The Free Motion Quilting Project: Question Thursday #8
This is another test - trying to link to Leah's site so there is a link to my site from her post!
I'm missing a step somewhere....
Saturday, March 17, 2012
Friday, March 16, 2012
The Free Motion Quilting Project: Week #10
Directions for Week 10 Preparing a Whole Cloth Quilt
Clear directions as usual on Leah's site! I am going to be traveling next week so went ahead and started to follow the directions for this week.
I picked the fabric that I have been using for my QAYGFMQAL - it's a light tan 100% cotton so the stitching will show up nicely. I'm going to use the same fabric on the back. I have some polyester batting but will call the one place that is within 2hours of here that might have the batting Leah recommends before I baste with my Pinmore ends for the pins that I got from Leah last week.
I set up a window light box, and used a mechanical pencil that I tested to be sure at least most of the lines will wash away with water.
It didn't take very long at all since my fabric was already washed.
I remember seeing Leah recommend the spray starch method before, but have to admit I had forgotten this step. So that is why I really want to get the binding on my practice sandwiches and to wash them so I can see if I have been messing anything else up!
I am unclear if I'm supposed to trace the surrounding box - have written Leah to find out. She said it was optional to mark the outside so I went ahead and prepared the back and basted the project. I can already tell I need to get more Pinmores....
(I got 50 Pinmores and guess I have basted something else that I can't remember as I sure don't have 50 pieces in this project!)
Added 3-28-12:
Carolyn http://caribbeanquilters.blogspot.com/ uses thread to baste so decided to give that a try, perhaps that will work for me too.
Clear directions as usual on Leah's site! I am going to be traveling next week so went ahead and started to follow the directions for this week.
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| Window light box |
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| Here is the prepared top fabric! |
I set up a window light box, and used a mechanical pencil that I tested to be sure at least most of the lines will wash away with water.
It didn't take very long at all since my fabric was already washed.
I remember seeing Leah recommend the spray starch method before, but have to admit I had forgotten this step. So that is why I really want to get the binding on my practice sandwiches and to wash them so I can see if I have been messing anything else up!
I am unclear if I'm supposed to trace the surrounding box - have written Leah to find out. She said it was optional to mark the outside so I went ahead and prepared the back and basted the project. I can already tell I need to get more Pinmores....
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| Whole cloth basted - using pinmores and pins |
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| Back of the wholecloth project basted. |
(I got 50 Pinmores and guess I have basted something else that I can't remember as I sure don't have 50 pieces in this project!)
Added 3-28-12:
Carolyn http://caribbeanquilters.blogspot.com/ uses thread to baste so decided to give that a try, perhaps that will work for me too.
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| Front of thread basted sandwich |
I made a new sandwich and used thread basting - will practice some FMQ tomorrow to test this method of basting!
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| Thread basted back. |
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
Idea: Pairie Point Flying Geese
SewCalGal's was giving away a copy of the "Prairie Point Pizzazz", by Karen Sievert (deadline has passed) - this is another way to flying geese!
Tuesday, March 13, 2012
15 Minutes a Day
I'm linking up with:
http://kate-life-in-pieces.blogspot.com/2012/03/15-minute-challenge-march-13th.html
Tuesday March 6th - Sewed part one Block 9 for the FMQAYGQAL -
Wednesday March 7th- Sewed part two Block 9 for the FMQAYGQAL.
Thursday March 8th - Sewed Block 10 for the FMQAYGQAL.
Friday March 9th - Went to workshop - forgot glasses so I left again. Sewed my Block 12 for the FMQAYGQAL. And got my blog entries for that posted!
Saturday March 10th - Went to workshop. Eleanor Burns's sister gave a talk showing quilts and new patterns - I practiced sewing on the mini Jenome machine (wonderfully light in weight, but can only sew with a 1/4 inch foot - no darning foot, etc.). When I returned home I finished stippling the sample sandwich and added a feather to one of the other samples. I made a new quilt sandwich to practice the all over quilting pattern - then will trim my sandwiches to join together.
Sunday March 11th - (sore throat) In the evening I worked on filling in one of the 'corners' of my practice piece for Leal Day. Every once in awhile the thread would sort of double up so I'd have to cut it and hide the ends and start again.
Monday March 12th - (ill) nothing with fabric
Tuesday March 13th - (still ill) nothing with fabric (so far). If I hadn't been keeping track of my 15 minutes of sewing I would have thought I'd be ill for longer. So achy, slight sore throat and ear aches - blah.
ASAP I need to figure out how to post several photos - in a slide show. I have photos still to post for my Marston/Moran workshop and now photos for the Eleanor Burns talk too!
