Quiltville’s Carolina Christmas Mystery Quilt – Darn IT!!!!

So I spent a good 2 days basting and re-basting my quilt.  I first tried hand basting, then I used safety pins and pin basted.  Took all that out and re-tried the pin basting again.  Then when I thought I just about had it I turned over the quilt and what a mess.

I went to the store to find some spray basting but decided against buying it because I thought maybe I had a can of some kind of spray adhesive at home.  Sure enough I did and I spent another half day spraying and spreading.  Finally!!!!  Everything was looking good.  I rolled up the edges, re-arranged my sewing area to accomodate my EZ Quilter frame and gave my best shot.

My first try stunk.  Picked out all the stitches.

Second try.  Too much give in the quilt…not enough tension.  Picked out all the stitches.

This morning I gave it my third try.  Even Chloe thought she could help (see photos above!   The cat won’t let us out of her sight…ever since MTD has been gone…I think she is lonely).

Darn IT!!!!!  This just isn’t working for me and I’m getting really upset.

I take everything off the frame and bring it downstairs to the dining room table to spread it out.  I don’t know how I’m going to get these last stitches out!  Expletive, Expletive!

Ugggh!

So I break out the hoop, the thread and some needles and try to figure out how to do a Baptist Fan by hand.  I’m not even going to mark it.  Just do it freehand and wonky.

Looks better.

Although I know it is going to take me a really long time to do this by hand, I think this is now my only option.  I’ve already ruled out trying to do a stitch in the ditch.

Well…it will give me some time to watch a few shows in the evenings.

Jim had a flash this morning that he could re-engineer the EZ Quilter.  I’m just not going to wait.  Maybe next quilt.