Sunday, November 7, 2021

Miles & Miles of Cross Hatching!

It's taken me two weeks but I've completed another row of quilting. Most of this row was cross hatching and it got rather boring. Thankfully there are plenty of movies for me to watch on my Ipad. I subscribe to Acorn TV.

First to be quilted was the right side feathers design.


See, like I said, miles and miles of cross hatching!


Finally, I was able to quilt the left side feathers.


When I'm quilting cross hatching, I like to have a lot of needles going at a time. I stitch down diagonally then up diagonally. I put a pin on the top of where the row of needles ends so I know how much I've quilted at a time. This doesn't work for everyone but it works for me. I need to keep the thread toward the back so they don't get tangled.

The last time I posted about Welsh Beauty, someone asked me about my quilting frame so here are some photos.

My frame is a Grace hand quilting frame. I don't believe the hand quilting frame is available anymore. I purchased my frame from the resale table at the Jane Stickle quilt retreat many years ago. I am the 3rd owner of the frame but I am the first person to actually use it. The two former owners never took the parts and pieces out of the box.

I have 4 rollers on my frame, the very front which has all 3 quilted layers rolling onto it. The top roller holds the quilt top. You can see that in the picture.

Some frames don't have a roller for the batting. I wouldn't like that, I don't want the batting dragging on the floor. This way I'm able to vacuum under the frame.


The back roller holds the batting and covers the backing fabric roller. 


On the sides of the frame are gears which I turn to move the quilt forward. The gears have stops which I need to pull up to loosen the quilt. There are clamps which don't show, they're under the batting along the edge where I basted. The clamps are attached to elastic cords which pull the edges of the quilt tight.


After I've rolled, I baste the outside edge of the quilt top. I use a larger needle for this. When I've basted the inches I need to baste, I make a knot but don't cut the thread. This way it's ready to go the next time I need to baste.

After I've basted, I trim the batting to the edge of the quilt. When I put the quilt in the frame, I always leave plenty of batting to trim. That's just the way I do, you don't have to if you don't want to, I'm just cautious.


Did you notice the double blue line in the upper photo? The outside basted area will be cut off when I trim the quilt after it's quilted and out of the frame. I've started quilting the next row. I place my knot in between those lines. When I trim, I'll cut on the outside line. The section in between the lines will be covered by binding.

Like I said in the title, more miles and miles of cross hatching! What you can't see in the picture is in the very middle of the quilt top, on the left hand side, is the very start of the center quilting design. I have to quilt and roll two times before I reach there. Miles and miles of cross hatching indeed.


Here is my set up. This chair is my quilting chair, it's just the correct height. I have an Ott light that shines on the quilt while I'm quilting. I always cover my quilt with this cloth when I'm not quilting. This cloth protects it from sun light or any dust or anything else. The day I took this photo was a gloomy, gray, rainy day. But when the sun shines, this room is flooded with bright light from the south. There is also a large window behind my frame in the wall right behind my quilting frame. I normally keep the blind down on the west window but not all the way.


For something different I decided to show you my Christmas Cactus, or more correctly, Thanksgiving cactus. It will bloom a 2nd time later in the winter.

Here is the first post I wrote about Welsh Beauty. It covers information about batting, thread and other things of interest about whole cloth quilts.

Linking to Patchwork & QuiltsKathy's Slow Sunday Stitching, Show & Tell Monday, Monday Making, Handmade Monday, Design Wall Monday, BOM's Away

25 comments:

CathieJ said...

Thanks so much for showing us your quilt frame and set up. I don't know that I will ever have a large frame like that. The cross-hatching may be boring, but oh does it look fabulous! I like your cactus. I have not been able to get my two Christmas cacti to bloom for several years now. I am a somewhat neglectful plant mom. I thing they both need to be repotted. Yours looks nice and healthy.

Nancy @ Grace and Peace Quilting said...

Wow, interesting. A longarm has 4 rails, too, but rather in reverse with all the finished layers on the back rail. It's looking so beautiful. I would be so excited to get to a feather! My Thanksgiving cactus is starting to bloom now, also.

Ivani said...

I'm amazed at how quickly you quilt a row. You make it seem easier to do than it really is. It is a work of art, just wonderful quilting. Love seeing your quilting space and frame details. Have a great Sunday, Gretchen.

Created by Kathi said...

I love your cross hatch and quilting progress on this wholecloth!!! Wow I didn't realize yours was a 4 pole frame... what a find and to be the first user of it is amazing too! Have an amazing week ahead gretchen!!!!
Kathi

maggie fellow said...

miles and miles of beautiful

Little Penpen said...

