I decided on Saturday I would finish the sewing of the Jelly Roll Rug over the weekend, no matter what. I didn’t think I would be able to do it after starting, because the thread kept breaking every foot or so. It was maddening. I tried to go with the flow, but when I got to some dark grey, I switched to Aurifil #2610. Amazingly, I had no more thread breaks! The thread I started out using (once I got to the colored area) was a variegated thread. I am not a fan of variegated threads, so I was hoping to use it up. I wonder if some areas of the thread, such as where the colors join, are weaker and couldn’t handle the stress of what I was doing?
This is definitely a stressful project. I mentioned that my machine was skipping stitches. It turns out that I needed to use a Jeans needle 16. I was using a Jeans needle, but not a 16. The 16 part is the length and Angie thinks the needle wasn’t quite long enough, where I tried to sew in thicker areas, to catch the bobbin thread. She traded me some shorter Jeans needles for the 16s and I had very few problems sewing after that.
My sewing machine table has a flip out back, as you might remember, and after my rug got to a certain size, I flipped up the back (now I need to dust and vacuum!!!). It was helpful, but I could have also used a flip up front to the left of my machine. I compensated by rolling the rug up a bit when it came forward.
I need a rug for my foyer and thought this might do the trick. It doesn’t quite do the trick, though the colors work with my living room/dining room color scheme. The rug needs to be longer and not much wider. I think I will try the square version with strips I cut on the Accuquilt rather than with a Jelly Roll strip set. DH had an idea about arranging the strips using colors that go with the paint in our living room/dining room. That burgundy rug isn’t ratty enough for me to put the next Jelly Roll Rug version on the top of the to do list, but it will be on my soonish list.
I am not quite finished as I have to steam the living daylights out of the rug. Stay tuned for a ‘completed’ post.
Like your result and sorry it’s not quite the right size for where you wanted to use it! I’m probably going to do another one or two of these. My office is moving into a new location and I’ll have much more space that will need some pops of color. I have a pattern for a square one as well that came free with some of the pre-cut batting strip rolls so I may try that but I suspect those corners would be really pokey and I’m not sure I have the time or mental energy for pokey!
I am not worried about it being the right size. I have a relative’s birthday coming and she will love it. I am thinking of doing a rectangular one for that space. I can also control the colors much better. There’s always more fabric, right? 😉
I’ve never had any trouble with variegated threads so I’m guessing it was the needle. Your rug is gorgeous.
I’m getting ready to make one of the rectangular rugs soon also. I think I’ll quilt and bind the Gypsy Wife first though.
Happy 4th!
Thanks! We had a fun time despite the fog. We played croquet and the adult juvenile deliquents lit off vintage fireworks.
Yes, I think the needle was part of the problem, but I tried several and even after finding the Jeans 16, the variegated thread broke and broke and broke. Once I switched to a solid color, I had no problems. I thought of dragging out my great grandma’s Necchi, which would have been a drastic ordeal. A mystery!