The Free Motion Quilting Project: Week #11: Updated

Directions: Outline Quilting
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/2012/03/quilt-along-11-outline-quilting.html

Top part originally posted March 31, 2012

I'm a tad behind in the QAW Project, but making good progress so I wanted to link to the site.

Today I started the outline quilting for the project.  I brought my sewing machine to the adult education class and because many were gone for the holiday, I was able to get a good table - very similar to the ones Leah recommends with an insert for the sewing machine.

Starting to follow the line on the whole cloth.

I did the outline stitching in a different order than Leah as I decided to save the inner hearts to do when I do the stippling fill stitching - and I believe I did the overlapping squares differently as I only had two start places.....  Here is how I started the stitching...  There was only one place to hide the thread - I wanted to take a photo and that's the only reason really that I stopped!

I was really pleased at how easy it has become to follow the straight lines (and once again realized it was operator error last night when I was thinking I needed to bring my machine in for servicing) - but someone in class stopped to look and commented at how small my stitches were, yada yada.  I know they are not as flowing as Leah's or many of the other folks doing this challenge - but it's good for me now.  I'm glad I'm not as sensitive about the comments I get regarding my quilting - it's helped me be more aware when I speak to my son or husband too - so thank you lady telling me my stitches were too small!  Always better to see the positive rather than the negative.

When I came home I did some more lines - this is where I'm stopping now (time for dinner).  I think this represents about five hours of my concentration - once the thread stopped splitting it was a fun thing to work on.  Much more rewarding than many other things I could have been doing!

Front Whole Cloth - partial lines followed.

Whole Cloth - Back Partial follow lines.

I'll post more progress on the following the lines in this post - here!

Added Sunday April 1, 2012 6:20pm:

I finished doing the lines for the wholecloth - now I'm ready to move on to doing the microstippling shown in Week 12...

Whole Cloth - Week 11 Lines - Front

Whole Cloth - Week 11 Lines - Back

Two of these feathers I was able to do in one pass - not having to stop and deal with thread splitting, etc.  One I ran out of bobbin and had to stop to fill it - then I hadn't put it the bobbin in correctly so had to stop again.  And the second feather I had several thread splits so it was a drag - but I kept going and now am ready to microstippling!


For the feathers I went down the stem on one side, then turned the fabric so the curves of the feather were facing me then I did each one.  At the center I changed the direction of the fabric but still kept the bottom of the feathers facing me.  Then I went to the end and did the feathers for the other side - also with the bottom of the feathers facing me.  I then finished by turning the fabric and doing the final stem stitching.  I did try the bump, bump method for a feather or two but decided I liked doing the entire loop in one pass.

It's good to feel well and to have this mind-consuming project to work on now. Late last week my son told me he was moving out for at least 6-months.  Even though I knew his friend was getting an apartment, I didn't realize he was thinking of moving in too, as he is also thinking of starting his master's degree and going to China next spring - to take classes and to teach English.  Lease had already been signed so there was little reason or opportunity to discuss anything.  I don't know how he can save money and move out - he said he would be getting more work.

So I'm glad to have a creative project to work on!  I don't always read the other posts on Leah's site, but saw I had missed a challenge to have a lot of sandwiches made up so there is always something to quilt - right now I have several things in the works so I'm set, but will do this soon!

Also, there was a discussion on copyright yesterday on Leah's site - as always very well written. My contribution would be sharing this book:
http://www.austinkleon.com/2011/03/30/how-to-steal-like-an-artist-and-9-other-things-nobody-told-me/  This link goes to a post with slides from a power point presentation but there is a book too.   Also, I guess http://www.givetogetmarketing.com/  Part of the whole premise is that if you give your ideas eventually you will get rewarded.

Anyway, I'm pleased with the way the outlining looks on the whole cloth - up close it's easy to see the mistakes, but perhaps with the microstippling it will look better. 


Thanks to anyone who is visiting me today!

I am doing this as part of Leah Day's Quilt Along Wednesdays on the Free Motion Project.  The directions to this (and much more) are there for you to learn.  To help support the project I have purchased some of my supplies from the Day Styles Design Quilt Shop.

If I had to pick three things that really changed things for me I would pick the table for the sewing machine, the pinmore's for basting, and the cheater needles.  Having the sewing machine at the right height makes such a difference.  Leah's price was lower or the same as what I found at other sites.  The pinmore's really make basting and sewing so much easier - once I finish the projects I have safety pin basted I think I'll never use the safety pins again.  Leah's price with shipping was lower or the same as what I found at other sites.  I feel quite smart each time I take that needle off the pin place and hide the threads...  Here is the link to her video on the how to hide threads...

But really the bobbin washers and the gloves make things go much smoother too.  I rarely even have to think about my bobbin now, and putting those gloves on made me feel so much more relaxed but also so much more in control of the fabric. 


What am I saying?  The thing that really changed things for me was Leah Day's site!  Her videos are articles are so helpful - change-your-hobby-helpful!

I have a long way to go, but truly appreciate the time that Leah Day has devoted to all her training and instructional posts and videos.  If you want to kick up your quilting more than a notch, please go to Leah's site and take time to watch the videos.  And buy some supplies from her as a thank you!

I am coding my entries regarding this challenge with Leah2012 so clicking on that will display those posts with the most recent on the top.  I have put a link to this page from Leah's site: 
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/2012/03/quilt-along-12-microstippling.html  I'm #25!


Thank you Leah!