Saturday, August 13, 2011

Ding Dong! The Ditch Work's Done!

Look at a stone cutter hammering away at his rock, perhaps a hundred times without as much as a crack showing in it. Yet at the hundred-and-first blow it will split in two, and I know it was not the last blow that did it, but all that had gone before. –Jacob A. Riis

When I started working on the machine quilting for this quilt, I planned to only stitch-in-the-ditch the main seams and maybe a few spots in the blocks where it was obvious that it was needed and fill in anything else as I worked on the individual blocks. But while I was stitching I decided that pretty much the whole quilt could use it and since I was going to do it anyway, I might as well do it all at once. I think I've been working on it for about three weeks now. I had interruptions and distractions but it is finally done and I've moved on to the fun stuff. Here's a peek at what I've been working on. I love how the center turned out on this block.

Can't even tell I stitched-in-the-ditch, can you :lol:? All that work for something that doesn't show . . . but it makes a nice frame for the free-motion and I really like how stable it keeps the quilt, while you push and pull and fold and roll it to fit through the tiny throat of the machine. After I finished the SID, I started with my light pink thread and did everything that needs that color, so none of the blocks are finished yet. This is one of my favorite blocks and I wanted to do something really fun with the quilting.

I really like how this block is coming out too.

I'm going to change thread colors and see if I can get a few more stitches in before bed.

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6 comments:

QuiltNut Creations said...

you absolutely rock!

Shay said...

Gorgeous Quilting Elizabeth...Im sitting here struggling with some straight lines on BWR and you're making me drool with your gorgeous creativity! I wish I was half as talented.

Paulette said...

You are doing an amazing job, Elizabeth! It's so much fun to see your quilting.

mom said...

I love the orange (for lack of the exact color name) blocks. They are awesome! Elizabeth you are so creative and talented!

Michelle said...

Your quilting is just gorgeous, E. I'm so impressed.

whimsyfox said...

Ditto on Shay's comment. I'm crying at how good you've become at that free motion quilting! Fabulous. Can't wait to see all those doodles you designed coming to life on this.

And can I send you some quilt to quilt for me? ;P