Cramming and Jamming but my first big quilt is done!
 

Hi all,
I promised my disabled uncle a Marine quilt for Christmas. I had it started for last year but shame on me, didn't get it done then. A promise is a promise, however and he really did need something warmer than he was using in the nursing home.
I underestimated how much time I needed and was up til 10:15 pm finishing it before the day we all got together.
I did learn a few things. I used the strippy pattern from www.maryquilts.com to showcase the Marine fabric I found. That was great. With borders, it fit his bed perfectly.
I used a walking foot and at first had my sewing machine set on the highest speed. I'm assuming that the times I sped up with it were what produced the tangled knots on the back. Once I set my speed to the middle setting, those (thankfully) stopped. What do you think, was this the problem?
A larger throat space must make a difference. I was aiming for 'stuff and fluff' with about 5 1/2 inches of harp space and ended up really cramming and jamming that poor quilt around. I'm hopeful that a new machine will be in my future at some point that might help with that. A queen would be impossible.
I did have to do self binding in the end due to running out of time. I can now see why people cut their binding ahead of time.
It's not perfect but it was really appreciated and looks quite good unless you know the ins and outs and look closely. That has to be good enough for now. All in all, time crunch included, it was a very satisfying experience and I can see myself making some more gifts in the coming New Year.
Sorry, no picture, completely forgot but will get one at the next visit.
Thanks for 'listening'!
lots2do in NH

Glad you enjoyed the satisfaction of getting it done! I'm sure he'll love it! Bet you learned a lot, huh?

Thank you, Kitsie, for your reply. I did learn a lot and most of all to give myself enough time!
Take care!

Congrats on the finished product! While it wasn't easy, I recently finished a king sized quilt on a machine with a throat size of about 6". The issues you see on the back may be from a tension issue. The best way to fix is to make a practice sandwich from scraps and play with the tension until you get what you want. I usually dropped the feed dogs, set the stitch length to zero and then set the stitch speed at fast.....then it was pedal to the metal and let her roar! Really tho, consistent speed while moving the fabric is key to eliminating stitch problems, especially eyelashing on the back. Good luck on future quilts!

I am so sure he will love it - especially since you made it for him. Would love to see a photo of it & don't forget to put a label on it with obth your name & his.(amazing how things a nursing homes grow feet & walk out of places

About that loopy thread on the back.........My Viking likes to do that, so every time I turn it on I readjust the bobbin tension. The machine also has upper thread tension and presser foot tension. If your machine will let you play with the bobbin thread, experiment and see if it gets better.

It's so good of you to make a quilt for your uncle. Alll the love you poured into it will help keep him warm!

Thank you!

What a great thing you did. Can hardly wait to see pictures. Bet he loves it.

It is wonderful to be able to continue learning from quilting experiences. Just KEEP QUILTING