The First UFO - Lone Star!

Finished quilting this Lone Star a week or two ago but forgot to show it.  Now on the bed in my guest room. Fits in well with the old Laura Ashley "Winter Lily" curtains don't you think?
Mainly loose meandering quilting to fill in the empty spaces, but close vermicelli quilting in the diamonds.

Have yet another UFO - blue Lone Star  - which I'm finishing off  - all the large diamonds are pieced and corner squares cut and ready to insert.  I'm working on this Lone Star in between layering 2 quilt tops and FMQ my 1930's quilt.  It's good to have a change of activity.
Saves RSS - repetitive strain syndrome.

Have enough UFO's to keep me going for at least 12 months.

Not worried or overwhelmed -  the weather being as it is - cool and wet - am enjoying the work and honing my FMQ skills in the process.

Preparing to FMQ a 1930's style quilt!

Here's my next UFO quilt on the conveyor belt . . well, on the Juki actually.  Have 2 more waiting to be layered (tedious chore) plus other quilt tops in the wings.  This 1930's quilt will have to remain on kitchen table whilst I decide exactly how to tackle it.

Modern patterns do not appear to sit well on old style quilts. McTavishing cum Kitchen Window design as per completed Wm Morris quilt (see earlier post) not really appropriate - nor modern geometric designs.

 Have a couple of antique quilts in the loft. Will look to see how they were quilted and maybe adapt their hand quilted designs for the sewing machine.  Decisions decisions . . .

Beautiful Polly Swann - in every way!

Grand-daughter Polly Swann at rehab for back injury sustained in April during rowing with GB team in Italy. . . even looks beautiful upside down tho' she will be embarassed for me to say so . . . . but thats a proud grandma for you isn't it?

Which UFO to quilt next?

A dilemma. Which UFO should I FMQ next? Am tempted to quilt the 1930's style quilt top first - with it being such a change from the appliquéd Wm Morris quilt. The 'Winter Singing Garden' quilt contains many appliquéd blocks as you can see - could be a bit repetitive from doing the last quilt. The Autumn version of this quilt is still waiting . . .
You can see it on the right -  "About Me" -  I am standing in front of it.

Ooh - no -no - no. . . . mustn't think too far ahead -  frightening!  Have another 6 bed-size tops waiting to be quilted - not including those half finished pieced quilts stored in bags up in the loft!!
Lone Stars (2) - Pineapple (1) - Scrap quilt (1) - plus others. That's teaching workshops for you.

Thank goodness for the JUKI . .

Keep watching for next few years folks . . .

Both of the above quilt tops look 'raggy' but quilting will transform them.

Must have a good think about how to quilt the 1930's top. Something quite different from the art nouveau style used in the Wm Morris quilt.

Will experiment with white Mettler polysheen thread - as mentioned in previous posting - before tackling the 1930's top, but revert to white Madeira polyneon if I'm not happy with the result.

Might include some silver thread quilting on the Winter quilt. Might!

Wm Morris quilt now on my bed!

Am very pleased with the finished quilt.
I think it looks good on my bed and try to refrain from popping into the bedroom to have yet another peek instead of getting stuck into some housework.
Fits in nicely with the Wm Morris decor don't you think?

I used Madeira Polyneon thread in both bobbin and top of the machine. Bought some spools of 100% silk but it is so expensive and I have so many quilt tops to complete that it would have cost me a fortune. Am saving the silk thread for something else. The silk thread is lovely but frankly - after testing both the it and the polyneon - found there is little difference in the final result between the two threads.  Much cheaper - and some lovely colours - from Barnyarns. I used a lot 70/10 machine needles - so much so have bought a pack of 100 to see me through my UFO's.

Now to start work on the next ancient UFO - it's a toss up between the white/silver "Winter Singing Garden" quilt top I created for Popular Patchwork in 2009. Thing is, it's another mainly appliqué quilt.  Should I FMQ something pieced like a 1930's quilt top I finished a few year's ago?  Both are white so am testing - and considering - white Mettler polysheen thread for these quilts. Hmm . . .

Will post pics of both quilt tops before deciding. . . .  perhaps you will help make the decision.

Machine Quilting a Wm Morris quilt. . .

Continue to FMQ the Wm Morris quilt - looked for suitable art nouveauish designs and found just what I was looking for . . . staring me in the face. .  on my kitchen door and wallpaper . . .

Could give it a name?