WWW

   This year I have heard more quilters saying "I'm going to finish up some of those UFO's before I start one more project".  This is sage advise so I'm going to try and finish up a few unfinished projects myself.  Today I'm finishing the "Hooray for Spring" by Maggie Bonanomi.  Once I began to quilt it I was reminded that I've started using this new technique to tie off the loose threads.  Here is an example of what I'm doing.  When you begin quilting and you bring your bobbin thread up to the top, hold on tightly to the ends of those threads and begin quilting.

 Once your foot is away from your beginning threads, stop your machine and use your hands to tie a knot in the threads and then a second one.  Snip the threads to even them up but make sure you leave a long enough tail.

 I've started keeping a needle in a pincushion next to the Honey Q and I use it now.  Thread your needle.

 Now insert the needle really close to the starting stitches.  Make one long stitch between the batting and top of quilt.   Bring the needle back up and pull taunt so the knots tuck under and into the middle of the quilt.

 Snip ends of threads.  What I like about this method is it gives me a nice clean start to my sewing, does it take a little more time, yes, but I'm really liking the results.

 I've decided to practice some feathering and shrink the size of this wall hanging to 13 1/2" square.

 That size will guarantee that this little quilt will hang on my small stand.

I'll add some binding and a sleeve and this will be a finished project.  Well that's one, just a few more to go.