A Tiny Bit of Quilting

Yesterday's two house showings turned into four - two in the morning, two in the afternoon.  So in between I put the walking foot on the Rocketeer, discovered the smaller bobbin tire does indeed make winding bobbins faster (though I still haven't gotten the handwheel clutch loosened), and filled a couple bobbins.  Then I set to the first line of quilting on the alternate (black/white/blue branch fabric) spiral of the Spiraling Geese quilt.

Except that I was quilting in the wrong direction, so that more and more of the bulk of the quilt was getting stuffed under the arm of the sewing machine, it went well.  The tree trunks on the branch fabric are straight, so they made for a wonderful guideline.  And for the second line of quilting on the alternate spiral, I'll be going the "correct" direction, so it should be much easier.  After that I'll switch over the the 15 and do free-motion quilting in amongst the geese.  I'm still debating between feathers and outline quilting.

I've also started going through the old quilting magazines (Traditional Quiltworks, Quilt, Miniature Quilts, and some of the old Aunt Martha's booklets) I got at Road to California.  Swoon!  So many exquisite vintage/traditional designs that you just don't see in today's magazines because they're not easily strip-pieced....

All Roads lead To Quilting

Woohoo!  Yesterday I went out to Road to California for the first time!  Despite the four-plus years I've been quilting, I've never managed to go before, and I had a good time, going with some friends from guild.  I spent too much, but I love the patterns and templates I purchased, and I only bought two small bits of fabric, both for gifts.  There were lots and lots of lovely quilts, some of which blew my mind to the point where I got into sensory overload and couldn't process them for a bit.  I did take plenty of pictures of quilts which had color combinations or patterns I really liked, so I have a reference catalog for future inspiration.....

I have also gotten the Spiraling Geese quilt basted, and I've fiddled with the Rocketeer so hopefully it will wind bobbins faster.  I have also unboxed the slant shank walking foot I bought for it, so hopefully today, after the morning house viewings happen, I can start getting it quilted.