Smoke from my finger tips

Hi All,

Been hand quilting like a crazy person trying to get a baby quilt done!  But while I'm working away over here my sister in law Susie was hard at work too and she made a baby.  Here is Liam!

I am sure he wont mind waiting a little on his quilt, as long as I get it done before he graduates High School.  I would like to get it to him by Christmas this year.   

So since I don't have much new to post, I thought I would share with you one of my favorite hand quilting  gadgets.     When I'm hand quilting and one a roll... I don't like to stop thread needles.  So this little guy comes in handy.  Not mention the fact that it has a cover so WillieNo! can't hurt himself or others by steeling it.  Though the cats' war on thread has been deemed unwinable, still he battles on!

So I stick 10 quilting betweens in my quilt.

I use a long cheapy needle threader to load 5 needles at a time.  Put my thread through, still attached to the Spool.

and pull through all 5 needles without cutting my thread.

Then I pull off the first needle on the short thread side (not the spool side) and pull out the desired then.  It is recommended that you only use a length equivalent to your arm.  Then stick the needle in the top of the quilt and clip the thread before the next needle.  Then do again until all the needles are threaded.  Do the same for the next 5 needles.

all five needles threaded, no knots though.

Load 5 needles into slots on the winder.  Gently hold the threads out and away, making sure they are not tangled.  Move the dial on the back of the winder until the threads catch in the slot on the side. then wind and wind until they are all nice and tucked in.  Then repeat for the other five.

You can now cover it with the plastic dome top.  As you need needles just pull one out gently.  Sometimes it tangles a bit, but if you are gentle it does knot up.

I can get through about 2 loads of needles in an evening.

The end!

So the quilt is almost done, I have 2 1/2 borders left to quilt and then binding and label.  I let my husband pick out the border pattern and its nuckin futz.  I really love the way the way it is coming out, but its a little slow going.  

Ok, back to work.

I hope you all get a chance to quilt this weekend!

Love Aunti Nicole