Ready to Stitch

This week's "Focus on Fusing" lesson is on "finishing techniques" focusing on machine quilting. Remember this whole quilt has fusible webbing on the back....and this week we are supposed to fuse it to a piece of batting that is cut just a little bit smaller. We are going to fold the edges over and fuse it to the back rather than creating a binding. (see Melody's lesson...or stay tuned for my attempt)

I was worried about my initial small size...not having enough room to get any interesting effect with the stitching and folding over the dots and stripes. In hindsight I should have copied Melody's actual pattern like I was supposed to.  So....I fused on a simple border....which changes it from a 6 by 8 to an 8 by 10.  I actually think it improves the piece and it will be easier to quilt.




My batting is fused to the back and I was ready to stitch.

  

I was a little hesitant to get started....but I did some of the stitching this afternoon. I'm keeping it really simple...most of it stitched in the ditch. I will look at it with a fresh eye in the next couple of days and finish it up....maybe even with some hand stitching.

What a difference a little stitching makes! More to do.