Tumbler Progress: 1.5 Bobbins

Yesterday I straightened up the sewing room,  reset up my machine for FMQing, found the thread, half filled a bobbin, changed the needle, put the quilt under the needle and started putting the quilting stitches in the tumbler.

I started by doing one straight line, then turning the piece and going in the other direction with the angles - took 2.5 hours for all that!

Filled the bobbin and left things set up for today.

Today I was able to just start sewing! I think I did one straight and one pass with angles, then decided to only do the straight passes for alternating rows before considering doing more angles.  There were a few places where the fabric puckered, I just kept going.  Hopefully these puckers will not be noticeable once the quilt is washed.   Other than that, things went well.  I decided to go back and put a line at every seam before considering the angles again.

I did remember this second day to change the stitch length so it was shorter at the beginning and end of each line, so I'll be able to trim and not have to hide the ends as I did with the pajama bag!

It like going thru a sea of color and memories.  I'm enjoy seeing the fabrics again as they pass the needle.  I makes me happy to come across the fabric and decide, now that's my favorite.  Only to change my mind with another set of colors appear.


I don't remember why my then future DIL was with me, but I do remember she was with me when I got three different orange fabrics and she helped pick them out. Probably for the Block Lotto year.  And I'm glad when the fabric I used for pants for my son appear and remind me of those times.

I traded tumblers with an older lady in class so there are some really different for me fabrics, like flowers and these little bird houses. I've never noticed fabric like that when I have been to the store.  I can imagine it framing a window or on an apron when she was a young bride.  Fun.

I remembered when I got to a corner that the batting I used had a corner cut out so I had to cut a piece from another side and place it in the quilt sandwich, so there was batting in that corner.  It's secured pretty well I think.  I'll do some extra stitching there, perhaps with a label, before I give the quilt away. I should finish the quilt for my husband before I do that...

This batting a rather flat, it's warm and natural cotton I believe.  With the pins there is a lot of weight to this project so it seems wonderful.  I hope once it's quilted the weight will be nice for our friend.  It's a lot easier to remove the pins than it was to put them in!

Going to stop now after about 4 hours since I sewed thru a bobbin's worth of thread. This time I filled two bobbins so it will be a quicker change out the next time I quilt this. I'm not tired but do have some other work to do before my husband returns from work!

After 1.5 bobbins of quilting, and about 4 hours of quilting.