Quantum Stops and Starts

There are a myriad of ways to stop and start when quilting. My preferred method is burying the thread. What usually happens is the thread snips end up on the floor around my feet. No big deal there’s a mat for my office chair so I swoop them up and off to the bin they go. Yesterday a fascinating thing happened. I started counting the stops and starts in one block for Quantum Leap.
Each block is 7.5 inches square.
Each block has a kaleidoscope block with 8 wedges, so the original motif is repeated 8 times forming the kaleidoscope.
Each block is embroidered with a seed or bead stitch to give the kaleidoscope shapes presence. Jeanie carefully chose thread to highlight the block.

What that means for me as I quilt around each of the major shapes is that I can have as little as 1 stop/start (2 sets of thread buried) and as many as 8 (16 sets of thread buried). Depending on the block, shapes, colors etc well let’s just say that jar doesn’t quite tell yesterdays stop/start/bury the thread story. I’d tossed that much away when Debby’s blog post reminded me I have these jars.

In the end all of the stop/starts will be worth it. In the meantime I’m reminded of how beautiful this quilt is.
I’m reminded why it’s important to have a sewing table at the appropriate height for my person. At 5′ tall the table the machine is sitting on is a wee bit high.

I’m off to do some blogging for the magazine and more quilting on this beauty.

If you’re going to be at Quilt Market stop by the Generation Q Magazine booth and say hello. I’ll be there most of the week.

Happy Quilting!

Teri