I Don't Enjoy Marking

I have done the quilting on all of my quilts except one. Since I hand pieced that one I had it hand quilted by my friend, Elaine. But normally I do my own quilting on my Juki (not on a frame).

My Amish Dahlia top is very special to me. I'll tell the story of how it came to be and what it represents another day. For now I'll just say that since the dahlias are hand pieced (the background pieces were set in by machine and the blocks joined by machine) I want it hand quilted also. I don't hand quilt, aside from a couple of small pieces. So I've asked the ladies at our church to quilt it for me.

That means it has to be marked, something else I'm not used to doing...I usually quilt free motion without marking. This is a slow and back breaking process..makes me glad I don't have to do it often. I did a good chunk yesterday and have to finish it today so I can take it with me to church tomorrow.

I'm using a stencil for the flowers and free-handing vines and leaves. Other dahlias and inner petals will be outline quilted. Don't you just love the old fabrics? Many have special memories for me.

What do you think?