Hand Quilting and Precision Piecing {or not}

It took me a couple evenings with the hoop to settle back into my 'zone'. At first the needle felt really small and my fingers were a bit fumbly. The correct rocking motion was eluding me and it doesn't help that my thimble is mostly worn out. Occasionally the needle actually slips right through a hole in the leather {ouch!}.

Hand quilting the Worry Baskets

I finally found my groove late one night after everyone had went to bed, leaving me alone on the couch doing my thing. Ahhh.... Just me and some little baskets, the silence, my thoughts and the soft swooshing noise of the thread moving in and out of the fabric. Complete and total peace. I do love that. Couldn't hardly put it down at the end of that 'last' frame but I'm far from the finish at this particular point. No point in ruining my next day over a silly lack of sleep.

Back in the bag until next time

In good contrast of different quilting methods, I've been working with my Flowering Snowballs a little every day. So glad I went ahead with this challenge, but getting through this particular phase isn't exactly fun. All the seams are pressed in the same direction and it makes for a tough time getting things to match up properly.

Sewing the Flowering Snowball row

I saw a tutorial for using glue, but I just can't quite bring myself to do that yet. Even I know it's a great idea. Fabulous really. And everybody is using glue these days. Except me. Which just makes me stubborn or old fashioned or maybe even... cautious? I mean, what if the glue loves my quilt so much it never wants to wash out? lol

Matching up the seams {or not}

Don't worry. I'm sure I'll get through this rather awkward period in my quilting life too. You know I always have before.

So basically, (by looking at the picture above) you can see what I have to deal with in about one (out of four or five) sets of the piecing match-ups. The seam on the left is just a smidge off. Which is why I baste a small area at the seam before I do the real seam thing. Still....test, test, testing doesn't always eliminate the issue at hand. Every single time I get these results, there is a decision to be made. Yippee skippee. Why does there always have to be decisions? Be fussy flossy and rip it out? Allow for margin of error in my quilt and move on without using the seam ripper? {I am a devotee of the galloping pony test afterall.} And sometimes I just pretend I don't even notice. Which, of course, is always a fun option, but don't kid yourself. It IS a decision too.  ienie mienie minie moe......

Well, this time I came down on the side of fussy. Mostly I'm trying to fix the 'smidge' if it's obvious--a seam width or so. After all, this is a challenge. I might as well try to get it right the first time and LEARN something right? Ahem, all it really means is that I'm learning to pin a little better. Just don't think I'm quite ready for that glue yet.*wink