The blocks on this pretty quilt were completed by a friend who recently passed away after a long battle with ovarian cancer. Nancy was one of the bravest women I have ever known. I am not sure many could endure what she did, the way she did, with grace and a determination to live her life as normally as possible in spite of the treatments and ugliness of the disease and its ravages. She was a true inspiration. When my friend Marti told me that the blocks were assembled into a top, and asked me to quilt it, of course I said yes. In fact, I told her that I would be mad if she didn’t let me quilt it. Marti put sashing and cornerstones on the blocks to enlarge it, and it really took on a look of stained glass.
Of course, I know that Marti’s quilts are always flat and square with perfect sashing and borders.
I also knew right away that a dark purple would be my choice for thread color. Essentials for the top, Auriful for the bobbin.
I picked an interlocking pantograph that had a trefoil design called Wrought Iron by Jodi Beamish for Willow Leaf Designs. It has two rows on one panto, so I can stitch across twice before advancing the quilt.
She must have liked it as I could almost feel her smiling as I worked with the longarm.
I like the way the thread color lets Nancy’s beautiful blocks shine.
Of course, Murphy’s law struck, and I ran out of bobbin thread in the middle of a row.
I thought this would be a good time to show you how I deal with this. I’m sure you’ve heard of ‘tie off and bury your threads’, and I have to admit I didn’t do this for the longest time. It was too much of a pain. But, I found some needles that thread from the top with just some pressure with the thread tails, and now it is easy. I started here by using my thread snips to gently pull the bobbin thread up to the top. I pull on the top thread, and use the point of the snips to pull the loop of bobbin up again, taking out the stitch.
I work this around until I get into a patterned area where the thread change will be hidden a bit better. If I tie off in the white, this dark thread will show underneath.
Keep going until the thread end is well into the purple fabric. Tie the ends of the top and bobbin thread into a tiny knot. Place the needle at the point of the knot, and push the thread tails on the top of the needle, into the little indentation to thread it.
Then pull it through, and cut the tails off at the exit point of the needle, well away from the actual knot. Putting a little pressure up on the tails, they will then retract behind the fabric when cut. I couldn’t do that and hold the camera and the snips all at once, so the tails look loose here. But I actually pull on them as I cut.
Now, with my replaced bobbin, I take two tiny back stitches at the point I left off.
When I finish the row, I come back to bury the thread tails of the restarted stitching.
Clipping those tails, you really have to look to find the point where the stop and start occurred.
In the white section (which looks yellow here due to the light from the longarm), you can see the needle holes from the original line of stitching removed.
I just use my fingernail or a toothbrush to close those up.
I put a large corsage pin in the front so I can find that point on the back. I want to be sure that the stitching is good there too.
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It is really difficult to see on this patterned backing, so I put some paper on either side, the pin is at the bottom. The stitching line is nicely continuous without any noticeable knots, overstitches, or thread build up. If the backing was plain, this would be really important especially if your quilt is submitted to a show for judging.
Luckily, that was the only bobbin glitch. After that, there wasn’t a row that ran out of bobbin thread, or had a thread break.
All done, I love these colors.
Marti plans to send this to a charity event in all our names.
But to me it will be Nancy’s quilt.
If you’d like to try those Easy Threading Needles, they are available with my affiliate link at Fat Quarter Shop HERE.
You can find the needles in a large pack to share with friends at Amazon Self Threading Needle Pack.
Are you sewing or quilting or crafting this lovely Thanksgiving weekend?
Your beautiful work is a complement to your friend. Together you’ve created a beautiful piece.
What a lovely tribute to your friend. Thank you for your detailed explanation about tying off. I have some of those needles and love them.
A beautiful quilt and a reflection of a friend that loved quilting. Although she has passed, you have so many memories that can easy your loss. Thank you for sharing this story.
I am so sorry to hear about your friend; she made an absolutely beautiful quilt. I lost a friend a few months ago and am also finishing up a quilt she started for her granddaughter….quilters are the best.
The American Ovarian Cancer Foundation auctions quilts as a fundraiser, maybe your friend would like to check that out? The quilt does remind me of stained glass and what a beautiful memorial for your friend.
The past couple of years I have sent two blocks for the Australian Ovarian Cancer quilt that my friend Kate quilts. This year is Signed, Tealed and Delivered. We always use teal because it is the color of the Ovarian Cancer Foundation.
If you ever want to do something like that here in the States, count me in!
Thank you for showing this lovely quilt. Nancy was indeed a gift to everyone who knew her. She shone through no matter what the adversity. You and Marti have done a wonderful job of honoring her!!
Nancy’s quilt turned out beautifully. What a treasure someone will end up with. Thank you, and all who worked on it, for a lovely tribute to a lovely quilter.
What a beautiful quilt… Many thanks for quilting this gem.
Thanks for the blog on the hiding the stitches…Have the needles but
have not needed to use them yet..
#2 On autumn lane is next on the long arm…So excited about the cornerstone that were machine
appliqued circles to go with the circle on the grograin embellishments.
Still want to do your egg nog French toast…..Have a great week.
A wonderful tribute to your brave and inspiring friend!
Thanks for showing us how to deal with running out of bobbin thread!
Nancy’s quilt is beautiful! I’m so sorry for the loss of your friend. My sister just had surgery for this same cancer. It is a bit frightening to think of what is ahead for her.
Hi Carole,
What a beautiful job you did on Nancy’s quilt. I wish it was going to someone who knew and loved Nancy, but I am sure she would also want it in the hands of someone who needs it. Just a beautiful job, and I am so sorry for your loss. {{Hugs}} to you, your friends and Nancy’s family. ~smile~ Roseanne
What a beautiful finish to a beautiful quilt. Of course, it’s done in my favorite colors. A fine tribute to your friend.
I’ve tried using those self-threading needles and all they do is shred the thread (Aurifil) so I gave up. I think they are clover brand, so maybe I should try a different manufacturer.
We’re cold and cloudy here today, but the temps having been see-sawing from the 50’s to the 30’s every few days. It’s supposed to be 62° on Tuesday.
It is a beautiful one, love the colors, purple is one of my favorites. Went to JoAnn’s yesterday and bought a new book, Log Cabin Restructured with 23 log cabin quilt projects, I’m so happy I could get it ½ the price with m coupon. There is a butterfly pattern I’m really interested in trying to make. Phyllis
Beautiful blocks, gorgeous fabrics, and the sashing and cornerstones show them off so well, and your quilting a perfect finish. A tribute to a very dear friend, with love from you to Nancy.
What a beautiful quilt and the purple thread was a great choice for the quilting. I knot and bury all my threads also.
That is such an ugly disease. It must have been very therapeutic to quilt the quilt in her memory. It turned out beautifully.
I am so sorry to hear of your friend’s passing…may you and all those who love her find peace. Her quilt blocks are lovely—you and Marti did a beautiful job on the quilt.
Beautiful quilting of a beautiful quilt. Well done!
Such a lot of beautiful piecing and I’m glad you have the record of all her hard work. What a tribute to your friend, and it will surely be a blessing to the recipient.
That’s so beautiful. I’m kind of surprised her family doesn’t want to keep it since it was the last blocks she did. Your quilting looks so nice on it, too.
A beautiful tribute to your friend. Thank you for the thread burying tutorial. I’m going to give those needles a try.
Thanks for sharing your steps of burying knots. I do it too, but I sort of taught myself out of necessity. My method is very close to yours.
I was cleaning up emails and found this email. What a lovely quilt but was wondering if it was possible to know the quilt block on row 2, block 6. It would be wonderful to make if possible or the book that Nancy made these from. Thank you so much.