This week I finished the quilting my “El Camino” quilt, which I started piecing in May 2014.  This was a block of the month pattern by Nancy Rinks using her fabric line of the same name.  The blocks were fun to piece and I liked the colors and patterns of the fabric line.  As I was finishing the final pass of quilting, I noticed this:

The sashing strip in the top section of this block.  I did a double-take, NO! I thought, how could I have missed this?  This quilt top has been on and off my frame three times for various reasons.  I have unpicked the quilting from all its outer borders, I re-squared its backing, I have been over it, under it and around it for months.  My next question to myself was “Can I fix it?”  I could remove the piece as there was no quilting on it yet, but it was near the center of the top, no way to machine sew it back in.  Could I appliqué it back in? No, it wouldn’t look straight.  I am going to have to live with it.  This quilt is for me anyway, and after all the trials and tribulations that have gone into its making, I am ready for it to be finished.  I finished the quilting and relocated it to the binding needed pile.

In other news, I bought a new sewing machine.  When I bought my current machine, I traded in a Juki TL2000 for credit towards the purchase price.  I miss that machine, it was a straight stitch only, but it could sew through just about anything.  I have been hesitant about doing the upholstery for my armchair with my Bernina, it just doesn’t seem like her “thing”.  I heard about the Sailrite machines from another Yahoo group I’m on.  They have portable, walking foot, industrial machines made for sewing canvas sails, boat covers, upholstery and awnings. Sort of an industrial Featherweight, but it weighs over 45 pounds.  When I started thinking of all the things I am reluctant to sew on Bertha (Bernina’s name), it made more and more sense to get the machine and enjoy sewing with it.  Not having to worry about the “grinding gears” picture/prompt that shows up on Bertha when she’s not enjoying a particular task will be nice too.  Fixing horse blankets and pads, sewing upholstery, denim quilts, fabric purses, bags, dog collars and leashes.  This machine can sew through 12 layers of denim with felled seams thrown in the pile with ease.  I got a piping foot and a zipper foot too.  Did I mention it is blue?  It’ll be here in six days, I’m excited!