# Finally a finish



## MacaReenie (Mar 1, 2008)

I started quilting this 2 weeks ago as part of a Christmas quiltalong and then had no time to get back in the sewing room. I finally got it fnished yesterday. I quilted it with swirls and hearts. I am bound and determined to master the art of swirl making! lol It measures about 66.5" x 90.5" and is called Sweet Menagerie 9 patch. It is on the Moda site:










Now to get in the garden for awhile and then maybe more sewing! Nothing like a finish to make you MORE motivated to finish more!


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

Beautiful! As always-----do you have a long arm?


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## MacaReenie (Mar 1, 2008)

No, I wish! I have a Janome 6600 that I do my piecing and quilting with.


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## Molly Mckee (Jul 8, 2006)

I'm even more impressed---if possible! You certainly do a wonderful job.


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## hmsteader71 (Mar 16, 2006)

That is beautiful! I am new to quilting. So I am unsure of how to do certain things but I am starting on the Civil War quilt. But I have a question that you might be able to answer. You talk about mastering Swirling. Do you do the actual quilting on your machine or by hand? If on the machine, how do you do that? Like I said, I'm new to this! Lol.


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## stamphappy (Jul 29, 2010)

That is just lovely! My sister also quilts and I'm amazed at the intricate details, the labor of love and the sheer determination/patience quilters embrace!!


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

hmsteader71 said:


> That is beautiful! I am new to quilting. So I am unsure of how to do certain things but I am starting on the Civil War quilt. But I have a question that you might be able to answer. You talk about mastering Swirling. Do you do the actual quilting on your machine or by hand? If on the machine, how do you do that? Like I said, I'm new to this! Lol.


I too am rather new to the quilting and have had some of the same questions. I use an older Bernina and the jeans quilt was the first quilt I have ever made. Even though I have been sewing some 50+ years.


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## Terri in WV (May 10, 2002)

Gorgeous! You have much more patience than I do. I tried machine quilting on my regular machine one time and once was enough.


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## Tinker (Apr 5, 2004)

Beautiful quilt! I love the colors.


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## MacaReenie (Mar 1, 2008)

hmsteader....after I have the quilt all pinned together (top, batting and backing), I just start doing a freehanded design on it with my machine. The feed dogs are down, I use a walking foot and just kind of go with the flow. When I started out machine quilting..3 years ago, I only did grid patterns or stitched in the ditch. It takes a LOT of practice to get the feel of it and get good. I have a problem with curves, so swirls take a LOT of work for me. They are getting better! Since the majority of quilts I make are completely scrappy, they are busy quilts and are very forgiving of my not so pretty quilting sometimes. There really is no shortcut...just lots and lots of practice. If you do a "free motion" quilting search on you tube, you can see how it is all done. There are lots of good tutorials on there.


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## hmsteader71 (Mar 16, 2006)

MacaReenie, thank you so much!


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## nduetime (Dec 15, 2005)

Gorgeous, i love this pattern.


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## claytonpiano (Feb 3, 2005)

Absolutely beautiful!!!!!


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## Debbie in Wa (Dec 28, 2007)

What a beautiful quilt.


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## Texasdirtdigger (Jan 17, 2010)

L-o-v-e-l-y!!!!


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## used2bcool13 (Sep 24, 2007)

Beautiful, just beautiful, thanks for sharing.


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## Kazahleenah (Nov 3, 2004)

MacaReenie said:


> hmsteader....after I have the quilt all pinned together (top, batting and backing), I just start doing a freehanded design on it with my machine. The feed dogs are down, I use a walking foot and just kind of go with the flow. When I started out machine quilting..3 years ago, I only did grid patterns or stitched in the ditch. It takes a LOT of practice to get the feel of it and get good. I have a problem with curves, so swirls take a LOT of work for me. They are getting better! Since the majority of quilts I make are completely scrappy, they are busy quilts and are very forgiving of my not so pretty quilting sometimes. There really is no shortcut...just lots and lots of practice. If you do a "free motion" quilting search on you tube, you can see how it is all done. There are lots of good tutorials on there.


I have tried this.... with disasterous results. :run:

Your quilts are always so beautiful. I had to scroll back to see how long you had been working on this one.... 2 weeks?!?! seriously?? I have one that I started 3 YEARS ago! :ashamed:


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## CJ (May 10, 2002)

OMG! I ADORE this! Those are so my colors! Awesome job!


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## bigfoot2you (Oct 3, 2007)

WONDERFUL!! so pretty!!


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## countryheart (Feb 12, 2003)

That is a beautiful quilt and you did a great job. I admire your persistence at getting it finished.

Countryheart


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## Katskitten (Aug 5, 2010)

(SIGH) I wish I had more structured time to sew. Working a split shift 4 days and evenings the other two just leaves things a bit rattled. So I have to push myself to get some things done. After looking at that again I think it is soooo very pretty. And really only two weeks? Um how many hours? LOL


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