FMQ Project - Matrix

This week our free motion quilting design was Matrix. In November, we are doing "quick and pretty designs" and this is the first. I didn't have a whole quilt to work on so I did another block for my quilt.

I found this design easy and fast! This would be neat on a whole quilt. Here is a photo that's a little closer.

Sorry about the shadows - I really shouldn't take pictures at night with overhead lights on.

Leah Day really does a nice job of showing each design and teaching about it. She follows up by answering questions. She has a new class on Craftsy if you are interested - it is called Free Motion Quilting a Sampler.

FMQ Project - Lost Data

This week at the Free Motion Quilting Project Quilt Along, we worked on another edge-to-edge design, Lost Data. No I didn't lose anything - that is the name!

Lost Data is Jagged Lines with Zippling in the open areas. Both Jagged Lines and Zippling have sharp points and straight lines.

Again, I split my square in half. I did Lost Data on the top.

On the bottom, I tried just stitching back and forth in the open area. Someone else had done this and I just wanted it in my samples so I remember.

I don't have an update on putting my quilted squares together - I've been working on too many other things!

FMQ project - Jagged Lines

This week at the Free Motion Quilting Project Quilt Along, we worked on another edge-to-edge design. This one is called Jagged Lines. 

This is similar to flowing lines but the lines are straight and the angles are sharp (or at least supposed to be!). Straight lines and sharp angles are harder for me but I persist! I split my 8" block in half so I could work on a 4" piece - more like a sashing. Here is a close-up.

I have started to put some of my learning pieces together. The key word here is "started"! I have many pieces, all made in 2012, from working with Leah Day and the Free Motion Quilting Project, the 2012 Free-Motion Quilting Challenge, and Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL. 

The back is pinned and needs a little hand stitching. One of these days, I'll get back to it! It is always good to have WIPs!

Now I wish I had all of my learning/practice pieces but some of the early ones are on practice sandwiches which have been over used. 

FMQ Project - Trapped Paisley

This is Quilt Along #36 at the Free Motion Quilting Project Quilt-Along. We are doing another Edge to Edge design based on Flowing Lines. Trapped Paisley is Flowing Lines with Paisley in the open areas.

I haven't soaked my blue marking pen out yet - you can still see the lines for the 8" square.

I really like the interesting texture. Again I have quilted an 8" square for my motif sampler quilt.

FMQ Project - Goldilocks

This week at the Free Motion Quilting Project Quilt-A-Long, Leah Day has us doing Goldilocks. We are building on our work from last week, Flowing Lines. Goldilocks is Flowing Lines with stippling in the open areas.

Sorry about the raggedy edges!

I had this block and needed something around the border so I decided it would be a good place to use Goldilocks.

Because I used this 8" block, my stippling is micro-stippling. I'll try this again on a larger scale.

I didn't find this hard! In fact, it is quite easy to do. The micro stippling really does add a lot of interest!

FMQ project - Flowing Lines

Over at the Free Motion Quilting Project Quilt Along, we have left Pivoting Designs and moved on to Edge to Edge Designs. I haven't been doing a very good job of keeping up lately too busy traveling - but I love Paisley, one of the Pivoting Designs and use it often! 

This week we are doing Flowing Lines. Leah Day always demonstrates with a video and it makes learning so much easier.

This design requires some echo stitching which no longer is difficult for me - I am making progress!

I did an 8" square that will go in my motif sample quilt. I really like this design - as Leah said, it works great in sashings and borders. It really does give the feeling of water flowing.

FMQ Project - Catching Up!

I'm back! I have missed a few weeks at The Free Motion Quilting Project Free Motion Quilt Along. I have been following along - I just did not have a sewing machine while we were traveling and then when I got home, I didn't have a working machine. That has all changed - I am home - for this week anyway - and I have a brand new machine.

I love Paisley - I just used it on two baby quilts! I think I put my own spin on every quilting design and this is no different.

The first quilt is multi-colored.

Here's another photo - one of these days, I'll post pictures of the whole quilt.

Then the pink baby quilt which I can't show you yet so here's a peek at the back.

I have not tried Lava Paisley yet! I enjoy Paisley as much as stippling although it does take longer. I love the textured effect.

All of a sudden, I seem to have a lot of baby quilts to make - some years are like that!

FMQ Project - Cucumber Vine

The free motion quilting design this past week at the Free Motion Quilting Project Quilt Along was Cucumber Vine. 

For some reason, my mind wrapped around this design and the pattern just made sense so it was fairly easy to stitch with one little glitch - I had to travel stitch on those curved lines - I found another place where I need practice! 

I took Leah's advice and quilted a small quilt instead of another practice sandwich. So I also finished a small quilt which I'll totally reveal at the end of the month!

