Lookit her go!
I had a backing ready to go for this one, a backing I had cobbled together several months ago when I was housing Community First! Quilters' bin of Orange/Yellow donated fabrics. This is the mock-up I made on the computer:
As I was basting along, I glanced over and noticed this, another pin!
I knew it wasn't pinned through the backing and when I flipped over the top, there was the culprit:
I used to read with incredulity tales by other quilters of pins that had been quilted into their work, and never understood how they could possibly be that absent-minded or careless. Now I get it! I had marked this place as a seam needing resewing, and evidently I missed or forgot my little "Note To Self". I'm glad I caught it in time! Rather than haul the whole thing to the machine (or the machine out to the table) I grabbed a needle and thread and stitched it up the old-fashioned way.
As a thank-you for all the work I contributed toward making the CF!Q retreat a success back in April, I was given a gift certificate for the quilt shop where we meet 2 out of every 3 months. I used it toward buying a cone of King Tut thread "Flower Pot". It should be perfect in the bobbin when I quilt this crumb quilt.
I'm still pondering how I intend to quilt the top. Feathers may play a role.
That is certainly an unusual log cabin setting. Good thing you found that errant safety pin before your machine's needle did! How do you create the mockup with pictures of the different fabrics?
ReplyDeleteI measure each piece and write that down with a brief description of the fabric, then take its photo. In the graphics software I use (PaintShop Pro--a freebie that came with a video game the boys loved as kids. They're in their 30s now), I create a new file for each fabric using its dimensions times 100. So if I have a 18"x22" piece, I'll create a file that's 1800x2200 pixels. I use the fill function to insert the pattern from the photo of that fabric. The scale is usually WAY off, but for cobbling it doesn't matter. Next I use the text function to add the dimensions so I don't get confused as I shift pieces around.
DeleteOnce I have all the individual pieces made, I create a large 7400x9400 file (74"x94") and start filling that with the smaller files/fabric pieces. That'll be the backing as a whole.
With limited room for laying things out, this system has worked well for me over the years.
C
I've had to remove a safety pin with wire cutters once, I was sewing 2.5" strips directly to the pinned batting and backing then pressing them open and repeat. I just flipped the strip back, pressed and missed the pin. Careless but then that's me. So far I've never made that same mistake and I hope the same applies to you too.
ReplyDeleteI like the concept of never making the same mistake twice: it clears the way for so many NEW mistakes!
DeleteC