2012-10-05 Quadrant One Complete

Quadrant One Complete
Hello all, summer passed quickly and fall has arrived. I'm really
 pleased cooler weather is upon us. I worked diligently this
summer and have completed Quadrant One of my quilting.
It doesn't look too bad. Even tho I am using a hoop
on a stand, I can only quilt so far before
repositioning, which can be a chore. I'm excited
to be moving on to Quadrant Two, and I hope I
can keep up the same pace as fall and winter holidays
approach. I look forward to the next update.

View of quilting on the hoop near the
embroidered message area.

The front view of completed Quadrant One. Picture color is
off somewhat.

July 8th, 2012

Just a small update today.  I'm progressing on quadrant one of my quilt.  I have been quilting from the bottom up at an angle and it has not gone very fast.  I am changing the direction I sew now by rearranging the quilt and sewing from right to left.

Hopefully I can progress a little faster than before :-)  See you next update!

QUILTING AHEAD

June 2012 - Hello again.  I found it difficult this past several months to quilt such a large quilt with such a small hoop.  So I "upgraded" to a small quilting frame.  A normal size quilting frame is too large for the area I have designated as my quilting area.  It is just the right size for me to sit and quilt for short periods at a time.  I'm very busy these days in the country.  But I'm truly on my way now, and hope it won't take quite as many years to quilt as it did to create the top :-)



FIRST STITCHES

This past October I went for a relaxing visit with my sister Mary in Texas.  While there Mary gave me my first "hands on" quilting instruction.  She has been quilting since the 1980's and so finds the process easy.  I am starting off using a hoop to quilt in, not an easy method but all I have at the moment.  As I began the process I found "it's not easy!", not near as easy as piecing a quilt :-) .  I will be starting at the center and working my way outwards.

Getting ready to quilt





First stitches



One thing I learned about the quilting process is that there is a lot of fine coordination between fingers and needle.  I had to establish a rhythm first (called rocking the needle) and then it started to go smoother.  My first stitches are slightly uneven, but I've been assured stitch quality will improve the more I work at it, and that some of the uneven stitches are due to the size of squares and numerous seams in this quilt.

Back View

At Home in the Country

September 2011.  Hello all, we are finally moved into our new home in the country.  It was a very difficult move due to the extreme heat this past two months, not to mention all the fires burning around us.  It has been a lot of hard work but hopefully the hard parts are now behind us, and I can settle in and once again start on the quilting phase of my Odyssey!   So hang in there and new updates and pictures will appear soon.

ON HIATUS

Just a note to all the visitors to my blog...I am on temporary hiatus while I move to a new home in the county.  When I get settled in, I will begin the quilting phase of my 1st quilt along with lots of pictures as I progress.  See you most likely in August!

BASTING PARTY

Hello everyone!  My quilt has been assembled, basted / pinned for the next phase of my "Odyssey"!  A GREAT BIG THANK-YOU to all my friends who helped to get the work done! You're the best!  Also a BIG Thank-you to Oklahoma Quiltworks ( http://www.okquiltworks.com/ ) for allowing us to use their classroom in which to assemble it.

Four special friends and myself gathered on Thursday at Oklahoma Quiltworks to get my quilt ready for the next step (quilting).  We ironed, layed out the backing, added the batting and then the top, taped the edges, then sewed and pinned for most of the day.  But the job was finally done, and I'm really excited and ready to move on to quilting it.

Three of my helpers, Sylvia, Kaye and Laura

Ironing the backing - myself (left) and Linda (right)





Taping backing and batting in place

Getting it placed just right; Laura and Linda



Placing the top on the batting; Frm left Laura, Linda and Kaye



Basting, basting, basting! Frm left Linda, Sylvia, Laura & me!



We're done! Frm left Linda, Susan, Laura, Kaye

Folded and ready to take home! Thank-you everyone!