Bare Branches - Free Motion Quilting Project Update

I've been AWOL for awhile from the Free Motion Quilting Project Quilt Along. I did not make the modern quilt - just too many projects already in progress! Now that free motion quilting is back, I'm also here! I have lots more to learn and lots of quilting to do!


This past week, we worked on a design called Bare Branches. First, I drew the design a number of times in my sketch book. Then, using Isacord thread, I stitched the design across the fabric. There is a lot of travel stitching (stitching over the same line of stitching).

Next, I attempted to do a more random design,

Bare Branches is a good design for me to know. I didn't have any problems with thread but I really had to think quite a bit as I was stitching! That was probably good for me!


This week, Leah Day is showing us a design called Tree Roots. It is like Bare Branches except the lines are not straight. Hmm, I might be doing a lot more thinking!

Update!

Another day in the 90's. Another sunny, windy day. Yup, it is summer. 

We were gone most of the past week. I saw the pedorthotist again and I now have insoles for my shoes. One pair is working well but the other isn't so this journey isn't quite over yet. We went to a really funny play and we went to an outdoor wedding at a beautiful location on a bluff. I spent a day at Quilt Camp at Lucky 2B Quilting. Also spent some time with my mom and we found a new favorite place - Red Mango (thanks Polly!). Now we are in the planning stages of a trip - it is time to travel again! Yes, life is beginning to return to 'normal' for us.

I've done a little quilting this week. The Free Motion Quilt Project Quilt Along project this past week was Loopy Line. When I did the practice shapes, I also played a bit with scale.

Up close, you can see the many sizes and shapes of the loops.

This design was easy and I really like the texture it gives to the quilt.

Is the middle of June really this week?

It is almost the middle of June - where does the time go? It's been a while since I've posted - my FIL passed away a week ago and his funeral was Saturday. He lost a painful battle with bone cancer. It's been a very sad and busy time here. 

I haven't done much quilting but I attempted Sew Cal Gal's  2012 Free-Motion Quilting Challenge for June with Cindy Needham. We quilted a curly line and then filled the spaces with quilting. It was fun and interesting to try.

I am enjoying the FMQ Challenge and look forward to spending more time with this technique in the coming weeks when I have a little more time.

The Free Motion Quilt Along with Leah Day took a hiatus in May. Although I didn't get to do much quilting, I did try to practice my FMQ every few days. The Quilt Along just started up again and this week we are doing Circuit Board. I began at the top with some basic shapes and attempted to put together a random arrangement at the bottom.

I have learned so much from Leah Day. I really am enjoying Free Motion Quilting!


Coming up this week: our 42nd anniversary, a visit to the pedorthotist, a play that we rescheduled, and a wedding. Life just doesn't slow down...

Quilt Square Quilt Along Block 5

I made Block 5 - Trip Around the World - for Jo's Country Junction's Quilt Square Quilt Along at the beginning of May. It's a good thing since this has been a crazy month! This block is from Lori Smith's Quilt Squares Pattern #4. I'm currently working on QOV quilts so once again, I just used fabric that was on my cutting table. I machine quilted this 12" X 12" quilt with double stippling that I learned in the 2012 FMQ Challenge with May expert Leah Day. 

You might want to head over to Jo's Country Junction and check out all what everyone else did.

2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge May Update

This month the guest expert at the 2012 FMQ Challenge is Leah Day. To learn more, check out Insights from SewCalGal. Leah is the author of The Free Motion Quilting Project. I've been following Leah's Free Motion Quilt Along since January and have learned ALOT! The Quit Along is taking the month of May off so it was really nice to have Leah on the FMQ Challenge this month.


The Challenge this month is to practice two foundation designs. First is Double Stippling. This is accomplished by large scale stippling followed by a smaller scale stippling over the first line. It gives an interesting texture.This is the diagram that Leah posted:

My attempts:

The second design is  Railroad Tracks, a variation of Double Stippling. It is also started with large scale stippling but the smaller scale stippling is boxy. It gives another interesting texture! And this is the diagram that Leah posted:

First the large scale stippling:

 then the boxes,

 and a few more.

Free Motion Quilting Project Update - Week 16

Week 16 - Zippling!


Zippling is stippling with straight lines and sharp points. You can read about it here, on Leah Day's website.


I had "pretty good" luck, at least better than sharp stippling! I still have a few curved lines...

I think we are now taking a month break from our free motion quilt along. So during the month of May, I am on my own. I hope to get some projects quilted and finished!

Free Motion Quilting Project Update

Week 15 was all about sharp stippling. This was a little weird for me - after all I've just spent 4 months trying NOT to have points in my stippling! It was amazing how I wanted nice curves! I practiced and practiced on my sketch pad. And I think I have some work that is almost acceptable!