Loved all the photos and info about your quilting setup! What a beautiful quilt!

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

your frame is set quite different then my 3 rails but I can see how nice that would be to have the batting on a separate roller where mine shares the backing and batting on the same roller. I have never used more than one needle at a time when I do cross hatching - I guess it is just how we learn to do it and feel comfortable with. Your cross hatching is very neat and looks great. We both work differently on our hand quilting frames but I so much prefer using a frame then a hoop. I never cover my work like you do but I can see if you have a lot of sun coming in where you would want to do that

LIttle Penguin Quilts said...

Love seeing your beautiful stitching and reading about your process! That is a lot of cross-hatching! We subscribe to Acorn, too - we really enjoy all those British and Australian shows.

Birthe Marie said...

Thank you for showing your quilt frame works. It looks difficult, but at the same time it must be a fantastic tool when you quilt large quilts. Your hand quilting is amazing! Row after row with cross hatching, and beautiful feather design. Happy stitching!

Karrin Hurd said...

Great quilting setup, and as usual gorgeous quilting!

Kim said...

The miles and miles of cross-hatching might seem boring to stitch, but oh how exquisite it looks on Welsh Beauty, Gretchen! Truly, this quilt seems more beautiful each time I see it. I always love cross-hatching on a quilt as it gives such lovely texture. The feathers in the mix add another dimension of beauty, too. I have enjoyed reading of your quilting set up. That frame is fabulous. I love that the quilt doesn't hang on the floor. The view from the window is lovely and I can just imagine all the bright and cheery light that permeates the room during the day. Cactus always have such pretty flowers. Your Thanksgiving Cactus certainly looks healthy.

Jenny said...

You certainly have been stitchig miles and miles! Just as well you enjoy this hobby of your. Thanks for giving us a show and tell of your quilting frame setup. Strange as it seems, I can understand the previous two owners not taking the frame from the packing and setting it up. My husband bought me an embroidery attachment for my machine without asking me if I would really like it or use it. It stayed in the box untouched for years before I finally sold it cheaply. It was a nice gesture on his part but sadly I was not at all interested.

mereth said...

My word that's a lot of cross-hatching! I'm glad that you can see the centre design coming up, that's a bit of an incentive to keep stitching away. Your frame set up looks amazing, so nice to have natural light to work by as well as the ott light

LJ said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
LJ said...

Ooops. I did a boo-boo. I love this post and it's so fascinating. I do have a question. Are you able to quilt in most directions? I have just begun to hand-quilt - in a hoop. I am doing baptist fans. I find that I have to move the hoop/quilt in order to go a certain direction. Is there a trick to going in different directions or is it just practice, practice, practice?

Frédérique - Quilting Patchwork Appliqué said...

Miles and miles indeed, and it's beautiful! I love the studio tour, seeing where and how you are settled.
Wonderful quilting as always ;)
Thank you for sharing with Patchwork & Quilts link party today!

Chopin - A Passionate Quilter said...

Just beautiful!

Denise :) said...

I really enjoy cross hatch quilting. Your stitching is so precise and pretty! I really like your frame set-up; I'm sure it makes it much easier to keep good tension on your project and also keep track of where you are working! Really lovely! :)

Quilting Gail said...

Gretchen, you quilting never ceases to amaze me! Beautiful!!!

Soma @ inkTorrents.com said...

Loved seeing the photos of your setup. Miles of miles of cross hatching, yet they all look so uniform and full of amazing beauty.

-Soma

QuiltGranma said...

Beautiful job, I can imagine the comfort that the recipient, or is it for you, will feel when touching the dimples in this quilt while trying to go to sleep. I've done hand quilting in a hoop and cannot imagine going all different directions in a frame like that. I do use many needles sometimes.

Gretchen Weaver said...

This might be on our bed sometimes but it will eventually end up with one of the grandchildren.

Gretchen Weaver said...

Most of it practice, practice and practice. I an go in most direction but since I'm right handed, I can't quilt uphill toward the right. I can do just about any other direction though. In some ways a hoop would be easier to turn so you can go all directions. I'm glad though to have the quilt rolled onto a frame. It would be hard for me to enjoy quilting with all the bulk resting on me.

Bonnie said...

Beautiful quilting even if it is miles and miles. Thanks for sharing your set up. It was interesting to read about it.

LJ said...

Thanks, Gretchen. "sigh" I guess I'm mostly just doomed. Don't know if I'll EVER become so adept that I can go in most directions. Love, love, seeing your work.