Wednesday, August 25, 2010

First day with my new feet!

Do you remember the little 2.5" 4-patches that I found at the Habitat Resale Store a month ago for a quarter?
I put them together, and used the resulting mini-quilt as my first machine quilting project with my new walking foot. What fun! I finished the binding and buried all the threads last night while watching America's Got Talent. I've only seen the show two or three times, and while America has more talent than I do, I was mightily UN-impressed with many of the acts. Anyway, VOILA!
It measures 13.75" by 21.5".

I marked the lines with my blue marking pen, and again, marvelled at the fact that the lines come right out with water. I was a non-believer for so long, so I find it so fascinating to watch the marks disappear right in front of my eyes!
The stitches are all different lengths, and I don't know yet the correct way to start and stop, but I'll figure it out.
I was so happy when I finished burying all the threads on the front until I turned it over and realized I had to do it on the back, too. Ugh!

Next up, free motion quilting with the Quilt-Along by Christina over at A Few Scraps!

In other news, this week is the first week of school. Here are the boys waiting for the bus on Monday, making faces, as usual (and with toothpaste on Donald's shirt, as usual). They were both so excited, and on Day 3, the level of excitement remains high. It is such a blessing to have both boys in school together now - I feel much more relaxed, much less like a chicken running around with her head cut off picking up one, then the other, trying to remember two different schedules and whatnot.

Donald getting on the bus. The driver rushed him on, wouldn't let him pose on the steps for a photo. C'mon grumpy ol' bus driver, dude! A kid only has ONE first day of Kindergarten!

I got over my annoyance with the bus driver once I realized that I got to enjoy my entire 18-minute commute to work in SILENCE. Or listening to NPR without someone in the back seat complaining about the boring news. I sure do love my little boys, but I am also enjoying the independence we are all gaining as they grow up!

10 comments:

The Cozy Quilter said...

I like your picture of Donald getting on the bus, eager to go to school and excited to start a new adventure! I love the new mini quilt--I need to learn to do mitred corners --Could you give me a lesson?

Shay said...

Ummmmm...what is this burying the threads of which you speak? I just cut mine off...am I doing it wrong?

Your boys look more alike in that photo than I have ever seen. How cool they're both off at the same place and you get 18 minutes down time !

Rhoda said...

I remember when my 4th child stepped on the bus for Kindergarden. I thought I would do a little jig, but I broke down in tears, instead!
What an adorable little table runner. Did you have fun with the quilting? It looks great.

Cheryl Willis said...

glad to see you have feet! (or foot?) I don't bury my threads, I usually do either a back stitch or a couple of small stitches at the end and cut them off.
School has started here and two of my grands are in the same class, wonder if that will ever happen again.

Stray Stitches (Linda G) said...

I like the mini quilt you made and the machine quilting you did. But I've never heard of burying the thread. I just take a couple of very small stitches at the very end of my stitching and then cut it off as close as possible to the fabric.

Char said...

So glad you're using your feet. Your quilting looks great. Even though I make small stitches at the beginning and ending of my quilting I still bury my threads as you do in hand quilting.

Barb H said...

I bury my threads. I tried taking a few stitches to anchor the ends but didn't like the effect. I manually put the needle down into the quilt and bring it up again. Raise the foot and pull on the top thread, This brings the bobbin thread up enough that I can go in with a needle, seam ripper, whatever, and pull the bobbin thread all the way to the top. Then I lower the foot and begin to stitch. Later, both threads are on the quilt top and I thread them into a large-eyed needle and bury them in the batting as you would do in hand quilting. Haven't had one work it's way out yet!

Stephanie Hughes said...

Oh, I love this. I buy things from ebay sometimes and make things from them. Go to my page and check out my ebay tag and it will show you the things I have made them from. Steph

Janet said...

Your boys are so cute! Ah first days of school - a mixture of relief that you'll have time for yourself and sadness that your children are growing. I love your miniquilt fabrics!

Em said...

Erin, I have yet to figure out the back thing so you are not alone....Curt is fabulous, what a duo you are. I am not going to show Roxy his stitches.....look what happened when you and your husband met.....LOVE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!