Christmas Table Topper

My holiday Storm at Sea table topper has been one of those projects as I got closer I got to finishing it, the more it seemed I had to do.  I struggled with the last bit of quilting because the areas that were ironed flat didn't want to stay that way.  My binding was too short (at least I had plenty of material to extend it).  Once the binding was on, I still needed to quilt the triangles on the outer edge.  I ripped out some quilting because the Singer's bobbin yacked, then added more stitching in areas I hadn't planned on.  Whew!  It was if the universe was conspiring against me.

Ta-da!  Done.  I'm please with the result.  The best part - I get to keep this quilt!  The outdoor photos were a bit harsh on the colors, but they captured the quilting best.  It makes an interesting pattern, but since the thread matches the fabric, it can be difficult to see.

I'm a little concerned about washing it.  It seems that some of the darker colors are transferring to the light fabric when I pieced it together.  I wash all of my material, and I'm pretty sure some of it has been washed twice.  Yet there are smudges of blue and green on the tips of my triangles where they were ironed together.  Hmph.

I also worry about the sounds my sewing machine is making.  I suspect it's unhappy with my constant switching of stitch size and feed direction with the short rows of quilting.  That alone would be a reason to practice some more freemotion quilting.  But the poor machine hasn't sounded right since I modified the acoustical drapes.  I think the upholstery thread threw something out of whack.  I don't want to return to the repair shop (although if anyone can fix it, they can!).  Maybe it will right itself after a rest and a few small straight-seamed projects.  One can hope.

So now that this is done I will tuck it away and look forward to when I can display it for the holiday season.