Journal Notes

Pattern is from a pixel sketch I saw on Pinterest. Took 2 days to get all my squares stabilized, cut out, and laid out in the design. This will use up 361 of these double knit squares! March 5, 2026: spent all day piecing my foundation and backing, getting the backing loaded and separating a queen size bat. I learned that it is much easier to separate the batting with it laying on the frame. I’m experimenting with this one. I wanted to see if I could “piece” all the squares on the longarm by appliquéing them down. Here’s what I did: I loaded the pieced backing on the frame. Then on top of that I floated my batting, then the foundation which was also pieced from junk fabric. Using clear Monopoly in top. Had to loosen tension but has gone very well. It was the best choice for this quilt. Bottom Line in bobbin. Size 16 ballpoint needle. I made a stack of the squares for the first row and drew a line 1/8” from the top of each. This top line was only necessary for the first row. I placed the first square where I wanted it, then set the needle on the square so that it was hovering over the marked line. I then set the horizontal channel lock. I stitched this first row of squares down butted up next to each other, only worrying about keeping it straight on the top and trying to keep my stitches hitting my drawn lines. Then I drew lines along the bottom of each square also 1/8” from the bottom. I stitched the bottoms down with the channel lock in place while stitching on the drawn line. For the rest of the rows, I just butted the top of each square up to the bottom of the one above it and stitched 1/8” from the top of the squares. I didn’t feel it necessary to mark the tops of these remaining squares since the bottom of the previous row had been stitched down where it should be — but I did continue to mark the line on the bottoms of all squares to keep things from getting too out of alignment. I found it easier and more accurate to mark the squares on the table rather than doing them while on the frame. In theory, this should have resulted in perfectly lined up rows but for some reason, many of the rows ended up having too much fullness in the squares when I sewed the bottom edges of them down. I wish I knew why??? After stitching all the tops and bottoms of the squares down, I reloaded the quilt sideways. I then did the other sides of the squares using a ruler. Had to reinstall the ruler foot and table for this. I am surprised at how much fullness the foot takes in on its own with me going slowly. After I get one pass stitched down, I go back and do a double orange peel. So glad I chose this design! It distracts from all the imperfections in my straight lines and I can even easily go back over some edges where the appliqué stitch was a little too far from the edge. I’m doing the orange peel without a ruler which is pretty imperfect, but is so much fun! Trying to focus on not making lopsided curves. This is great practice for me. I made 1/4” bias tape and pinned it in place for the antennae and then stitched them down with the longarm. This was pretty easy to do. I hand embroidered the verse on the binding using one strand of DMC floss. I don’t think I will use this method of appliquéing the squares down again. I wasn’t able to keep the rows straight, even using the channel locks. I was happy to find that this one was given to a missionary to take with them on their mission.