You will notice that I still have a few gentle curves! Leah gave us some steps to follow which helped lots! Go on over to Leah Day's website and see what great things the others have done!


This week we are zippling. For some reason I am finding that easy!

Free Motion Quilting Project Update

My machine was serviced and cleaned this past week - so no FMQ going on. I've never tried FMQ with my Featherweight - wonder how that might work?? And I'm looking at another machine so maybe this won't happen again. But that's another story...


Anyway, last night when I realized that I needed to do some practice stitching for the Free Motion Quilting Project Quit Along, I grabbed a practice sandwich and wondered what my first stitches would look like after 5 days of no quilting.

Not too bad! In a few minutes, they looked even better but I was impressed at what I had when I first sat down! Head on over to Leah Day's website and check out what everyone else is doing.


If you wonder what I've been doing, (remember I had my Featherweight) check out 1 Little, 2 Little, 3 Little Dresses... 

Wholecloth quilt done!

My hearts and feathers wholecloth quilt is finished! For the last 4 weeks at The Free Motion Quilting Project Quilt Along with Leah Day, we have been making a whole cloth quilt with lots of quilting on a line and micro-stippling. 

I finished the quilting a week ago. This week, I had to be sure all of my markings were removed. First, I erased the ceramic pencil marks and then I soaked the quilt in water for about 30 minutes. Then I put it in the dryer for a short while. While the quilt was still damp, I blocked it. When it was totally dry, I trimmed the quilt - I probably should have started with a larger piece of fabric so I could have done more 'outside stippling'. As I have said, this has been an educational journey!
  
Anyway, my quilt is now bound - I sewed the binding to the front and finished it with hand stitching on the back. My quilt is about a 16" square and I think looks pretty good! It is still hard to believe I did it! 

I have never blocked a quilt before so that was new this week. My question for Leah is: When the quilt is washed again, does it need to be blocked again?

Free Motion Quilting Project Update - an educational journey!

Doing the Hearts and Feathers Wholecloth Quilt with Leah Day has been interesting! I learned that quilting with white on light yellow is hard because I could not see the white thread - I need more contrast.  I know that I am now much better at quilting on a line. To quilt on a line, I now slow the speed down one notch on my machine and I use my forefinger to maintain a straight line. I really learned that last week.

I also learned that thread breaks when my hands and speed are not in sync. For micro-stippling, I now slow the machine down two notches. 

• Day one:  I did the insides of four hearts in one corner - lots of problems. 
• Day two: four hearts in another corner - problems. 
• Day three: four hearts in a third corner - still problems. 
• Day four:  all of a sudden I was in sync and everything worked. I did the fourth corner and all the rest of the micro-stippling! The thread did not break once! 

It took a while but I learned LOTS. Next I'll soak, block, trim, and bind this little beauty. It is truly a learning piece!

Free Motion Quilting Project Update

This update is on the Heart and Feathers Wholecloth Quilt. Leah Day of The Free Motion Quilting Project is an excellent teacher. I love her written instructions and her videos.


This week we did all of the outline quilting in free motion. So I was stitching on a line and travel stitching on a line. I did pretty good with a few little mistakes which I hope won't show much. Actually, no part was difficult. It really helped to break the quilting into sections. I greatly appreciated Leah's hints about practicing each motif before actually stitching and also the variety of ways she showed us to do the feathers. 

I still have more erasing to do - can you see some of my lead marks? Well, I know you can see my shadow - I really shouldn't take photos at night with an overhead light!

The back looks about the same as the front.

I am definitely getting better at outline quilting. I really like the quilt just as it is! But I'm in this to learn so I will go on to the next part! 

Free Motion Quilting Project Update

I follow The Free Motion Quilting Project Quilt A Long with Leah Day. I have learned so much already - it is rather incredible! Now I didn't have much time this week and that is bothering me - I know I am a better at FMQ when I am able to quilt most days. If you visit often, you may know that my FIL is very ill - we signed up hospice care today. And my mom, whose is a little over an hour away, already is under hospice care.


Anyway, we are moving on to a wholecloth quilt and I expect to learn more about FMQ including stitching on a line which I have done but can always use more practice and filling spaces with dense quilting. It will be fun. This week, we had to prepare the fabric, and mark the design on the fabric, and baste the quilt sandwich.


My fabric is supposed to read as a plain. I found this yellow in my stash - the backing fabric is the same as the front. After washing the fabric, I marked it with a Fons and Porter mechanical ceramic lead pen. I think you can see that the middle is marked and the pattern is very easy to see through the fabric.

I am using a Quilter's Dream Wool batting because I had a remnant that was the perfect size. The quilt is ready to be quilted.

Let the fun begin!