Long Arm in Action!

I am overcoming my timidness toward the long arm quilting machine. In the last week I have loaded on a quilt, begun the quilting, encountered some issues, addressed the issues, and finally -- HAVE FINISHED A QUILT!!!

Loading the machine is getting easier. I have watched a ba-zillion You-Tube videos and IG stories, and I am feeling much more confident. This quilt showed my success as there were no tucks or puckers in the backing. I'd had a few of those issues in some previous efforts, sadly.

My troubles appeared in the stitching mechanics; I don't know enough about the stitch regulator or the speeds. I do know that I was stitching uncontrollably a couple of times and it did not want to stop! I wonder if lint/dust had built up? Anyway, I stopped by unplugging and went back later to make whatever adjustments I could. The job is done, and it is my best effort yet, despite the runaway stitches.

I didn't want to leave the quilt laying around without a binding, so I went straight to work on that last night, and finished it off - I even included a label.

And today, I have taken its official picture spread out on the bed. The quilt is a sampler quilt that I started back in January of 2014. It was a sew-along sponsored by the folks at Jolly Jabber. I stayed on track with the sew-along until about the 10th block, then I stopped. I finished it in 2017, the marathon year of finishing UFOs. In checking back, I see that this was the designated UFO for July '17.

I could spend some time critiquing all sorts of things on this quilt, but I think I won't. I am so pleased to have it done, and the imperfections are not at all deterrents to its beauty.

Are you wondering why I selected this quilt out of all the dozens lined up in the closets awaiting quilting??? Well, my sister requested a quilt, and when she came to "shop" the quilt closets, this is the one she picked. Good taste! 

Hope you are having a lovely day, dear readers! The unseasonably warm, pleasant weather continues today, and I think it's time for some outdoor activity. 

Happy Quilting, Friends!