Two quilts and two processes

Longarming or domestic?  What's faster in the long run?  Which is easier?  Which do you like more?

Let's start with the part I like the LEAST when I think about both processes.  I cannot stand basting whether by needle for hand quilting or pins for using my domestic machine.  This little cutie was small enough I could avoid the floor and use the kitchen island.  The problem is that I can't secure the backing to the granite to be sure I don't get tucks.  Binder/alligator clips aren't big enough.  Painter's tape is like silly putty and pulls right off with any pressure.  I don't like the sticky-sticky tapes because they cause fraying.  So, I didn't secure the backing and adjusted when I quilted it.  More on that later.  Mr Iquiltforfun later suggested picnic table clips (hidden somewhere in the depths of the garage) and I think he's on to something.  We just have to find them for the next time!  Once a quilt is basted -- life gets easier and my attitude improves considerably.

This is the finished product (sans binding which I'll add today).  I used my little Janome Platinum Jem which is a bit small.  The Bernina just came back from getting cleaned on Tuesday and I couldn't bear to start out with a machine quilting project and fuzz her up again.  I'd like to just piece on her for a while!  Every time I machine quilt these days (baby quilts are my limit), I am amazed that I used to do queen sized quilts (straight line and mediocre free motion) on my domestic machine.  I stand in awe of those who produce works of art on their machines.  Amazing!  Kudos to you all.

Since I had committed a quilting faux pas and had not secured the backing, I was concerned I'd get tucks in the back if I had any looseness at all.  So, instead of cross hatching or quilting vertically and horizontally in any form, I did all the quilting in the same direction and tried to alternate from each end to keep it from pulling too much.  This is my "go to" quilting option when I want to do something a little playful and still have a bit of control.  I think it works fine with this quilt design and fabrics and more importantly -- it's done!

The twin was done when I went to Chicago and used my friend's Gammill, Sadie.  I use zippers for quicker loading and unloading and have finally figured out how to put them on.  I've been known to do those wrong and then have to take off the zippers and pin to the leaders anyway.  Pinning and I do not get along and I prefer not to bleed on the quilt if I can avoid it.  This particular quilt has a minkee backing and I knew it had to be done on a long arm or I would have been on the floor with T-pins if I'd had to quilt it at home and stretching minkee is a challenge on a good day.

I mentioned in an earlier post that this is the easiest quilt ever.  It's modified from Kim Schaefer's Cozy Modern Quilts and I simplified her directions to use strip piecing and reduced the 8" blocks to 6".  I literally made one top in an afternoon after church -- like in 2.5 hours and I'm not fast.  I had some of the strips cut but not many; so start to finish, it's probably 3-4 hours to make a baby quilt top if you've already ironed your fabrics (presuming you wash -- which I wanted to do with these brights to make sure there was no bleeding).

One is bound (striped binding on bias which is perfect but doesn't show up in pix) and will be delivered locally this week to a young man who I adore.  The other one will be bound this weekend and sent to Montana to another young man who is very special.  Both were high school friends of our son and there are nothing but good memories about both those young men.

I hope you're finding time to finish a few things so you can start all kinds of new and fun things!!!!  Jan