Laura Nownes

[E.M. T.]

For what it's worth....I seldom block a quilt ! Only in very extreme cases of rippled borders..or
quilt density problems.... :roll:

[E.M. T.]

The current problems are that there are blobs of thicker starch here & there across the top and the wide white borders have also now aquired some marks on them :roll: :evil: The only way to remove the starch blobs will be to wash it despite the worry of bleeding. I have decided that it will be easier to just wash the top than to risk the nice wool batting as well, so it is off again and in the machine with lots of colour catchers & synthrapol (it can be hard trying to type with your fingers crossed :wink: ). I am sure getting a lot of practise basting a quilt :roll:

[E.M. T.]

Staying tuned for the next message form across the pond.....hope it goes well!

[E.M. T.]

Phew! - just got the top out of the machine and it looks fine, no bleeding and the faint hint that had happened with the starching seems to have disappeared too I'm sure that I put 4 colour catchers in but only 3 have come back out :? and the colour they have turned is a purpleish grey :shock: :? The back is now a lovely tangle of threads :roll: which will need tidying up, but since I did a line of stay stitching around the edge before it went it, they look fine.
Tomorrow pressing, again, and basting, again :roll:

[wendy w.]

and resist the temptation to starch!

Well done Rosemary it better win now. Has it been renamed.

[wendy w.]

It is certainly acquiring a nickname and it is learning lots of 'language' that is not used in polite society :wink:

Mind you, I am sure that it says on the side of my tub of starch that it is possible to starch fabric in the machine....

Nope, I am definitely stopping where I am on the starch front this time.

[Renata L.]

So glad it worked out for you, Rosemary. I've been following your story here without comment because I had nothing useful to offer but was relieved for you that things have worked out because it is such a beautiful quilt and would love to see it do well in competition! Can't wait to see it quilted!

[Lotti D.]

I starch everything in the machine... I just washed and starched all the fabrics that came home from my trip to Canada and the states...
Wash with a dollop of liquid detergent (for colored fabrics) and a bunch of color catchers.
Once it's finished, I remove the color catchers, then add lots of liquid starch, I.e. a good cup full for a load of laundry which I put in the fabric softener 'drawer' and program to start from the last rinse, I.e. from where the fabric softener would be added. Once it's spun I hang dry it, if possible I iron before the fabric is completely dry, or use plain water in a mister before ironing, works best if I lightly mist each fabric and layer them till ready for ironing. No gunk on iron, all fabrics lightly to medium starched, irons quite easily and fabrics are evenly starched (some fabrics take up more starch than others, depends on how tightly fabric is woven and what materials are in it).

[E.M. T.]

[Charae H.]

Ditto!!!!!

[Charae H.]

Quiet an adventure Rosemary. So glad is working out. Love how the quilt top turned out. I'm sure the quilt will be just perfectly gorgeous.

Great info on how to starch fabric in the washer. Thanks for sharing Lotti.

[Charae H.]

Been thinking about the quilting. With ESS it is going to be very heavily quilted in the centre and hardly any at all on the white borders. Now I have a plan for the quilting I want to do in the white borders but it certainly does not include quilting every 1/4"! I hope I don't have too much trouble with quilting density :roll: . I know what I want for the sashing, green borders and white border, but still uncertain as to what to do for the sample pieced blocks. If I get time later on today I will try & put up a sketch of what I have planned so far.

[Rita C.]

Rosemary, I think the quilt would probably survive without having to QID ESS on that centre - I know I wouldn't do it! Look forward to seeing the plan. And I am so glad you got your smudge and starch issues sorted out.

[Renata L.]

I look forward to seeing your plan, too, Rosemary!

[Lois B.]

Good luck with the rest of it. You'll finish one deadline and then jump to the next.