Tools of the Trade

After observing, viewing, and studying quilting motifs I was very often astounded how quilters could get the quilting so perfect while using complimentary thread over complimentary fabric. How did they see to quilt it? How were they able to make their stitches so perfect without being able to know where they were going? What was their secret?

No matter how hard I tried to see my stitches in a thread/fabric complimentary situation, I was basically stitching blind. I would stop often to feel my way around to see what I had done and more keenly, where I was going to next.

After attending the quilt show last week and stopping by the Handi Quilter booth, I think we found our secret.

The secret

This little light clamps on to the side of my left handle bar (I don't use it much anyway since I quilt one-handed). The key is to get light shining sideway ACROSS the threads rather then trying to struggle with the overhead lights in either the studio or on the machine. Neither of those were working anyway so we had to try something else.

The quilt currently on DW...

VW's First Quilt

...is a customer quilt. Customers generally tend to not like to see much of the quilting in their quilts. That's why they made the quilt in the first place; to see the design within the top. Only the crazy long-armers/quilters look at the overall quilting much (right?).

The thread selected for this quilt is blending so well, that even with a direct spotlight we could hardly see the stitches. With our new little side light, I can see everything baby! It's wonderful.

Cheerios was taken off yesterday, but it is incomplete. When getting to the last two inches I realized I was running out of backing fabric. I have to scrounge some more from around here some where (I have a tiny bit left that I may be able to piece together), but put that away until I could get through these five other quilts. 

So, with some bobbins all wound,

I'll crank up Pandora and Rock and Quilt!