ASAP I hope to sew blocks 13 and and 14 for FMQAYGQAL and do the quilting on the sandwich I basted last week for Leah Day's Free Motion Quilt A Long.
Before the end of the month I hope to sew at least one block for the BlockLotto, and to finish the Match SewCalGal FMQ challenge.
The Second Liberated Round Robin will be starting this Friday (March 16th) - hope anyone reading this will join in the project!
Monday, March 12, 2012
Idea: Lil Twister Quilt
http://conniekresin.blogspot.com/2011/10/worldly-lil-twister-quilt-and-giiveaway.html
This blog posting shows different stages of making the quilt and how the size changes too. Nice documentation of the steps for the quilt.
I've shared this before - but like it so much I'm posting again.... Some day I'll make one myself!
This blog posting shows different stages of making the quilt and how the size changes too. Nice documentation of the steps for the quilt.
I've shared this before - but like it so much I'm posting again.... Some day I'll make one myself!
The Free Motion Quilting Project: Week #6
Directions for Week 6: Quilting in Sashing and borders
This is a terrific lesson - I must remember to rewatch it when I have a quilt with different blocks it in with sashing and borders! Leah has really a knack for breaking down what we need to consider when stitching.
I'm still doing a little catch up now so not really keeping to the weeks.... Unfortunately, I didn't have a quilt ready with sashings and borders so will do that part later, but for now I practiced more with following the line and filling in the space using the technique of doing a line of pattern in the center to the side then looping back to center to another side, etc. Then filling the area in.
I finished filling in the rest of this practice sandwich. It also has some feathers and other things I was working on....
This is a terrific lesson - I must remember to rewatch it when I have a quilt with different blocks it in with sashing and borders! Leah has really a knack for breaking down what we need to consider when stitching.
I'm still doing a little catch up now so not really keeping to the weeks.... Unfortunately, I didn't have a quilt ready with sashings and borders so will do that part later, but for now I practiced more with following the line and filling in the space using the technique of doing a line of pattern in the center to the side then looping back to center to another side, etc. Then filling the area in.
I finished filling in the rest of this practice sandwich. It also has some feathers and other things I was working on....
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| Here is the front |
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| The back - first I followed the lines in the pattern. |
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| The back - then I filled in all the space with stippling, starting in the center then going out in quarters. |
I think my scale is about 1/2 inch - I can't see myself doing larger scale yet. During some of the sections this was going very smoothly - but in others the thread split so I had to stop and reset things up. When the thread started splitting I turned the piece rather than sewing in different directions for the straight lines - that sort of helped. I think I need to rig up a different way to feed the thread to the machine - having the spool in a cup I can feel the cone bump the side and then the tension gets messed up.
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| Front new practice sandwich! |
Originally I was thinking I was just going to skip to quilting an entire quilt - but now I'm stepping it back and practicing some more on smaller pieces. I need the practice that's for sure.
My new pinmores arrived from DayStyle Design and I wanted to try them out! They were so much easier and nicer to use than safety pins. I recommend them and I recommend getting them from Leah Day. I checked the prices and Leah's end up being lower than the other sites I checked out.
It takes me forever to do FMQing sometimes. I think this represents about 2 hours of my life!
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| Back new practice sandwich |
In addition to more practice, I needed another sandwich so I could join the pieces together to make a fugly lap quilt that I will only have in the van to offer my mom if needed when we are going places (she is in wheelchair so a little quilt could be useful). I started with green thread, then the bobbin ran out so I switched to the beige. Makes the stitching really stand out on the back!
Saturday, March 10, 2012
The Free Motion Quilting Project: Week #8a
Directions for Week 8: All Over Quilting on a Real Quilt
This is just part one of working on this challenge.
So it's taken me a while, but I finally have a real practice quilt basted for Leah Day's challenge of doing an all over design on a whole quilt....
This top was pieced by me when I was in junior high or high school - well before my present life! I don't really remember doing it, but sort of remember picking out the material... but maybe I remember working to line up the stripes... My mom made a pattern for me out of this thick fused material* and scissors must have been used to cut the templates once they were pinned to the fabric. * I don't know what it's called but it has her handwriting on the pieces.
I found these in a box I opened a few years ago when I was going to clean out the garage but instead opened the box and remembered sewing and quilting! It was like a time capsule with the patterns with funny Mary Tyler Moore style type.... The inner points don't line up, and the seams are 5/8 of an inch but Leah suggested we find an unfinished quilt and quilt it so this is what I'm going to be working on! (Somewhere in the garage I supposed I have 7 or 8 quilt tops and backs that I sewed when my son was little. In the house I mainly have blocks and parts - not quilts!) I ran out of my curved pins so had to use the straight ones I had purchased 16 years ago or when ever it was that I got them. This was a really pain to baste - I brought it to the adult education class to use their table - but the wide table was gone so I had to use a table that was narrower than the piece. I think I got done what I needed to get done though.
