Machine Quilting My Sister's Quilt

This is my poor boy set up quilting machine, a mechanical Brother 1500.  I'm not in it for the money.  Thus, I quilt when I get around to it.  Like material on the shelf, it won't go bad.  My only motivator is that the quilting frame is set up in my dining room and as you can see it gets an evening intense sunlight.  Sunlight is not your material's friend.  So, when I get it loaded on the bars, then I shift into gear to finish.  Even though this is not my quilt, I still respect the work involved.  

My sister is new to quilting and this is her Jelly Roll quilt.  Happily new quilters get all excited about making quilts, then they realize you must quilt it.  When my Mom visited last April for the Paducah quilt show, she dropped off 2 quilts, this being one of them.  I think I must have delayed the finish too long for them, as they have found their cottage industry quilt lady in Oklahoma.  My mom and sister have to provide the backing and batting and the final cost is $50 for a lap size quilt.  This is a bargain to me and the beautiful thing is they don't have to wait for sister/daughter to do it for free.  The best things about quilts is the finishing.  Any quilt looks good on a bed and a finished quilt is always better than an unfinished UFO.  Whether it has loops or intricate designs, I think that getting it done is the most important thing.  Unless you want to enter the quilt into a competition, then it is necessary that you have great quilting done on your quilt.  

Quilting tip:  Just like piecing the back and using all your stash, you can piece your batting too.  Just butt it up to other small pieces of batting and make big zig zag stitches..tah..dah!!