Midwest quilting marathon...

I have been hand quilting EVERY SPARE MINUTE of every day...actually trying to create time at this point.  I am nearly insane, and I was so close to crazy before I started.  Part of me still thinks I can reach my deadline of April 28.  Yep, TOTALLY insane...

I started hand quilting on April 4.  It has been a push.  After basting it, I went to find the longest quilt poles for the frame Steve made me when we first met.  The quilt measures 96 x 96, and of course my longest poles are exactly 96 inches long, so, too short for this quilt...NUTS!

Off to the nice lumber place in Ann Arbor where Steve got those clear Poplar square poles for me 23 years ago.  These are 120 inches long.  I had them custom cut before I thought about how I would get them home in my small Subaru SUV...thank goodness for the moon roof.  I quickly sanded them, sealed them with clear polyurethane, and stapled "ticking" to them.

I then spent 2 days basting.  That gave me time to think about how I would quilt the beast.

I decided on a one inch diagonal grid for the center 36 square feet of the quilt (behind the 16 blocks).  I started out with one inch wide painter's tape, but was having trouble with it sticking to my quilt.  This was mostly because Weasley, my cat, is addicted to tape, and he would untape an area faster then I could stick it down.  I would get up to go to the bathroom and come back to find all tape removed.  I wish he was addicted to soap scum.

So I gave in and decided to use the clover blue pen with the lightest possible line.  I spritz with a spray water bottle as I go to remove the lines.  See all my threads hanging?  I used to leave needles threaded as I moved to another needle, but I can't do that with the cat.  I just leave the long thread tale and come back to it as I roll the quilt.

After spritzing to remove the blue lines, I let the quilted area hang loose and dry before rolling the area around the poles.  I would just shoot myself if mildew grew!  Fortunately, the cat has not discovered the lovely quilted hammock...yet...

I've actually finished the first 400 yard spool of YLI thread now...

The family is being VERY patient, as this frame with the 120 inch poles takes up the entire length (and most of the available width) of the family room.

Sorry not to post more often...I am stitching, stitching, stitching.  On Friday, I will determine whether I push forward, or give up the insane idea of having the quilt finished by April 28.  Then I will check myself into a nice NUT HOSPITAL!

In stitches (and in-SANE!), 
Teresa  :o)