Look what I finally finished!

I started this "Peep in the Big Wide World" quilt for Ariel two summers ago on a quilt retreat with my MIL.  AND IT'S FINALLY DONE!!!  (as of Sunday)  Happy Dance!

Here's a picture of when I started the quilting.  (with markings and pins)

This is only the 2nd large (twin size) quilt I've ever machine quilted.  Possibly only the 2nd quilt I've ever machine quilted, but I could be wrong.  I'm coming up blank.  Well, I have done a few others but just stitch in the ditch.  Anyway I Googled "wind looking quilting" and found something I liked, downloaded and re-sized in Photoshop and printed.  Then I traced it onto medium mesh tulle with a Sharpie.

This was an idea EC came up with many moons ago for a sign I wanted to paint and I thought I'd try it here.  Concept was fine.  Execution could have been disasterous.  I started marking the top with a blue water soluble marking pen (which tends to be my preference) and after doing a whole double row and starting the next row, I discovered that the blue had dissolved some of the permanent black right onto my quilt!  My TwiQuilters buddies advised me to use alcohol (rubbing, not drinking ;)).  When I finished the quilting I threw it in the wash and was relieved to find that the marks did come out.  Whew....


After discovering what the water soluble marker was doing I switched to a regular graphite based fabric marking pencil.  And this is what my Machingers gloves now look like.  Not only are they filthy, but the grippy stuff at the tips is all worn out.

So now I need new machine quilting gloves.  (hint, hint to anyone wondering what to get me for my birthday, or next exchange, or just because - a med/lg would work just great! ) =D