Despite the frantic box action around here, I’m still finding time to do a bit of stitchery in the evenings.
18 blocks are quilted. I have three more of the 9 patch blocks to quilt with the interlocking circles pattern, and the four corner blocks to quilt with the square spiral pattern, which is pretty quick to do. And then it’ll be done.
Amistad is wreaking havoc with my fingers, though… I’m pushing on quite hard because I want to finish the quilting and if possible the binding before we move. It will let me pack up my sewing room with a clear conscience. However, the resulting calluses and holes in my fingers make it a slightly penitential exercise. And because packing’s a dusty, dirty job, I get ingrained dirt in the cracks in my fingers, so all in all, my hands are wreckage!
I’m keeping in my mind’s eye the vision of a large sewing room with a big table I can spread out on, all supplies to hand and the ironing board out of the way so I don’t have to take it down every time I want to get at a shelf. Oh, and the Husband’s visiting chair not in front of my fabric cupboard, having to be moved so I can get in there.
It’s a lovely dream, and in 19 days, it will be coming true!
talltalesfromchiconia 
You need unguent…or salve or aloe vera. I can’t believe you don’t use a thimble. Looks beautiful tho. Are you marking or just winging it? What kind of batting do you use? I’m a curious fellow quilter. 🙂 I’m sure your quilting is a welcome distraction after packing oodles of boxes. Are you one of those people who number the boxes with a corresponding list of the numbers next to the contents? I aspire to that when we next move…so far I have just labeled the boxes when I have moved, but that works too! Of course then, I would lose the list! ha
I put Savlon or pawpaw ointment on them, depending on whether blood has been drawn! But I’m using my hands so much, and washing them so often with the packing, that it doesn’t last. I try and try with a thimble, but it just makes me clumsy and slow. I mark with a fine automatic pencil line, which I find washes out a treat. The circles I mark around a card template, and the lines in the squares are the width of my steel ruler apart – very scientific! I use 100% cotton batting with a fine scrim – whatever’s cheapest at Spotlight!. I’ve used bamboo too, but it’s expensive, and moults dreadfully all over dark colours so now I save it for light coloured quilts where I want good drape.
I’m not totally anal about packing: I mark the box with the approximate contents and the room I want it to go to, or where it came from if I’m not sure. I have been worse: I put coloured dots on the boxes and gave the removalists a plan of the new house with the rooms marked in a corresponding colour. It didn’t work. They dumped the stuff wherever. As we’re doing this one ourselves, it’ll be easier!
Your poor hands. I use a quilter’s thimble on a wet finger, to keep it on. Then forget it’s there. It’s my left thumbnail that suffers most – an alost permanent break across the corner and groove down the surface. Of the hundreds of quilts I have made, all carry my DNA in blood somewhere!
It’s almost as if a quilt isn’t complete without a little blood, isn’t it? Hopefully there’s not too much sweat or tears, either! I’m enjoying the fact that the end is in sight now, but I shall feel a little bereft when it’s done, as I suspect it will be some time till I’m set up to start another…
I think I’ll stick to crochet… it’s less dangerous!
The quilt, however, will be fantastic when it’s finished.
You may be right! I should be able to get it done in the 19 days left before the move… Hopefully sooner, so I can pack up all my sewing kit.
When we moved to our house, I finally got a big sewingroom! Wow, I was so happy, so much space 🙂 Now, three years later, the room could have been bigger. I´ve filled it up with all my sewingstuff! But I´m still happy I have my sewingroom 🙂
Gun, Sweden
I still have that to look forward to! I think the thing I’ll enjoy most is having a couple of large tables to work on, so I’m not trying to work on a big quilt on a small 1.2m table, and I can have a permanent design wall.
I have a permanent design wall, but in another room 🙂
Here, my design wall is a sheet hung on a pole, so I can take it down easily and get it out of the way. That will change very soon!
your poor fingers!!! that’s one of the reasons I keep hand-quilting to a minimum ^^
good luck over the next 19 days, it’s going to like a whirlwind of activity but you’ll be able to relax a little once you’ve moved in (and done all the unpacking lol)
If the fingers get too sore, I stop and do more packing. Then I’m sore in different places! It’s going well so far, I have one room completely empty and another getting there. The main problem is deciding what we can do without for 3 weeks…
Poorly fingers! I’ve tried using a plaster as a shield before but ended up pushing the needle through the plaster!
I use a couple of layers of a surgical tape called Leucosilk. It’s thin, flexible but very tough. You can cut it into narrow strips so you’re only protecting the vulnerable bits instead of having a big bodgy lump on your finger which makes you clumsy.
Seriously beautiful.
Glad you like it: I rate praise from you very highly! I have half a 9-patch and four corners to quilt and then she’s done, just the binding to go. After tomorrow, I think I’ll be able to pack the sewing machine, thread, cutting mats, scissors, rulers, batting and the entire contents of the fabric cupboard. Good job I have some embroidery to keep me sane, eh?