Quilt "Rasslin"

Friday already?  I have spent almost every afternoon this week working on the old quilt top made by my SIL's grandmother.  Lots of construction issues here.  As I quilt, I am also trying to flatten out the puckers and gathers

points that don't match, and seams that are coming apart.  So, as I sew, I am trying to hold the star points together.  And mash down the big 'old puckers.

So far, it is working!

For a project like this, a puffy batting really helps take up some of the fullness.  I am using Quilters Dream Puff.  Normally, I use a flatter batt that is mostly cotton.  But, I love this batting and the sculpted look of the quilting.

 In addition to the puffy batting, it takes a LOT of quilting to flatten down the fabric.  Preferably, curvy, informal quilting.  I have feathers, but they only work because of all the tiny filler patterns in the surrounding areas.  Pin the heck out of the surrounding area, mash down with one hand, hit the gas and quilt the H**L out of it!

There are two giant squares like the one above, a lot of small squares, some rectangular areas in the borders, and some triangles in white.  I am using the same stencil for all, but just changing the size of the feathers or choosing a section of the circle to fit.

And, I am not even halfway finished yet!  Today it will be stars again.  See that big puffy star point sticking up?  Time to teach it a lesson!

To keep myself sane, I have been painting some journal page backgrounds which I'll show you soon.

Did you all watch Project Runway last night?  I think that was the best show ever as far as drama.  I watch it the morning after, since DH can't tolerate the whole concept.  I was crossing my fingers that Gretchen would be "aufed" since she was one of the last two on the runway, and obviously took responsibility for the losing team's whole concept.  After I watch the video, I like to visit the Project  Rungay blog and read all the comments.  Almost as entertaining as the shows themselves, and sometimes more so!