Slowly Getting There

Yesterday was a good day for quilting. I was able to put in a couple hours. Charlie was enjoying her sleep next to my daughter. I'm sure we'll go back to normal after my daughter leaves on Saturday. It's been a good visit. I went to the eye doctors to get my new glasses. They changed the bi-focal and so far it's better for my crafts. The reading part is off a little but that's okay as long as I can see my needlework. I'd hate to loose that sight.

Been working on the leaf design. It's coming along pretty well. I will start going around the leaf with the purple quilting thread. I'm finding I really like the YLI better then the Gutermann thread. I'm using both because of the color choices. I did find a thread in YLI that would work for the purple but I already started quilting using the Gutermann thread. I found that Gutermann thread is lighter and at time I think it's going to break. YLI reminds me of the quilting thread they had back in the 60's and 70's. It's a better quality and well worth using for hand quilting.

We went to the Pacific Quilter's quilt show in September and looked all over for quilting thread. There was a ton of quilting thread, but it was more for machine quilters then it was for hand quilters. We bought a "quilting" thread that we thought would work and was in a pretty purple. When I started to quilt on it, it was like quilting with regular thread and broke easily. The thread was not cheap either. I was so ticked off that it wasn't thick like it should be and broke way to easily. It was a newer company and had all the colors you wanted. I thought about it after I took all the quilting out of my quilt, and decided I wouldn't even use it for machine quilting. Not that I would do machine quilting. I hate sewing on the machine, let a lone quilting on a machine. Then again, never say never. So, I have come to the conclusion, if I'm even going to buy quilting thread, I need to stay with YLI. I just hope they don't go out of business like the first company did back in the early 1980's. The thread my mother bought back then lasted a good 10 years because she bought as much as she could before they went out of business.

Recently I went to a quilt show here in Centralia, WA and was surprised at how much machine quilting was the "norm." I found only a few things that were hand quilted. Some where quilts that were done in the early 1900's. The was a disappointment to me. I grew up learning how to do crafts by hand. Now I'm finding people that do crafts do the "quick and easy" method instead of learning how to do things by hand. Excuses are they don't have time, it takes too long. Truthfully, it doesn't take that much time, yes it takes longer then machine piecing or quilting, but the end result is so much better. It's relaxing and enjoyable. You put more pride into it when you know you made it from "scratch." When I sit in front of the TV, I don't waste my time clued to the TV. I actually have something in my lap I'm working on. If not quilting, then I'm appliqueing or I'm cross stitching. Something is in my hands when the TV is on. I don't miss much when the TV is on. I have even been known to have the sewing machine up here doing embroidery work, while I'm on the computer. If the computer is doing the work for me, I have my applique handy and work on it while I wait for the computer to download or play the game I'm playing. If I have an appointment with the doctors or just going with a friend, I take along some applique work or piecing and work on it while I wait. Unless I'm more in the mood to play games, then I take my DS. I just try to work on my stuff every chance I get. My family will even tell you, it's rare to find me not working on something.

Today I have an appointment in the afternoon, so will probably take my applique to finish up that block I was working on on Tuesday. I'll try to get some quilting in this afternoon, since bowling is tonight. My hip is acting up, and a little sore but I can manage. Would like to get my 600 series tonight, but I'll just keep working on it. Today will be interesting to see what I get done. I slept in later then usual and that puts me a little bit behind. Oh, well.