Meanderings of The YEG Quilter: Bold and Beautiful Bargello!

   Bold and beautiful is this bargello! This studio customer wanted this quilt to be a wall hanging. Her instructions were very simple.

    Stitch in the ditch ALL the seams! and match the thread to the fabric......

   Sounds easy enough doesn't it? Well if you are a longarmer then you know stitch in the ditch is really not the easiest on our machines. There are no feed dogs like a domestic machine. So holding a ruler with one hand while guiding the machine with the other, is a wee bit tricky.

   And I have to hang my head a bit here, I didn't obey all her instructions.....gasp!

   Matching the thread to the fabric would have been very doable. However, it would have added a lot of time to the project. So....

    I decided to pick one colour of thread.  I used  Invisa Fil, colour # 122 for the top thread, Dark Grey, and Deco Bob size L, #168 Charcoal in the bobbin. Invisi Fil is 100 weight thread, and  the pre wound Deco Bob bobbins are 80 weight. They were a perfect pairing for this quilt.

   Using such a beautiful fine thread to stitch in the ditch was a great idea. That's one of the perks of working here at the Studio. When we all put our heads together, one of us usually has a brilliant idea!

  Simple piano keys in the border with this colour was very elegant. I'm sorry I don't have a closer picture. The body of the quilt still took a while, but working slow and steady, it was eventually done.

   You don't always see the effect of the stitching when the quilt is on the frame. Don't judge your quilting yet. Take it off, hold it up, and take a few steps back.

  The Invisi Fil is the best thread for stitch in the ditch. It is worth your time to adjust your tension for it. You will be thrilled with the results. The thread became part of the shadows of the seams. It emphasized the movement, and drew the attention of the viewer to the artistry of the piecing and fabric.

   I'm excited to try this thread when I am stitching a background filler that is very dense. I will post about that when I have a quilt to show you.

   Think outside of your box when confronted with a new challenge. Research your thread choices for different situations, and have fun. It's all about learning something new every day!