Tuesday, December 17, 2013

Basting on my Knees

The last few days, I have felt like I am running around in circles.  I know it's that time of year and all, but I  was just feeling like I have been spending so much time thinking about it all that it is keeping me from doing any of it.  (Please tell me this happens to you as well ;)  So this morning I decided to stop.  I picked out one thing that I wanted to get done, (not necessarily had to get done, but I know it will make me feel real good when it is done) and that is what I am doing today.   And that one thing I decided on was decreasing the number of tops waiting to be quilted ;)


And since the Star Value quilt was on the top of the pile (and happens to be the smallest of the three :)  it was the lucky winner.  Now, I love the long arm, but I decided I want to quilt this one on my home machine.  Quilting on my home machine is a skill I put a lot of practice into acquiring and I don't want to lose it ;)  And besides, it is always fun to mix it up a bit :)


And on top of that, I am pretty sure I promised a video on quilting swirls on your home machine a while back that I still haven't gotten to.  That is just one more thing floating around up there, so why not knock out 2 birds with one stone.  So ya, consider it Coming Soon :)


Now I am off to go crawl around on my knees on the hardwood floor to do some basting.  I sure do like basting for the long arm better than this method. (as do my knees).   Oh well, it will give me a good excuse to listen to my book on Ipod for the next hour or so :)


Have a Happy Quilting Day!!!
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21 comments:

  1. I have a stack of tops as well and knocked one out the other day. It makes you feel so good to see the finished project. Have you ever tried spray basting? I switched and never went back and am getting way better results than I did with pin basting.

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  2. Hate crawling around on my knees basting! I thought you could baste on a longarm?

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  3. I love that star value quit it's going to look awesome with the swirl quilting. I can't wait to see it finished!

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  4. I definitely spend more time thinking about quilts than actually making quilts lol. I'm so happy you chose the Star Value quilt. Ever since your first post about it I have been in LOVE! Someday.... I too will make that quilt :-)

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  5. LOVE the star one, stunning! and you quilted those swirls on the home machine?? wow... once I got my long arm I never really went back to FMQ on the domestic machine, I do occasionally straight lines with the walking foot....

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  6. Happy basting! I think that's cool that you like to go back and forth between your home machine and the long arm - keeps you in great shape for both :-)

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  7. why aren't you basting on the long arm? I have several friends that send their tops and backs out to be basted and then do the quilting on their home sewing machine.

    I baste on the floor also, reminds me to keep doing my yoga :)

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  8. Ugh. I only quilted a couple things on my domestic until I got my longarm. glad i never have to do that again! :) i probably would not make as many quilts with out it! your swirls look great though, I really like thier "tails". Glad you chose your star value quilt! cant wait to see it all done!

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  9. Love your stars quilt!! And so sorry for your knees: My hubby uses knee pads for his work when he has to crawl around on the floor (picture patterns so big that we have to borrow the gym at church, crawl around to mark the pattern and then crawl around to cut it out!) I'm still too stubborn to put on the knee pads, but I don't do it as often as he does! :-) good luck on getting it done, and have a great Christmas!! Hugs, H

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  10. you must meet my friend "505 Spray baste adhesive", much easier on the knees!! Great quilts but the way

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  11. Ditto what Conni and Katy say about 505, it will be your new BFF, Running circles this time of year is normal too! I bake goodies for others so am going crazy trying to get the baking done for deliveries starting on Thursday! ACK!!!! I'm SEW far behind. Still working on the quilting of a quilt for my youngest grandson for Christmas, and my Gammill is arriving tomorrow! I just got the call a little while ago. I have to empty my living room to fit her in! Yup, running in circles!!!

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  12. I love listening to an audio book while I'm basting and also while I'm free motion quilting. I find it helps me loosen up and go with the flow. Seriously though, you need to get off your knees! I use our outdoor table and a folding table together under our pergola to baste (probably not an option for a Northern Hemisphere winter) but on a smaller quilt I've found I can just squeeze the folding table next to my dining table (with a heavy plastic cover to protect it) and I baste on that. My knees are way past any floor action!

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  13. I've started basting mine at the Sr. Center, that's where my quilt guild meets. I can put a couple of tables together, my friend has these cool clamps we use and it saves my knees. Plus I have the wonderful company of my friends.

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  14. I am totally all over the place, too! So much to do and no time to do it and this year is even worse with restrictions from a recent surgery. No lifting, reaching, bending, twisting... ahhh what was I thinking?!?! I can't baste on the floor, but I have figures a way to get the top on the batting, roll it on a long tube, roll up the backing and then unroll them together onto another tube then unroll again as I pin baste. Yes I know a lot of work, but it works for now.

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  15. Doing Quilt Yoga is another term I have heard for crawling on the floor. I would rather quilt on a Long arm any day! Too bad I don't have access to one anymore. :(

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  16. That is great! I feel the same way. I have been renting long arm machines to finish my quilt tops a lot this year too. But like you said I did put lot of effort into FMQ on my home machine and don't want that to go waste. Quilting small quilts on home machine is fun.
    Enjoy the process.

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  17. It is a good idea to keep up that skill eh! I use my long arm to baste so i dont have to crawl around anymore, though it is good exercise!

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  18. I just fell in love with your Star value! Fab!

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Thank you so much for your sweet comments. I just love hearing from you!!
Have a Happy Quilting Day :)

Melissa