Bernina Ruler Foot and Rulers

I'm learning to use the adjustable Bernina ruler foot and rulers. Actually the ruler foot is simple to use - it's almost like using any quilting foot except you adjust the height. Adjusting the height is easy although I may never have to adjust it again since most of my quilts are the same thickness. Even though the toe isn't open, you can see what you are doing. The only weird thing is that you have to lower the foot to thread the needle.

A variety of rulers came with the Bernina Ruler Package. Ignore the blue painters tape holding the pieces together.

circles

ovals

I haven't removed all of the white paper from the backs yet.

I practiced for a while on a practice sandwich and then decided to just concentrate on one thing at a time. I chose the straight edge and a child-size quilt. 

I cross hatched the center, 

did some interesting stitching on the navy border, 

did some in-the-ditch-stitching, and did some straight stitching on the outer borders. Everything was done with the same ruler and free motion quilting.  That interesting stitching on the navy border required a little math to figure it out which was good for my mind!

I had to hold the ruler in different directions with each of my hands. Using either hand to holding the ruler and keeping the ruler from slipping are the hardest parts. Some of the rulers in my set are pretty small and my invisigrip won't stay on them. You don't have to look close to find my bobbles! I did not turn the quilt like you would with a walking foot - I just sewed in whatever direction was needed.

Before I began my second quilt, I was able to get some grips - little sandpaper disks - that work great. I did a second quilt using the straight edge with the grips on it and the ruler held much better.

It was much easier and I think I'm beginning to adjust to using the ruler in different directions.

Can you see the grips on the ruler?

When I finished the center of the quilt and got to the border, I decided to try a different ruler. I had no problems holding it or matching up the ruler to the design.

I'm looking forward to trying all of the rulers and eventually getting more. They are easy and fun to use. 

Do you like my cool purple gloves? I've always worn white Machingers but decided to try the Grabaroos. They work about the same and add more color to my life!

Fall? and a Little Backtracking...

We took a little tour a couple of days ago. We wanted to visit  some of the small towns 'near' us so we traveled north and west.

Shortly after leaving home, we saw a flock of geese heading south! It does seem early, doesn't it?

Taken out of side window of moving car

 We saw this Amish fellow. It was a gorgeous fall-like day.

One stop was at an Amish produce stand. The pumpkins are already ready!

The corn stalks are drying out at the bottom; the soybeans are changing color; some of the leaves on the trees are changing. Can you see the red in the bushes?

Taken out of side window of moving car

We still have a few weeks of summer but it feels like fall and I'm loving our weather. The weatherman says summer is returning midweek however - the 80s and 90s are coming back.

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I finished quilting another quilt. I had a lot of trouble with the last quarter which was disappointing because I thought I was getting back in the groove of free motion quilting. I sewed the binding on and then I went to hand stitch the binding down on the back and ugh! Can you see the tension issues?

The bad news is that I had to tear out 1/4 of the quilting and need to redo it. It was easy to remove! The good news is that I knew the machine didn't feel right when I was quilting. Of course I thought it was me. Next time I'll do what I should have done - stop and look at the back of the quilt. Maybe I really am getting back in the groove...

A quilt finish

I have a finish!  I saw a picture once of a quilt that looked something like this. However, I'm relying on my memory so maybe it didn't look like this at all!

This is the quilt that I've been practicing spirals on. All of the fabric is from my stash; most pieces are from my scrap drawers.

The outer (green) border is quilted in Paisley and the inner (blue) border is just a squiggly line with loops. 

The backing is a dark beige with flecks of green, red, and blue. It looks really dark here. Photos were inside on this rainy day.

This quilt is about 54" square and will be donated.

I am quilting another quilt - I have to get in my 15 minutes of practice a day. I think my skill which was never great is slowly returning.

Free Motion Quilting

I am doing at least 15 minutes of free motion quilting every day.  I really need the practice. 

I began quilting a quilt - recall the spirals are wonky. I want to watch the Olympics so I am only quilting a few minutes a day.

My stitches are becoming more even.

And the some spirals are getting better!

By the time I have this quilted, maybe I'll be back in the groove. In the meantime, I hope you are enjoying the Olympics.

FMQ Challenge 2015 - March

I am really enjoying the FMQ Challenge BUT this month I am a bad student! Instead of making a pillow, I made a table runner! I know I won't be eligible for prizes but I'm here to learn not win! 

The FMQ Challenge is hosted by QuiltShopGal and you might want to stop over there and see all the neat pillows that all the other good students made. This month's expert is Patsy Thompson who does gorgeous free motion quilting. Patsy was the expert for the December 2012 FMQ Challenge and I didn't get to do that month so I was happy to have this opportunity. 

I spent LOTS of time with pencil and paper while I sketched border designs. Then, while making some table mats/runners, I decided one was perfect to try what I was learning. You can see all 5 of my mats/runners here.

This mat is made from batiks, even the backing. The batting is Dream Poly. I used Aurifil thread to do the quilting.

