Monday, September 28, 2015

LOG CABIN QUILTED!

Well, ladies, I am finished quilting my log cabin quilt!!!  I still need to bind it, but that will be easy.  As you might remember, I was having problems with my sewing machine and took it to be adjusted once and then took it back for a second look because I was still having problems.  Luckily for me, Elaine was having issues with her Janome machine at the same time.  We emailed back and forth several times and I even sent her pictures of what my sewing machine was doing.  This isn't the first time she has helped me.  She was my inspiration to get started quilting my own quilts with FMQ (free motion quilting) probably back in 2010.  Anyway, she sent me an email with some pointers and strangely enough, leaving the feed dogs UP with the stitch length set to 0 while FMQing is the way to go.  I also remembered something from watching one of Leah Day's videos and that was to use Magic Bobbin Washers under the bobbin.  I had some, but had forgotten about it.  By doing these things, my problem is solved and I have been able to quilt with confidence again.

It is so frustrating when the machine puts a "rats nest" on the bottom of the quilt.  I still have to go back and fix some of those.



Rat's nest to fix
I quilted the whole quilt with hooked feathers without marking the top in any way.  I quilted the right side of the feather following the light or dark diamond shape and when I got to where I started I switched to the left side and followed that around.  When I quilt hooked feathers, they aren't necessarily real even, but they look good anyway.   I try to stay within that color section, but if there is quilting that extends over from the dark section I can just make the feather smaller or larger as the case might be.  It's very forgiving and with a busyness of the fabric, it's not noticeable.


I started piecing this quilt sometime in early 2012 and worked on it a lot in our camper while we were on trips.  The inspiration for it came to me while visiting Beth in the Chicago area and she took me to several quilt shops.  Click on her name for the post I did in 2011 and if you scroll down you will see a log cabin quilt in one of the shops.



Here's a picture of the quilt kind of spread out on the couch with DH holding part of it up.



I had a very pleasant surprise this week when Quilting Babcia called me and wanted to meet me for coffee.  I had known that she was coming to town for a visit from New York, where she had moved to last year.  We met at a coffee shop about 5 minutes from my home and sipped coffee while catching up on this past year of her moving to New York and me getting settled in Oregon, then went across the street to the local quilt shop.  We had originally met in 2013 when I won a giveaway from her and since we were visiting our son who lives near where she lived at that time, we met in person for the first time.

I just checked out Lori's final episode for here quilt-a-long.  I will sew that together today!

18 comments:

  1. Glorious finish, Ruth!
    Is there anything better than a log cabin quilt? Beautiful job!
    I'm glad you got the help you needed so your machine quit building nests! I, too, had to leave my feed dogs up when I quilted on my DSM.
    Hooked feathers are something I love to see, but haven't really learned. Looks great on your quilt!!

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  2. Your Log Cabin quilt is absolutely gorgeous! Makes me want to make one, but when??? Thanks much for the helpful quilting hints and interesting links. I have the magic bobbin washers, but forget to use them too. It is such a joy to read about your life and all your travels connected to your quilting. You've truly been blessed, and such a blessing to me too! ---"Love"

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  3. I understood why you were inspired by this Log in this shop !! It's so awesome and you realized a wonderful quilting on it !
    Congrats Ruth !

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  4. WOW Ruth! That looks amazing! So beautiful! Your work always is!!

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  5. Oh Ruth, it's stunning. What a quilt! What a treasure! A real heirloom. Your quilted feathers are fine - don't be so critical of yourself. My Janome has been misbehaving and I can't thank you enough for the tips to stop the bird nesting. I'll have to check if we can buy those washers here in Australia.

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  6. Love your log cabin quilt. This is my all time favorite quilt pattern cause everything goes in it. Yours is beautiful!!!!

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  7. Quilt is beautiful and thank you for the quilting tips.

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  8. Looks great! sorry to hear about the nests - in addition to the magic washers I also use a thread tree. I does wonders evening feeding the thread through the machine for FMQ. It was recommended by Sharon Schamber

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  9. I sometimes think there hasn't been a log cabin I didn't like, but that's not true. Some don't speak to me, Yours however is singing loudly to me. It is wonderful!!!

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  10. Beautiful quilt. Thanks for the reminder about the Magic Bobbin Washers as I also have them, but tend to forget to use them. Silly me.

    QuiltShopGal
    www.quiltshopgal.com

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  11. Way to go! There is nothing better than a log cabin quilt and I love yours!

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  12. Your quilt looks lovely! How nice to have figured out the machine quilting problem.
    Fubn to get together with online friends, isn't it?

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  13. Oh Ruth, your log cabin quilt is absolutely stunning!!! I LOVE it!!! I've been cutting strips from scraps for a log cabin quilt! I only hope my looks half as beautiful as yours!!!

    Blessings

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  14. Oh wow Ruth, your quilt is stunning.

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  15. What a stunning quilt! There is nothing better than a well-done Log Cabin and those that are all Civil War fabrics are the very pinnacle of the best!!!

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  16. Absolutely gorgeous!
    A lovely, wonderful finish, congratulations!

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  17. I have read about several people using these magic bobbin thingamajigs but have also read that they aren't to be used on a Bernina sewing machine. I can't figure out why not.

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  18. Your quilt is beautiful I love the colors!

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