Midnight Crossing - Layering, Binding Prep, Thread

I aim to piece my backings to be 2" larger than the finished top in both dimensions. The backing fabric was a small enough scale print that matching the piecing seam went well. Using glue to keep the seam aligned until I stitched it, I then pressed it open to even out bulk during the upcoming FMQ phase. I cut my bamboo batting 1" large in both dimensions then popped it in the dryer with a damp cloth to ease out the wrinkles and folds. I crawled around on the floor (ugh, my least favorite part) smoothing the backing, batting, and top layers together, then peeled back each layer to spray baste with Odif 505 temporary adhesive for fabric. For the quilting, I ordered thread in several pale orange colors, but need to wait for its arrival to down select. 

Meanwhile I worked on the binding. I fussy cut 8 widths of the remaining backing fabric in 2½" strips, a multiple of the X images, so the pattern did not drift around the bound edges. I joined the strips on the diagonal; I was pleased how well I was able to match those seams, camouflaged where the dog tails stick out before removing. Then I trimmed ¼" off along the entire length to arrive at my desired 2¼" binding width.

It was pouring rain that afternoon, September 20th, a welcome downpour for my drought tortured state of California. I felt snug in my sewing room gazing out the window while leisurely and carefully cutting off that ¼" along greater that 320 inches. I still need to press it in half along its length... but all in due time.

 

All this while I was thinking about my FMQ pattern to distract me from my tender knees and fickle back from layering and to waylay my impatience from waiting for my thread arrival. My thread finally arrived  – less than a week but still I mildly grumble finally. Here were my color options from palest to darkest from Essential Threads by Connecting Threads: 21582-Cantaloupe, 21120-Apricot, 21581-Chai. I chose Apricot, the medium of the three shades. Cantaloupe had too much pink and Chai was too strong.

I am in the process of quilting a band of petals in the sashings and quilting pillowcase edges in the checkered nine-patches on my HQ Sweet Sixteen sit-down. I am still contemplating what to do in the blocks themselves. I played with some heart templates but have not yet come up with an option that truly appeals. I will keep thinking and experimenting in PowerPoint while I continue stitching on the sashings and posts.