Quite by accident, I rescued a Handi Quilter II from a Good Will delivery this week.  A neighbor called to say she was about send hers away, so I decided to set it up and give it a try.  I realize that the new Handi Quilters are up to at least #24, so this is one of the old originals.  I have to put my Janome machine onto a platform and steer it around, but still it really isn’t all that difficult.  I won’t use it to echo quilt unless I gain a great deal of skill, but it works great for bed quilts and donation quilts.  So, for today and tomorrow, I am just learning to use the HQII and trying to complete the US Map donation quilt for Project Linus.  Then, I will happily return to working on my hibiscus applique and painted quilt. The blossoms are completed and I will get the leaves and center part of the quilt painted early this week…. hopefully in time to show the center of the quilt to you next week.  Then, I hope to try printing some light designs on the background before I sandwich it and start echo quilting.  Check out what others are doing on Off The Wall Fridays!