Small set back

I set aside the whole of Sunday to complete the quilt I was working on a week or two ago. So I laid down the fleece and carefully tacked my top to it, rolled it all up and set up with the walking foot on the machine. I had forgotten what heavy work pushing a quilt through the machine can be and I must admit I much prefer to quilt by hand... machine quilting is a chore that puts me in a bad mood rather than a calming activity. But anyway, I got one row quilted though I had this feeling all was not well. Turned the quilt over... the whole thing had shifted and buckled. When I'd unpicked the row I'd just done, I folded the fleece up ready to take it back downstairs and realised why the quilt had gone wrong... the entire piece of fleece was completely off grain. I didn't think fleece had a grain actually, but when folded it was all buckled and wouldn't lie down flat. So, I shall have to return to Plan B after all and do the quilt properly with batting and a cotton backing. I think in the end, that will probably give a better look since the quilt top is sort of traditional in style and colour. So I will get some batting for it in September at the quilt show I am planning to attend.

All is not lost with the fleece since I will need practice on the new overlocker. The fleece can have its central seam resewn with the flat lock and be edged with the blanket stitch in a deco thread for practice purposes and will make a rather practical, if plain, sofa throw for the depths of winter. It has already had the sewing spaniel's seal of approval. It was folded up in a plastic collapsible crate in the sewing room for week or two and she has been sneaking in there and sleeping on it. It must be super-comfy because she is normally nervous of that particular kind of crate and won't go anywhere near one.