Quilting with Tourettes

I think you folks who like to FMQ, and have a regulation-sized machine - the average-sewing home owner's-type machine - will understand what I meant by "quilting with Tourettes."

Trying to manipulate your target area under the needle (to stitch your intricate design) while also navigating the bulk of the material (to the right of your working area) through the small space between the sewing bed and the motor of the machine will often sound like an orchestrated series of: thrumming machine, the steady kehrthwip-kehrthrip-kehrthrip of the needle rising and plunging through the material, and the intermittent expletives of madness when the bulk gets hung up on something making your stitches cramp up or jump in size when you least want it to.

@!*#%$!

Terrorfication (cont.)

I was looking SO forward to topstitching - to the quilting process - had it all thought out (or so I thought).

I had my templates cut and at the ready, and even had a game plan for which portions to tackle first, second, third and so on.

So WHY did it take me until 6:31PM tonight to put that first stitch in....to plant the needle for the first time and begin the quilting process?

I don't know either! I really don't, but once I started moving, and I took a deep breath and jumped in, it went fairly well.

It's that darned terrorfication I tell ya.

So now, I am taking a break to get some dishes washed (holy cow, do they stack up quickly when you aren't paying attention). I knew we were in a heap o' hurt when there weren't any more clean teaspoons for a yogurt or cup of tea yesterday.

8^P

Tomorrow is a whole new day and I am excited at the prospect of making a huge dent in the overall project, finishing up the portion I began tonight and moving on to more of the design.

Anyhow, the terror I was feeling a few hours back has abated, and while I would like to continue to quilt further into the night, I do realize the importance of knowing when to say "when."

Just because...

Some people have been on 'pins and needles' waiting for a glance at the project under wraps.Due to the fact that it is almost Christmas I am feeling a bit charitable...but just a smidge.

Here are two photos to replace the last one (that horrible angle of the pinning process), and I hope they give you a thrill.

Oh, yea!

Pinning.....ugh.

The day has finally arrived!

Oh yeah, baby! The piecing is at an end.

THE PIECING IS AT AN END!!

Of course, I still can't divulge the entire top just yet, but I am ready to move on to the backing and - perhaps tomorrow - stretching and basting. Wouldn't that be wonderful!?

Pssss-s-s-s-s-s-t! YES, that would be wonderful.

Here is a small sampling of what was accomplished today. Yup, the final block!

It's a "small" sample because this final block is one quarter the size of the full blocks.