The Free Motion Quilting Project: Week #12 - Updated

Directions: Microstippling

Status Shots Sunday April 1, 2012 - 11:00pm  (Scroll down for newer updates.)

Wholecloth Starting to Microstipple Back

Wholecloth Starting to Microstipple Front

I was able to start the microstippling tonight - pretty pleased with how it's going - considering this is my first time doing it!  I'm not sure I have gone small enough scale so will check Leah's site tomorrow before doing more....  It looks very good when you are a little ways a way from it.  Up close you can see the little balls of extra thread that happen when the thread splits and you can see the little tab of thread that shows after I hide the thread - and of course the threads that I have yet to hide!  If the little tabs still show after it's washed then I can cut them shorter.  Had a phone call with friend so not sure how long it took me to do this - it didn't seem like a long time though!  Fun!


Status Shots Monday April 2, 2012 - 5pm

Whole Cloth a little more progress - front

Wholecloth a little more progress - back

After a long morning, I finished the points and started the corner hearts.  I may rip out the mess in one of the hearts and redo it - if I purpose this as a pillow then I just need to redo one of them....  I am so pleased with how the project looks when not looking too closely!  : )

Note April 3, 2012 - 11am
I just watched Leah's video lesson on microstippling and realize that I haven't reduced my stitching to the small size yet.  I thought I had watched the lesson before, but now remember I only read the post without viewing the video - big mistake!  But I'm glad I have more areas to practice in after I get the two final corner four hearts done....

Status Shots Tuesday April 3, 2012 - 5pm

Wholecloth - Front - Tues 5pm

Wholecloth- Back - Tues 5pm

I finished the hearts in the wholecloth, now taking a break then will continue with the sections that I skipped!  I tried to go smaller but just can't seem to go smaller at this time.  This is a really good project - and as I mentioned in the previous post for the project this is coming at a good time for me - so good to have something creative to immerse myself in right now.

What the heck?
Every once in a while the top spool of thread sort of jumps and makes the thread very loose - sometimes I can see a few stitches later that the thread has split.  Sometimes I'm curving, sometimes going sideways, sometimes just going backward so I can't figure the pattern for this.  I can't tell if it's operator error, something wrong with the machine, or just that I should get one of those external thread holders that would sit on the desk behind the machine....  If I don't catch it soon enough there is a knot of thread that I haven't been able to rip out so I'm just leaving them in - yuck!

Even though I'm not completely done with this step I'm linking to Leah's site:
http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/2012/04/quilt-along-13-finishing-quilt.html
I'm #16!  The other ladies are making much more progress and growth in their ability than I am - please go and take a peek at their blogs!

Status Shot - Thursday April 5, 2012 - 10pm

Wholecloth - with more filled in - back 10pm

Wholecloth - more filled in -front 10pm

After reading all the updates on the other quilters who are doing Leah's Quilt Along Wednesday on the Free Motion Project I had to give it another try.  My goal to be honest was just to do it without breaking thread all the time - and I was successful....






Status Shot - Thursday 11:30 pm

Wholecloth - front - 11:30pm Wed

Wholecloth - back - 11:30pm Wed

I went back and did the stitching to the outside of the hearts in the middle, then cut thread and did the four little areas I had forgotten in the center of the feathers on the inside.  

No thread breaking until I started the outside section (and I wish I had marked the outside line so I knew when I could stop - but will deal with that tomorrow when I stitch again).  A few times the thread did jump so I had to stop and reroll the spool on the top so there was a little tension in the thread.  I think I will be able to finish the outside stippling in one day....

Status Shots Friday April 6th 

Friday evening I decided to finish the outside.
This was where the second break was.

I think this is the third break.

Think this is the fourth break.

This shows the fifth stop - ran out of bobbin!

This shows the sixth break - shredded thread.

Ta Da!  I think this is the finished wholecloth - now ready for the next steps! (rinsing, blocking, binding)

I went around two sides again and filled in the little triangles - front.

I went around two sides again and filled in the
little triangles - back view

It's not very good looking so I'm thinking of perhaps making a pillow instead of a tiny quilt - will be reading Leah's directions and see what she suggests.

I may need to add more filling to be sure there is stitching when I do the cutting....

Status Shots Wednesday - April 11 -

I went back and added more stitching to the corners and sides that were narrow.  I was thinking I'd do more after I finished my Leah's Flowers - but now I have run out of this green thread so glad I did what I managed to do!  I'm starting to think I may integrate this in the FMQAYGQAL quilt - since I didn't really microstipple the piece would be soft enough for a quilt....

Corners and Sides more filled in Front Apr 11

Corners and Sides more filled in Apr 11 Back

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.  For many items the prices end up being lower or the same as buying in a local or online store that is not providing free training and help with free motion quilting.  Go Leah!
If you want to bump up your FMQing - please join in Leah Day's Quilt Along Wednesdays on the Free Motion Project



If you want to work on liberating your quilts,
hope you will join in the Liberated Round Robin.

• Invitation to the LibRR2
• What to do (also you can see what others have already done)