Sunday, January 13, 2013

Basting …ugh

I have said this before.  Basting is definitely my least favourite part of making a quilt.  The simple basting frame I made last year has helped, but I still drag my feet about getting around to the task.  For the past couple of weeks I’ve been wanting to curl up on the couch in  the evening with some hand project, but didn’t have a quilt basted ready to quilt or any yarn to knit with.  The itch to work on something finally built up enough momentum to carry me past my dislike of basting.

basting 2013-01-11

Here’s the Canada Quilt on the basting frame.  I did a much better job putting the frame together nice and square and the right size for the quilt than I did with the two other quilts I have basted on this frame.  A tape measure and a carpenter’s square and taking my time helped.  Taking the time to do that carefully made loading the quilt much easier, so I won’t dread that as much next time.  However, the actual basting was still deadly dull so I guarantee I’ll still have basting inertia to overcome for the next quilt!

However, now that I’ve gotten past the dull part, I can happily sit in the evenings and do this:

DSCN1131

You can’t see the needle in the picture, but it’s there!  I predict that about halfway through this quilt my husband will hear me question my sanity. What I was thinking when I planned the quilting?  I’m quilting no more than 1.5 inches apart (less in some parts) and though it seems like a marvelous idea right now and I’m liking how it’s turning out, I’m sure about halfway through I’ll just be wanting it to be done and wonder why I thought this was such a good idea.  Of course by then I’ll be committed to the original plan and have to stick it out!

6 comments:

  1. Urrggh! Basting - my least favourite part. It's a beautiful quilt and I know you will be pleased to have it finished. I admire you for hand quilting - I'm far too lazy and/or chicken to even attempt it.

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  2. That frame looks like a really good idea, and the quilt on it is going to be really pretty! You'll have it done in a short time now! ---"Love"

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  3. I know that feeling! But it looks beautiful so far, and I'm sure it will look great when it's done!

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  4. I feel for ya! I just began basting the backing and lining together for the Patriotic Denim quilt. Yeah, the top is done, finally! It's going to take longer to bast this time 'cause I am not using batting. The quilt is too heavy and I don't think I will be able to pull the basting out either. So I am being really neat. But you are so right! BORING!

    Liri

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  5. It may be slow and tedious when you get to that halfway point, but it will be VERY worth it in the end. Every time I see that quilt it's like a new quilt. There's so much to see, every new angle focuses my attention on something else.

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  6. You can have your quilt basted by a longarm quilter. Save your energy for hand quilting. :-)

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