Checking the Muscle Memory

I uncovered the Q20 yesterday, vacuumed out the guts, and oiled it thoroughly. It’s time to start quilting with it again. I was a bit worried that I had lost some muscle memory over the summer—I haven’t quilted on this machine for almost four months—but I did a few practice pieces and the movements came back to me quickly.

I pulled out a simple table runner (Nine-Patch Table Runner pattern by Sherri McConnell) and began with Amanda Murphy’s advice to “quilt the bones” with some stitch-in-the-ditch quilting around the blocks.

Then I moved to making circle flowers inside the nine-patch blocks:

That was fun. I think I will do some matchstick quilting in those side triangles and ribbon candy in the border. I wish I had used a slightly thicker batting inside this runner, but it still looks good. I’ll get through the stack of table runners and then get back to working on some bigger quilts.

I think that taking a break from serger projects for a while is a good idea. If I stop obsessing about all things serger, the brain will continue to process without my assistance. Perhaps it is just waiting for me to get out of the way.

I decided on a rolling tote for transporting my Juki serger back and forth to classes. I went with the Husky Stack System:

This is basically the same design as the serger trolleys that Joann Fabrics sells. The front unzips and peels down to expose the inside. However, these have a hard plastic frame and additional bags can be stacked on top of this one. I’m starting with the base and will add another one if needed.

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While I was quilting yesterday afternoon, the husband was getting the wood boiler in place. I had to go out and help him snake wires down through a pipe in the slab and over to the basement. Eventually, the boiler will heat all three buildings—house, garage, and shop—but we’re starting with the house.

He has been studying all the documentation so that he knows exactly how this boiler works. The husband is nothing if not thorough.