everything should shift happen. This was 90 minutes of hand sewing I hadn't planned on spending today. Except for the time I intentionally tried an inappropriate fabric, I don't recall ever having this much trouble with a backing before! I'm very careful to pull all layers taut as I move from section to section during the pinning, so I have no idea how things got so wonky with this one. I'm going to be sure to double-check the backs from now on before I start in quilting.

I truly hope there won't be any more trouble with the back as I continue to quilt this. Time will tell, and so will I!