A Flying (Geese) Finish

Almost 16 months ago, I made my first 12-inch, foundation paper-pieced, Circle of Geese block. It's a free pattern you can download here.

Nine blocks later, here's the finish in it's new habitat: Florida.

 

Of course I had to scope out a palm tree to include in my pictures. This little tree belongs to neighbors. (Alas, we do not yet have a palm tree in our own yard and, the palm tree class I was to have taken last week was cancelled!)

My first practice block was put to use on the quilt back.

Though outline stitching was done entirely free-motion, for the first time I used a BSR (Bernina Stitch Regulator), on my new Bernina, for fill-in quilting.

The BSR worked great for all over quilting like the jagged points design.

So what's my take on the BSR? Since I've been quilting for the past 13 years without a stitch regulator, I feel comfortable that my FMQ quilting stitches are mostly consistent. Still, I have the occasional flub that keeps me humble, like when I move too fast around a curve and the stitch length is too long. In those instances, the BSR does a better job of keeping up with me. But the BSR doesn't prevent skipped stitches. As with most sewing machines, when I get to bulky areas where seams are stacked, skipped stitches still occur. I don't know what to do about those, whether I'm quilting with or without a regulator.

I found that the BSR didn't help much when I was quilting a small design - those pebbles, for example. I think it's difficult for the BSR to focus on a small stitching space. What are supposed to be curved stitches still seem somewhat linear (jerky?) for lack of a better term. I think I can make prettier circles on my own.

All in all, I'm glad to have the BSR feature as I think it will be a nice option when I want to quilt all over, fluid designs - stippling, meandering, snail trails, feathers. But for outlining, stitch-in-the-ditch (which I always say is really "stitch-in-the-valley") and small detail work, I'll probably either disengage the BSR, or quilt on my Pfaff Grand Quilter. The Pfaff has the advantage of having a larger, 9-1/2 inch opening (harp). It's nice to have sewing machine options.

My Circle of Geese quilt is finished with my world-famous-very-different-yet-highly-effective binding method. See my amazing, machine-sewn corners, binding tutorial here if you'd like to try sewing binding in a way that will transform your life. Okay. Well. That's a slight exaggeration. But do give it a go. I bet it's unlike any binding you've ever sewn to a quilt!

Stats
Circle of Geese Quilt
44" X 44"
Foundation paper pieced with 50-weight Aurifil thread for piecing
White Rose batting
YLI polished polyester 50-weight thread for quilting
World-famous-very-different-yet-highly-effective binding

Thursday morning my sewing room closet is being customized. Behind twin bi-fold doors will be two upper rows of shelves, and floor to ceiling adjustable shelves on both the far right and far left sides. After living here for six weeks, it's about time to put stuff away. Yay! Linda