FINISHED BROKEN BRICKS

 I made some binding and got busy sewing onto the recently quilted Broken Bricks quilt.

So, it's officially finished now.  That's finish number 12 for the year.  

Close-up of the quilting.

For those of you that inquired, here's a few of my tips for machine top-stitching the binding on the top. 

First, I like a tight binding.  I cut the continuous bias binding at 2-1/4" wide and press it in half.  Then I sew it onto the backing with a 1/4" seam allowance or so.  After, I give it a good press to the outside.

A lot of folks use those little clips all around the quilt.  Not me.  I use a couple of them, one to get it started and another when I get to the corners.  But, my secret weapon is my wonderful little awl.

I use it to hold the binding where I want it as I go, stitching a few inches at a time. 

When I get to the corner I trim away the corner of batting and a little of the batting to the approach and some from the next side, so the bulk of the binding will have a place to go.  

Then I fold it the way I want and keep it clipped as I approach the corner.  I remove the clip, which has pressed the binding into submission, then hold it in place with the awl.  Sew up to fold, making sure I get just one stitch into the fold and then leaving the needle down I raise the foot and turn the corner.

 Continue on around the whole quilt.  

Those are my best tips.  You can do it.

GOT IT DONE

 I got the straight line quilting done on the inside of the circle today.

But, first, I had to do them in the wrong direction.  And, then pick them out.  Luckily, I only did about four lines.  That was enough though.  I got frustrated with my picker-outer that I usually use, so I tried my favorite little awl.  I found it shreds the thread less and gets under the stitching better, too.  It has a smoother tip.  

In order to do a complete line inside the circle, I had to roll the quilt forward and then backward at each end.  Getting back to the straight lines across the rest should be easy.

QUILTING AND MASKS

While my A-1 is sewing a pantograph on Constellation, I'm making masks for the Covid-19 Pandemic.  

I found this cool fabric in my batik stash that looks somewhat like a large Coronavirus.  I'm using it to make a few masks.  It's the virus's bigger badder brother and will scare the virus away!

I'm using  some craft wire to make wires for the nose in my masks.

When I started up the pantograph this morning, it didn't line up right so I had to pick out a whole bunch of stitching (aarrgg).  Not how I wanted to start my day.

I made eleven masks over the last two days, in between setting up and moving the pantograph for Constellation.

I like it though when you can finally see the end in sight.

I did finish it, but left it on the machine for tomorrow - I'm tired.

BINDING DAY

Hello September!  I love you!  

I finished off 'G' because I had made the triangle squares yesterday.  I needed to get them off my table.  That didn't take long.

Darrell was shooting photos of his newest piece, a Tall Corner Table.  He set it up in the dining room.  The dogs and I were an interested audience.

Then it was on to the binding for Pub Path.  First I cut the excess off.  I use my big 15" ruler to square up the corners.

I made the binding then sewed it onto the back, ironed it, then folded it over to the front.  I use the new binding clips to hold it all down.  I need to buy more clips.  Then top stitch it down on the front.

When sewing it down onto the front I love using my little awl.  It really helps.