Basting Complete!

My batting order arrived a few days ago, and today was the day:  preshrink and fluff the batting, clear out the living room for adequate work space, vacuum most of the dog and kitty fur off the carpet, set up ironing board, starch and iron the backing and top, then on my hands and knees for a couple of hours pin-basting this queen size (86 x 110") beast!

The top and back have been pieced and awaiting quilting for well over a year.  I loved this quilt from the first time I saw it on the cover of the fall 2004 issue of Quilt Sampler.  The pattern is called Dream Catcher, but I'm calling my version Tropical Sunrise.    This top has over 1,250 pieces - yep, I counted them!   Originally I had planned to hand quilt this one, but after reading about the difficulties involved in hand quilting batik fabrics, especially when the backing fabric is also batik,  I've opted to free motion quilt it.  Hope to begin the ditch stitching tomorrow or Thursday, and will spend March and probably most of April with the FMQ and binding.  This one is slated to be a wedding gift.

I've also been making some slow progress on the little angel quilt that was one of my January NewFO projects.   Did some background FMQ work this morning.  A little more on the bottom section tomorrow, then will need to decide whether to add any quilting in the borders.  At this point I'm thinking the borders which will finish at 1 1/4" will remain unquilted, but we'll see.   My major quandry right now is what to do with that plaid dress.  The homespun type fabric is quite thick and stiff, especially with the fusible backing.  Now that the batting and quilt back are added and everything is outline quilted, that skirt has way too much pouf and sagging.  I first thought I might add embroidered little daisies in each of the squares to try to flatten out that area, but that didn't turn out well and they were ripped out immediately.  I'd like to avoid free motion quilting this area, though that may end up being the only workable option.   I might also try using embroidery floss and tying the skirt at each little blue square corner of the plaid.  Anyway, here's what it looks like at the moment.  For those who might not have seen my previous post, this little angel was directly inspired by a larger angel hanging by Ulla of Ulla's Quiltworld blog.   The embroidered birds and vines are from a 1976 Dover Needlework Series book entitled Peasant Iron-on Transfer Patterns by Ed Sibbett, Jr., found at a recent quilters estate sale.

And, in the ongoing saga of the sixteen-year quilt, I took the hoop off this queen size senior citizen this afternoon and spread it out on the floor after the other basting project was completed.  Here's where this one sits now - see all those wrinkly green setting triangles?  Those are the LAST of the major areas still awaiting hand quilting.  I'm thinking if major miracles happen, this one might just finally get finished this year.  Don't hold your breath ... I'm not.   The last stitch on the binding of this one's going to be so sweet.  This pattern is called Biblical Blocks and is from Rosemary Mahan's book of the same name.  This one is like the proverbial albatross, and may be the last quilt this large that I try to hand quilt.   My next one slated for hand quilting is a throw size Civil War era pattern, yet to be pieced, so no pressure there.  

So that's what has been happening here this week.  What have you been up to today?