Machine Quilting?!

I do not have time to be blogging this morning but here goes for ten minutes.

Yesterday I got a surprise trip to a fabric shop new to me in the next city. One of the ladies in my English lesson was traveling so the other lady, who is a quilter, said "Let's make use of the two hours to go to a fabric shop." I was jumping to go! I had just laid out my Wicked quilt and pulled out fabric and realized that I wouldn't have enough for backing unless I pieced it. More delays on quilting. Anyway, we went to the shop, I found some fabric that was reasonable and I came home and sandwiched it immediately!

My fingers were itching! Quilting, quilting, what am I going to do? I'd asked my students advice and she, who would never think of machine quilting said, "Do it. You have to at least try." I came home, made a plastic quilting template, got the design I wanted on the quilt and after another lesson I said a prayer and put the quilt under the needle!

I think I quilted for about an hour and a half, sometimes despairing of the thing, sometimes patting myself on the back. The stitch in the ditch quilting was more difficult than I'd expected (doing it freehand), but besides the horrid circle in the middle of the feather wreath, the feathers are quite enjoyable!

The pictures look great (but the actual quilting isn't very even when you look at it with your own eyes.) I guess the cats approve. Anyway, I've got two feathers quilted and I'll try to put in an hour this afternoon.

This morning got some reaffirmation from Conni too about the machine quilting and she encouraged me to try so I am feeling really good today! Onward Ho!