Fabric and Fiber Friday - WIP Update

As I reported earlier in the week, my 'Joy' quilt top is all together and ready to be quilted. 

A HUGE job it will be as it is a queen size quilt. 

And people do it all the time on their home machines. So I need to suck it up and deal. But for now, it is in a pile with other tops ready to be quilted. I'm trying to justify the money for a class on using a long arm quilter and then renting the machine for my big quilts. It's on my 'considering' list. It would still be an expense every time I want to finish a quilt, but far easier I feel than trying to maneuver a huge quilt through my little Singer machine. So a lot of thinking going on.

I do have the backing for the Joy quilt.

I have several yards of this Japanese fabric I purchased during a sale earlier in the year. It is really toned down from the front. The binding will be a dark blue which will work with both the front and back of the quilt. This way, when I get tired of the bright, busy front, I can flip the quilt and have a more calm, zen-like quilt on my bed.

So while Joy is on hold, I pulled out my 'Villains' quilt top to machine quilt.

Because the backing is also pieced, I feel this is almost two quilts! 

This will be to gear me up for my HUGE Queen of Ween quilt. It's larger than a king size quilt I believe. But I do have some yummy spider fabric to layer on the back. Maybe I will pull my courage around me and try to have it quilted by Halloween. Of course, Texter will be hovering to snatch it from me the minute it's finished.

The 'Villains' will be the first time I will be putting two different colors of thread on the machine. I want to quilt the back with a light gray and the front in purple. I will probably do an all over design rather than a particular pattern. At least that's the plan at the moment. The batting is cut and it's downstairs so I can iron the top and back and lay out on the kitchen floor to baste. But I want some basting spray, which means a trip to Joann Fabrics today. My goal is to have it basted and quilted this weekend. 

But in case you think I have set it aside, I haven't.

I have just a little bit left on the two corners and then one more 'middle' section to stitch. Then it goes for a quick wash and press and onto stretcher bars for the center section and all the specialty threads, stitches and beading.

Since the Tour de France is over with, I haven't been devoting quite as much time in front of the TV as I did in July. However, school starts in two weeks (HUZZAH!) and I will have my days to myself with Lady K in school and Texter at work. So, fingers crossed, I will have more time for sewing and stitching uninterrupted.

But today is getting Texter to work, off to the stores for grocery shopping and restocking, then this afternoon getting Lady K to the rendezvous point for a weekend with her dad and other grandparents. 

Then the weekend to myself!

Oh, and did I mention the White Chocolate Ice Cream with Candied Cherries I plan to make?