Finally Finished!

My grandson Lukas is now four and two-thirds years old. His brother Nikolaus not quite a month. Both finally have the baby quilt I started five years ago. It's one that has hand applique and embroidery. The quilting is hearts and loops. It's the quilting that began the frustration.

And now, the joy.

I wanted to give the quilt for Lukas' birth. Instead, I realized there was no way I could machine quilt it. I simply did not have the skill.

The quilt was put away and I vowed to learn to quilt by machine. I took classes.I bought books and videos. I fumbled my way through a few small projects. I made lots of tops and that's how they've remained. Every New Year I make the resolution to finally learn to machine quilt. Every year I have failed. Miserably.

The baby's quilt was a glaring symbol of my failure. A growing collection of tops mocked me. I'd either have to learn to machine quilt or accept that I would spend my quilting career as a topper.

I focused on doing something I hadn't done before -- sitting down at my machine and practicing for an hour or more every day. I don't like muslin samples that all the books recommend so I started making placemats. The cat loves them. Leaves and loops. Easy to transition to hearts and loops. Finally I began on the baby's quilt.

In this photo it's finished except for the binding.

I discovered I really enjoy machine quilting! So much so that I gave myself an early Christmas present: a Juki TL-98Q. It's a straight stitch machine with a wide throat. Perfect for machine quilting.

Now the real learning begins!