Five tops quilted in four days!

I finally got busy on the quilting frame, and now I'm on a roll. The Mardi Gras quilt is quilted and bound, so it is finished! I haven't taken another picture of it now that it's done. I now know where MY limit for quilt size is on my frame. The frame company says my frame can handle a 90" quilt. Maybe for some people it can, but I can't do one that large on it. The Mardi Gras quilt was 81" wide before I quilted and washed it. I managed just fine with that width, and I could probably go another 4" without too much trouble. There is NO way I would attempt a 90" quilt on this frame. Even at the width of the Mardi Gras quilt I was having to shove the batting aside to change the bobbin. My Juki has the bobbin compartment on the end, no front access, so I need to get to the entire side of my machine and that takes up a few more inches.

I was impressed that I could quilt a quilt this large on my Juki (9" harp) without turning the quilt around. I chose a small pantograph- 4" because I was concerned about having enough room. I used Warm and Natural batting, which probably helped me out. If I had gone with a high loft polyester I wouldn't have been able to do it. The quilt roll would have taken up too much space.

Here is a pic of the other four tops I quilted, now patiently awaiting binding. I folded them backing side out, but all of the tops have been on the blog already anyway. Three of these are men's shirt quilts, and the other is my Stashbuster Mystery quilt. I have another men's shirt quilt loaded on the frame for tomorrow, and I pieced the backing for the last top I have completed. I want to get the quilt that is loaded quilted, and get the last top loaded, but I am not going to quilt it right away. I have a bunch of company coming in October for DD#3's wedding reception, and I know people are going to be wondering what the huge contraption in my living room is. If I have a quilt on there, I can give a quick demonstration. I keep the tension very loose if I have a quilt on there for a while, then just tighten it when I'm working on it. I haven't had any problems doing that.

Tomorrow's plan? Get up early and get the loaded quilt quilted. Take DD#2 out to lunch for her birthday, and start cleaning the house. DH has a big scooter event planned for Sunday, and we're having a BBQ for 50 people or so after the ride. Preparations for that will take up most of my time for the next few days. I'm not sure how much sewing I'll get done over the next few days, but one sewing machine has partially assembled scrubs on it, the other has the beginnings of two different quilt tops (I love leaders and enders a la Bonnie K Hunter of www.quiltville.com), and I have four quilts to pin binding on, so if I should find any time, I have plenty to do!