Still working on the lollies, or my Lollypop Tree Quilt.

I took the quilt to my quilter and she basted it together for me, which has actually worked pretty well.  Usually I crawl around on the floor on my hands and knees and pin the quilt sandwich to within an inch of its life, but went this direction this time.  It’s been nice not to have to navigate those safety pins, but I still don’t want to sew over the basting thread, so I’m pulling it out as I get there.

Finished up this one last night.  I’m trying to do a different filler in the background of each block.  It may not last, but this one is leaves.  The background filler on the first one is a rounded double loop in all directions.  When I look at these photos, it reminds me that there are still some details to go over (like the brown stems need to be quilted down at the trunk), but I’ll do the brown thread quilting all at one.

And then I started on this, and got almost done, but had quilted myself into a corner with extra fluffiness.  After I quilted a tuck into the quilt, I stopped and unpicked for a while, and will take it up again today in better lighting, and when I’m not so tired.  This background is an oval double teardrop.

Diane Gaudynski advises free-motion quilters that a little marker now and then is a quilter’s good friend.  Like in that run of white thread on the blue batik.  The thread I’m using is So-Fine white #401, and in the bobbin, I’m using the Bottom Line in a soft yellow.  I’ve lowered the tension on the top to nearly half of normal (2.2 or 2.0) and I have really good balance in the thread.  This thread from Superior Thread is quite fine, as the name states, and it just sews up beautifully. I switched to a size 14 topstitch needle which allows lots of thread movement, so no shredding.  (I had been using a size 12, but the 14 is working better.)

I like the way the appliquéd pieces pop up.  This *post* by Sandra Leichner is invaluable for explaining the process.  I have a permanent link to it from the home page of my blog, as well as to Diane Gaudynski’s website.

I figure I still have about 5 days left of quilting time in my February/March goals, which clearly states: “Quilt Lollypop Trees.”  I’ve been able to cross of all but one of my projects, so am still trying for a completion here.

Linking up to Lee’s Freshly Pieced blog.