The center is a small spiral with flower petals surround it. Sorry it's so hard to see. The petals are then echoed to fill the space. The inside cream 'border' is a wavy feather design that Patsy suggested. It was fun to do and I loved the way it turned out. The red 'border' is a wavy line of about a 1/2 inch scale going back and forth.

The next cream 'border' is more of the wavy feathers while the last red 'border' has more wavy lines with stones on each side.

The corners before the border each have a small 3 part feather. The outside border is a design that could be a lazy river or a tree bark.

I enjoyed the challenge this month - partly because I just happened to have the perfect project and mostly because I learned some new things.

FMQ Improvements!

I have pinned the three smaller quilts in the pile waiting to be sandwiched. And two are quilted!!! I'm in the process of doing the binding by hand and then I'll share.

I want to show you my new quilting set up. After seeing a few people online using different ways to lift the quilt as they quilted, I decided I had to try it. I thought of many things but kept coming back to a background stand used for photography. 

You may recall that one of my husband's hobbies is photography. He wanted a background stand but decided to build one out of PVC pipe. I didn't think the PVC version was going to work for me so we hatched a plan. We would buy a stand and house it in my sewing room. When we travel or when he needs it, he can take it. And the PVC pipe won't be wasted - it already has a new use!

Photography Background Stand

This raises and lowers to whatever height needed. The width also adjusts. The guy at The Camera Company actually understood how I was going to use it and assured me that it could easily hold a quilt! 

Of course, I didn't think to take a photo when I had the stand up quite high. In fact I didn't take a picture while I was quilting at all - I just put this back by the machine when I finally got the camera!

You can see the clamps on the top. When I changed the position of the quilt, I often changed where the quilt was clamped. I got into a rhythm and it was really easy.

The best part is the ease of quilting with no drag. Wow! I can't believe how much my quilting improved!!!

A big finish!

Spring Bouquet is finished! And I love it. I bought this quilt as a kit. The designer, Edyta Sitar, has an amazing sense of design and color. This is the first large (72" X72") quilt that I have appliquéd. This quilt is not my style at all - but the colors drew me in and I had to try it.

Spring Bouquet

The appliqué pieces were all laser cut with the fusible already on. I did have to cut the background pieces, iron on the appliqués and do the actual appliquéing. 

In the backyard

I really liked the quilt and then I added the binding - who would've thought that the binding would make the colors pop even more!

I was trying to get a picture on the back porch - I think I should have had Ray hold it!

This is machine quilted. First I outlined all of the appliquéd pieces and than I did small stippling - about a 1/4" scale - in all of the backgrounds spaces. The checkerboard border is done with a back and forth stitch just to add interest. 

Each little square is 3/4" square

I always wash my quilts. I used a Color Catcher sheet and it definitely caught color!  

Then I put the quilt in the dryer and hoped for a little scrunching - look at the texture! Wow!

And another close-up.

As I said this quilt really isn't our style but WE LOVE IT so we will find a spot in our home somewhere!

Two Donation Baby Quilts Done!

Last fall I bought fabric for two baby quilts but eventually decided that it just was not 

what I really wanted. 

So I went shopping and made these quilts 

for the twin baby boys. 

That left two baby quilts that were started. 

Recently I finished them for donation quilts.

They are very similar but not the same. 

Each quilt is about 38" square and 

free-motion machine quilted.

We are supposed to get quite a 

snowstorm tonight 

so maybe the next day or two 

will see lots of quilting!

Batik Lonestar - done!

I finished the batik Lonestar that I started in February and wrote about here. I love the colors!

After I hung the quilt, Ray commented about how it really drew the colors from the painted wooden shingles near it. Doesn't everyone have painted wooden shingles?

I quilted the interior of the quilt in radiating stars using a walking foot.

I free motion quilted the border in Paisley.

Did I mention that I love this quilt?

First quilting project of 2013

First new project of the year - a baby boy quilt! This quilt is for our nephew and his wife. (I'm sure they don't read this blog - at least I hope not!)

I purchased some fabric for baby quilts when the Backyard Quilt Shop in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin, was going out of business late last year.

I pulled out the baby boy fabrics - all flannels.

Then I added a little more from my stash and changed things a bit.

After piecing the middle 25 squares, it was time to decide on the inner border. That plain blue on the left was just blah. The yellow on the left was too soft.

I love my new design wall!

I finally decided on a green cotton for the inner border.

The quilting slowed me down - I just didn't know what to do. After searching thru my books from Leah Day and searching her website, I decided on Echo Shell for the 25 inner squares. 

Last year I followed the 2012 FMQ Challenge. The December expert was Patsy Thompson who did a tutorial on borders. I found it interesting but I didn't have time to try it in December. Now it was time to revisit that tutorial and try it.

The inside, green border is done with a back and forth wiggled about 1/2 inch apart with the corners done in a teardrop. The outside border was done with a walking foot. I drew lines about 1 1/2 inches apart.  

The back is that plain blue that I rejected for the front.

I really like the effect of the different quilting motifs in each border.