Quilting Underway

I've had a good start to 2024. 

My number one priority is quilting!!! After six days of working on my latest quilt top in the frame, I have figured out what I am stitching in all places on the quilt top. Deciding what to stitch is always the hardest part. I know from experience, the more regular I am at quilting the easier it is. 

Just loading the quilt onto the frame was a little bit of a nail biter. The top is 104-inches square and of course I bought a wide backing for it. Once all the fabric was washed...and squared up...that backing was a tight fit. I had about an inch on the front of the quilt and maybe two-inches on the bottom. I basted the entire quilt which is what I like to do most of the time because I like to jump around when quilting certain motifs or changing thread colors. 

 

I am giving a thumbs up to running the batting on the steam setting of my dryer to relax the wrinkles from packaging. If the batting shrunk it wasn't noticeable to me but it was 120-inches square so I had way more than I needed.

With the patchwork border a nice cross hatch pattern looks great and is super easy. The snow flakes in the white inner border are pretty easy too. I just have to mark the center line.

Alas...I did spend a full day ripping our some areas. I decided to create an outline border around the white stars. I had only stitched two border stars and setting blocks but had to rip those out to make that change. Never fun but I happier with the change. This border layout is on all four sides. Sometimes I let a block or area stay as initially stitched if I change my mind but I plan to use the quilt on my bed next winter so it will get looked at a lot. 

I finished my first Bucilla project of the year. 

This was a re-release of a previous design which I just realized today...rummaging through my stash of kits...I have the original release from 2002. Wow...it's been over 20 years...no wonder I forgot I had the kit! I wouldn't mind making it again. It would make a nice gift.

I wanted to have a Bucilla kit plan for the coming year. I do find when I have a plan...I get more done. 

I've picked two dimensional kits and a wall hanging that will be a nice little challenge. Noah's Ark and a biggie-sized polar bear and set of penguins. Not a lot of embroidery on those two kits...it's just the awkwardness of working with a 3-D piece that makes them challenging. The Snowflake Santa wall hanging is a Mary Engelbreit design and will be a big embroidery laden project. 

I had opened an ornament set of mice last year and just never got back to finishing it. I don't like mice. I have to deal with shrews and mice living in a rural area. But...those ornaments would make really great gifts for my sons and their families. 

I also want to make more ornaments for friends...like the other grandmother of my granddaughters, She is a fantastic cookie decorator so she is getting some Christmas cookie ornaments.  And my grandson needs a stocking!!! His dad says a stocking with an airplane would be best....I just happen to have one in my stash. I actually bought a couple of these kits for my stash since so many pilots are in our family and friends' circle.

More stockings are needed for my granddaughters. Kate is outgrowing the Llama stocking and since she has taken a few horseback riding lessons, we agreed on the Santa on a horse. It has a companion ornament set with six gorgeous horse ornaments. 

And Kara needs a stocking at her other grandma's house so the Christmas cookie theme is being continued. Santa's Sweet Shop is a kit from 2009. It also has a companion ornament set. 

Finally, a little update on my current cross stitch project. I've finished the three darkest blue colors of floss in the kit. I'm working on the light blue floss. The last color of floss with be white and since this is a full coverage piece...there will be a lot of white stitching. Lots of pretty beads to also add. 

My February quilt retreat is getting closer. What will I work on that weekend???

More planning needed.