Slow Stitchin' Weekend

Sea Turtle Parade is headed to the finish line.  Thursday I finished up the machine quilting and attached the flat piping and binding and began turning the binding and sewing to the backside.  The next morning after having completed half the binding, I remembered that I had not attached a label.  I have only recently started adding labels to my quilts so I often forget.  I had a bobbin of some variegated thread that I thought complemented the colours in the quilt so I decided to use my alphabet on the Bernina to stitch out a label.  I used heat off stabilizer.  The first three lines of stitching look pretty good.  The 4th ......not so much.  I was getting to the edge of the stabilizer I had pinned to the fabric and I decided to use my hands to stretch and guide the fabric.  The lettering is skewed a bit.  I hid it under the binding.  I folded over 2 of the edges and selected a loopty loop stitch,  The stitch scrunched the fabric.  NOT pretty.  I used the blind hem stitch to attach the label.  I had to unstitch about 6 inches of my binding to put the label in the bottom corner.  I decided to use my sloppy label.

 I then added a hanging sleeve using the directions on We All Sew.  What a disaster.  My 1/8 inch basting seam was probably more like a 1/16 and not wide enough for the blind hem stitch to work correctly.  Time to unsew.  AGAIN.....and restitch.  Lousy job on the hanging sleeve as well as the label.  Better luck next time.  I doubt the hanging sleeve will ever get used.  This quilt will more likely be used as a table runner for most of its life.  I have been reading in blogs about not pointing out your mistakes in your quilts.  I concur with the sentiments.... but on a blog the conversation is about remembering the mistakes for future reference.  There is something to be said about enjoying the process of quilting including the missteps one makes.  I enjoyed the process of the learning that happened while I made my label and my hanging sleeve.  I am not a perfectionist and I think the label and hanging sleeve will work well enough so I am perfectly content for all their flaws to reside on the backside of my quilt. Now on to the finish.

I am using seed beads to flipflop the flat piping back and forth emulating waves.  I like the look and may well add more piping effects in future quilts.  After I sew on the beads, Slow Stitchin' Fun,  I will add the crystals and the quilt will no long be in the UFO pile.  On to Hedgehog quilt.  Does anyone know how to make a single seed bead stand up?