Vintage sewing machines

Vintage sewing machines

'Vintage sewing machines' was a block of the month (BOM) project that I did during 2010.  I finished the piecing and then put it aside as I simply did not know how to quilt it.  I took the top with me on my trip to Salt Lake City and got some valuable advise during my course at Handiquilter, which resulted in me unpicking the borders and redoing them in different fabrics.  What I had set aside for my backing, a dark patterned damask rose print, is now folded up and put away to be used in a different quilt.

Advise I was given included using a similar colour fabric on the back as what most of the quilting on the front is on, so if most of quilting is on a cream background, then it would be sensible to have a cream fabric on the back.  The reason for this is:  if you use a pale colour thread in the top and a pale colour thread in the bobbin, then if you have tension difficulties and stitches get pulled up, it will not show up.  If on the other hand you have quilted with a pale colour thread in the top and a dark thread in the bottom (to match a darker backing fabric), you are likely to see the darker thread pulling through to the front if the tension is not absolutely perfect.  And don't we all know how fickle tension can be.  You can start off with the tension just perfect when the bobbin is newly loaded and full and by the time you have worked your way through to near the end of the bobbin, the tension has changed, only to change again when you have loaded the new bobbin.  Why risk it?

So, having decided that I am going to use a cream backing fabric, I now had a dilemma, as I did not want to quilt with a pale colour thread on the darker printed fabric on the front.  I decided to give YLI's invisible thread a go in a Smokey Grey colour and hoped that the lighter cream thread in the bobbin would not pull through to the front. I am quite pleased with the result, it took a few tries to get the tension just right, but it was definitely worth it.

Border quilted with lace design in swags

Invisible thread on darker printed fabric

Scissors, thread, measuring tape and card with safety pin quilted

I have decided to get a bit of a move on with my 'Dutch Treat' blocks, I have started them in December and have so far only managed to make 32.  That means I still have 164 to go and if I carry on at the same rate as before, that I won't be finished for another 3 years and 9 months, so May 2017 !!!!!
I will have to encourage hubby to go on lots more trips in the car or by train, so I can get lots of hand sewing done.  These are sosme of my finished blocks. Watch this space, I will do a monthly update from now on, on my progress, to help me keep to my target of at least 10 blocks a month.

Some of my completed "Dutch treat" blocks