After teaching yesterday I went to yet another quilt shop to see if I could match my thread. It is the largest fabric shop in Utsunomiya (meaning that 5 or 6 people can be in the patchwork section at the same time without bumping shoulders) and has a nice selection of fabrics and quilting notions. BUT I was surprised that they didn't carry any Dual Duty thread from Coats and Clark at all! Seems to me that that is a basic for quilters, hand quilting or not. But no. I asked and they didn't carry it. Ah-- another unsuccessful foray in my hunt for matching my thread. But wait! What's this? Another rack of threads and some were marked for machine quilting! I think I even saw Mettler thread there! So in a Japanese brand, in an almost identical variegated color, I found a spool of thread marked for "hand and machine quilting". Well, at least it wasn't just for hand quilting like I'd bought the day before. So I bought it (and some spray bond for basting! What a find!) and brought it home and tried quilting with it.
I finished my stippling last night. Hmmm. I can feel that the thread makes the sewing machine shudder more so maybe it really isn't a great thread for machine quilting. But there didn't seem to be any major bird's nests on the back of the quilt. Standing back from the quilt I can see a difference. My new spool is polyester thread and the old thread was cotton. Now I'm sure you are going to tell me that mixing threads like that was a no-no but the only visible difference is a slight shine to the polyester thread. Hopefully people looking at the quilt with think the light has fallen differently in different corners. This is not going to be an exhibited quilt!! This is just my latest experiment in using batiks and sewing curves and machine quilting.So I've made due with the materials at hand but thank you anyway for the wonderful offer of sending me thread and friendship! I need to figure out something for the centers of my circles next... And then the border... That's on the docket for today!
And speaking of quilting. Here is a block that makes me want to do some hand quilting again (I'm so fickle). This is one of the quilting patterns from Mrs. Furui's latest quilt. She adapted this pattern from another one so I guess you could say it is an original Furui design! Such tiny stitches in a wonderfully bold dark color!
10 comments:
I am loving the look of the quilting on your wall hanging. I think mixing types of threads on a wall hanging is not too much of a problem, but on a quilt that would be washed and used it might cause problems. On my Saturday I am going to begin my first attempt at machine quilting, I wish for as good of an outcome as you have shown on your wall hanging. Hang in there, I have heard that the more machine quilting that you do the easier it becomes.
Your quilting looks great! Love the big circles!
I'm so impressed with your quilting on the Winding Ways! Great Job Tanya.
Hurray for the completion of your Winding Ways quilt! It's very artistic, and the colors are so subtle and beautiful. I'm sure the change of thread doesn't make any difference. Your meandering quilting is interesting.
Mrs. Furui's hand quilting is beautiful. She's quite an needlewoman.
Nice contrast of quilting background and foreground. Well done! I was reading in your archives recently and this is so great in such a short time. Remember the struggles on the 365 quilt? :)
Both quilts are so beautiful with wonderful quilting. There is time enough for both.
Didn't you tell me once that you could not machine quilt? My word, your work is soooo lovely. I love the background/watery stitching in contrast to the circular lines. You are such an artist! And it's a beauty!
I love reading about your life in Japan. Do you think you could take a picture of your completed Winding Ways quilt so we can see it all done? The last time I saw it you were piecing the borders and I don't think I've seen the whole thing yet. The quilting looks great! You've done a wonderful job!
I love your batik quilt!
Please compliment Mrs Furui on her beautiful quilting!!
This is looking really nice! I think a lot of quilters mix thread types and I wouldn't worry about it. I tend to do more overall quilting so usually stick to one but I use the color and weight I need to get the look I want -- some are cotton, some are blends, and some are even 100% poly.
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