Halloween weekend sewing

Remember when I wrote about taking fabric to create a topper for your table?  Here is the result, officially debuted at card night.  We have been playing cards 5 or 6 times a year with two other couples for about five years.  Whoever hosts, sets the table, buys wine/pop/coffee and orders pizza.  One couple brings salad and the third, dessert.  No one has to cook, we get to use our nice dishes and we play cards and talk.  We have played Five Crowns over 25 times and I have won exactly zero times.  NEVER!  In spite of this, I still like these couples and enjoyed using this batik to perk up a dark blue tablecloth.


Is that it, Kathy, all the sewing news for the weekend?  Don't be silly, of course I not!  I did some more knitting on my scarf, yes one for me!  I also did a row of machine quilting on the City quilt after practicing on some side fabric.  Remember that super cute Mark Twain fabric I bought for book club?  I had 3 fat quarters that I pinked on all four sides and used on the buffet to add some interest to the array of foods.  Once the Huck Finn discussion over what am I going to do with the fabric?  Practice of course!  I was able to check the tension and practice the geometric design I want to do on the strips.  I decided to outline the black strips by stitching in the ditch and then doing two rectangles on each end of every blue strip.  I will add one rectangle at each end as I work my way down the quilt.  I feel good about the quilt's alignment on the rollers.  I think (hope!)  I have cleared up the issues I have had on the past two quilts.  It is hard to see the quilting but I like the variegated thread and took a picture of the first quilted row.

 I sewed an basting row in the orange left in the machine then I switched to the blue.


I had some tension issues but I checked with the back camera a bunch of times.  One time I had the machine pulled over too far and I saw my hand and wedding ring instead of the fabric.  It confused me momentarily. 

You can see the stitches in the dark blue above.




On the side, I think it shows up in the light blues but not the jade.




It will increase as I work down.  I will remember to increase it, yes?  Maybe I should write something down to remind myself.

I am also working on Emily's maternity blouse, the prototype.  She has her first fitting tomorrow so I am predicting I will have more progress to report then.

Have a Happy Halloween!  I hope none of your sewing is scary and that you have some leftover candy.  (Give away all the stuff you don't like first.)