Carpenter Star, FMQ,

The end is in sight!

Last night I finally completed the quilting on the borders.

Only the binding to go now...so I have a decision to make for the binding  fabric.....and then the hand sewing

Not something I love.

The last borders I did were the small dark blue ones.. I was going to add something to the one between the dark blue and the green, as there are many puckers...but decided to stop and hope they are better when the quilt is washed. 

 I also thought - enough is enough!

One of my two trademark ladybugs

And the second, which took me quite a while to find.  I did think I had a third, but must have decided that was enough!

SO - now for the binding ...pheww!

Oh ... and the quilt measured 105" by 88" I thought it was King size, but maybe not quite!

Carpenter Star, FMQ,

Moving along.

Slowly but surly I am getting there.

This is my third corner, and am getting a little more comfortable with this design!

However... I do scribble, with my purple vanishing pen,  registration marks as

I go along... just to guide me on my way.

I do still watch the Curling Amish Feathers on YouTube from Jamie Wallen and I am still picking up hints along the way

So not far to go and then the binding - Ha!

Oh and I am learning how to do video too... may take a while but I am trying :) Not good at talking through them though.. so they may be accompanied by some classical music...if I can work that out too..

Did it before... but you know what they say..... if you don't use it - you lose it!

Hopefully it will get done by this weekend.... the quilting at least.

Carpenter Star, FMQ,

Onto the last wide border,..

I have been watching Jamie Wallen's YouTube video. as I decided to do the Curling Amish feathers for this wide border... Hoping the curves allow for the wonkiness.

I drew the design spines as per Jamies tute..in chalk.. and decided I needed to practice this before i started...as some of the feathers seemed to be sewn 'backward' to me anyway ..

Rough Drawing first..

Corner on the right was the first - then I changed tread to variegated and did the second one.  

Didn't quite get the upside down/back to front ones..

Drew with purple vanishing pencil where I thought I should have gone!

Finished up with these two corners.  The top smaller one was ther first..

Now I think I have the confidence to start the border on the quilt.  

Thanks to Jamie's video of course :)
Had to stretch the feathers a bit much on the last bit..need to watch more of the video to see haow Jamie did the 'stretch feathers :)

Design Wall, Home,

some things that have distracted me - in a good way.

I thought this picture below was rather special :)

 I never thought my DH would use my quilting rulers...he was looking for a straight edge long enough ... and I said - my rulers were very accurate! 

He did doubt me..ha!! 

I am pleased to say that all went well and the cut outs in the design board were in perfect place.

The power plug and the gas bayonet were in perfect position :)

Of course he is also very clever too!!

I am really so lucky to have such a supportive husband.. 

I have been working hard to have this space cleared.. and the cupboards tidy...and there is another design wall on the wall at the end of the space... which was also re-positioned

.

Of course some things have again to be shifted fro one place to another :)

BUT this (below ) is what will fit i this space!

 My Bernina 820 ,Nessie,will be perfect there... and what another huge learning curve I will have now...or at least when its delivered.

I was hoping to get the Carpenters Star completed before it arrived, but can still work on it and THEN move to the frame.
As iIwas going from one thing to another.. I found a small quilt sandwich - that called me to play...so I had a few minutes of time to do this:-

Thats it from me.. tomorrow is another day..

and back to trying to get the house work done and some food cooked 

Carpenter Star, Designs,

Slowly slowly ..

Other things need to get done too unfortunately :)

This is what I am up to currently..

There are two lots of borders like these at the top and the bottom of the quilt.  I still have the middle border to do, and the other set at the bottom of the quilt..

As you can see - its has been badly pinned together ..by me.. and the only thing I can work out is to put circles or some sort of curves in to take up the slack

This is red the first outer border... and there are a few boo-boos when I started it.. However... it stays..remember its an Amish quilt...

and I need to get this finished!

The only thing I can think of doing in the row with just the row of feathers... is to put circle in the borders of that row... It will take time and I may do this when other borders are completed.

The one inch Dark blue borders may need something too... but its getting a bit too heavily quilted I think... if I do that!

Now unfortunately I have some housework to do...Not a choice I like much :(