First Quilt for First Grandbaby

This quilt is a first - first project made on the Davis Vertical Feed treadle (Victoria), first quilt quilted on the HandiQuilter 16, and first quilt finished for our first grandbaby to arrive in June!

Originally, I intended to quilt the top on a friend's machine on a quilting carriage and frame. I tested the set up and loved it!! I decided that a HandiQuilter 16 with their Portable Professional Table was the perfect quilting machine and frame for my needs and space.
I spent about three weeks bonding with my HQ16 and then loaded the baby quilt on the frame. Being a newbie, I didn't do everything just right. Despite the fact the borders were fine when I started quilting, I found I had too much fabric to ease in when I attempted to do them last (after watching Kim Brunner's video, I now know what my error was).

I took out the quilting in the borders and what looks like ruler-work on the HQ16 was actually achieved with individual arcs of freezer paper that I arranged repeatedly to create the rows of scallops. The batting is Soft and Bright by the Warm Company. It allowed me to use a hot iron to position the same seven waxed freezer paper templates on the quilt border. I stitched with a regular sewing machine, following the edge of the freezer paper template. (Note: Don't attempt to iron freezer paper templates with just any batting. You must test the batting between layers of your fabric, first. I have used cotton batting and Soft and Bright with great success for this method of marking a quilt.)
Now to get a label made for the quilt, a job for the Janome MC10K v. 3.

Scrap Happy

Did I tell you my Davis Vertical Feed is named Victoria? I named her after a lady on the treadle owners' list who helped me identify her. She sews beautifully and we have been having a blast making potholders. I have tons of strips of fabric already cut from my days as a strip quilter. I also have lots of self-made bias left from the placemats I often make for wedding and housewarming gifts. Along with scraps of batting from quilts, Victoria and I have made a pile of potholders. She applies that binding without a ripple. And I have become a real pro at treadling steadily and removing pins at the same time. Victoria's treadle pedal works well even at slow speeds so that is a big help.

Just call us the happy strippers! ;)

Just so the Pfaff 7570 doesn't feel displaced, I have been zig-zagging the binding down for the last step. The topstitching looks great and is a sturdy finish for the binding.

The Davis Vertical Feed

I know some of you have been wondering when I was going to get around to posting pictures of the new member of the fleet. My Davis Vertical Feed arrived home safely on Friday night and I have been busy getting her ready for some photos. I haven't found a good spot for the photos so I just snapped some while the cabinet is on the patio for a treatment with Dr. Woodwell.