Monday, July 14, 2008

Quilting My Hotflash

Sometimes I'm not exactly sure how I'm going to quilt an entire quilt. But if I have a good idea for a certain part of it, then I start there and figure the rest will come to me as I go along. (No, I don't worry whatsoever about starting the quilting in the middle and working out from there.

For Mini Hotflash I know I want lines going across the middle, so that's where I started. Not straight lines. bleck. too hard. no, these are sinuous. Can't get them wrong that way.

You know how it goes when you photograph quilts - often get a model. Here's Pokey:

The middle of Mini Hotflash:

I'm freehand marking the lines and you can see from the rubouts that I change my mind and redo them. I'm trying to hit every block of fabric, so that dictates my lines somewhat.

My chalk lines are big and fat - I can quilt on the left, middle, or right of my marking, not to mention wander off it entirely.

Hmm, did you guess that I'd finished handquilting Orphan Train? I did and that's a big woohoo!!!

Sweetie and I finished The Closer Season 3. Love, love, love that show. This season didn't have single ho-hum episode in the batch and most were excellent. My favorite definitely had to be the one that started with Provenza and Flynn and a cop's funeral - what a hoot. Tracey, I know you have a problem with those big, red overly-lipsticked lips of Brenda's - that is addressed this season. Try it, seriously.

22 comments:

comicbooklady said...

I absolutely love, love those free flowing lines! It really suits the quilt!

PS I was re-reading your letters instructions and the photos of the cats with their quilted names are brilliant, would love to see stuff like that in your book too!

Ruth said...

The new Closer season starts tonight. Woo Hoo! My DH will tape it because I will be at my guild meeting - we're having a salad supper.

Unknown said...

Sinuous lines work for me! Straight lines are the refuge of the unimaginative IMHO.

Donna said...

The sinuous lnes add a real sense of movement and flow to Hot Flashes. :-)

I have a friend who swears by quilting a piece relatively lightly all over -- and then getting on with using the peice. When she feels like adding quilting she takes it down (from the bed, the wall whatever), and just adds more.... I could see you doing a similar thing.

Paula said...

Love your quilting philosophy! The wavy lines are free form and seem so "do-able"!

Kristin Shields said...

The quilting looks great. I wouldn't have thought to do it that way. Congrats on finishing Orphan Train. That's such a good feeling isn't it?

Lynda said...

Your stitches are so small and even! Mine look like Big Sticth, even when I'm trying not to!

Diane said...

These colors are magnificent and your choice of quilting totally suits the quilt. It spoke and you listened!

Diane said...

These colors are magnificent and your choice of quilting totally suits the quilt. It spoke and you listened!

MARCIE said...

The Closer is my favorite also. I think the new season starts tonight! Do you get it at all over there or do you have to buy the cd's? Love this mini-hot flash. All solid colors and they look great!

Purple Pam said...

Oh, I can't wait for tonight for the new Closer either! It is one of my favorite programs. Another one is Shark. Love that James Woods. And Burn Notice just started up again. That's about all the tv I watch, besides Perry Mason. I fall asleep if I sit too long trying to watch tv! I can't get any sewing done that way!

jacquie said...

ooooh thanks for the idea. i need to stop fussing so much on the quilting part.

Maureen and P.D. the Pet Dog said...

Hi Tonya, I'm sitting at my desk at work eating my lunch, when I opened your blog and saw your quilting stitches I exclaimed outloud, "Oh! I love it!" Thanks for making my day!

atet said...

Oooh -- love the slightly curvy lines and the mini quilt! And thanks for the info about Joss and his latest project. I'm seriously going to have to check it out!

Anonymous said...

you and bonnie are really creepy

Carol E. said...

I love Pokey!

Sharon said...

It's good to see Pokey on the quilt - it helps me get an idea of the scale of the quilt. I think your quilting philosphy is just right! That's how I do my machine quilting too.
Loved Dr Horrible tonight! I can't wait to see Part II! What did you think of it?

dutchcomfort said...

Love the curvy quilting, and the colours of the quilt, and Pokey!

Clare said...

Yet another brilliant way of quilting. Oh I do wish my stitches were as small as that. I'm doing the Crumbs quilt at the moment. The stitches are manic because of those big lumps of fabric in the seams (sigh).

Cher said...

hurray for quilting done on Orphan Train-and we watched the first season kick off Monday night- another great season ahead. love this quilting on this current quilt.

Bonnie K. Hunter said...

I love how this quilting is turning out! It makes me want to baste my 3am hotflash and get going on it. But I'm down to the borders on the funky basket quilt..so I shall perservere!!

Bonnie

jovaliquilts said...

Love that quilting. I'm thinking I'll try some handquilting while I'm mostly relegated to the recliner while my foot heals. Only seen through season 1 of The Closer, but I enjoyed it -- think I'll start season 2 while I'm recuperating, too. Lots of TV time! Thanks for the suggestion.