I have been using the material that was supposed to be the back of the project so instead pulled out the Indian feather stuff I got to use for backing.... It wasn't wide enough so I added two strips going in opposite directions to get the width I needed. I now think this is fugly fabric - had to bite my tongue when the ladies at the workshop were saying how they liked the feathers! Everyone likes different things - it was nice they liked something I brought to class -usually it seems they say how I should ask the teacher to help me!!
When I came home I went to Leah Day's site and ordered a container of 100-Pinmoors. Total including shipping = $43.45 USD
So I hope this will be the last time I use the pins. I haven't basted many things and appreciate how nice pins are over thread basting - I just hope the Pinmoors will save my nails and fingers more!
This is just part one of working on this challenge.
So it's taken me a while, but I finally have a real practice quilt basted for Leah Day's challenge of doing an all over design on a whole quilt....
 |
| Probably my first quilt top - finally basted! |
I found these in a box I opened a few years ago when I was going to clean out the garage but instead opened the box and remembered sewing and quilting! It was like a time capsule with the patterns with funny Mary Tyler Moore style type.... The inner points don't line up, and the seams are 5/8 of an inch but Leah suggested we find an unfinished quilt and quilt it so this is what I'm going to be working on! (Somewhere in the garage I supposed I have 7 or 8 quilt tops and backs that I sewed when my son was little. In the house I mainly have blocks and parts - not quilts!) I ran out of my curved pins so had to use the straight ones I had purchased 16 years ago or when ever it was that I got them. This was a really pain to baste - I brought it to the adult education class to use their table - but the wide table was gone so I had to use a table that was narrower than the piece. I think I got done what I needed to get done though.
 |
| Fugly back - hopefully my last safety pin basted quilt. |
I have been using the material that was supposed to be the back of the project so instead pulled out the Indian feather stuff I got to use for backing.... It wasn't wide enough so I added two strips going in opposite directions to get the width I needed. I now think this is fugly fabric - had to bite my tongue when the ladies at the workshop were saying how they liked the feathers! Everyone likes different things - it was nice they liked something I brought to class -usually it seems they say how I should ask the teacher to help me!!
When I came home I went to Leah Day's site and ordered a container of 100-Pinmoors. Total including shipping = $43.45 USD
So I hope this will be the last time I use the pins. I haven't basted many things and appreciate how nice pins are over thread basting - I just hope the Pinmoors will save my nails and fingers more!
Friday, March 9, 2012
Sew 15 Minutes a Day
Okay - I just realized that we are linking on Tuesdays - this is on my calendar now....!
http://kate-life-in-pieces.blogspot.com/2012/03/15-minute-challenge-march-6th.html
Saturday March 3rd - Went to a workshop and saw other's progress. I cut pieces for the rectangle part of my LibRR.
Sunday March 4th - Nothing with fabric.
Monday March 5th - Nothing with fabric.
Tuesday March 6th - Sewed part one Block 9 for the FMQAYGQAL -
Wednesday March 7th- Sewed part two Block 9 for the FMQAYGQAL.
Thursday March 8th - Sewed Block 10 for the FMQAYGQAL.
Friday March 9th - Went to workshop - forgot glasses so I left again. Sewed my Block 12 for the FMQAYGQAL. And got my blog entries for that posted!
Below this updated for these days:
Saturday March 10th - Went to workshop. Eleanor Burns's sister gave a talk showing quilts and new patterns - I practiced sewing on the mini Jenome machine (wonderfully light in weight, but can only sew with a 1/4 inch foot - no darning foot, etc.). When I returned home I finished stippling the sample sandwich and added a feather to one of the other samples. I made a new quilt sandwich to practice the all over quilting pattern - then will trim my sandwiches to join together.
Sunday March 11th - (sore throat) In the evening I worked on filling in one of the 'corners' of my practice piece for Leal Day. Every once in awhile the thread would sort of double up so I'd have to cut it and hide the ends and start again.
Monday March 12th - (ill) nothing with fabric
Tuesday March 13th - (ill) nothing with fabric
Before next Tuesday I hope to sew blocks 13 and and 14 for FMQAYGQAL and do the quilting on the sandwich I basted last week for Leah Day's Free Motion Quilt A Long.
Before the end of the month I hope to sew at least one block for the BlockLotto, and to finish the Match SewCalGal FMQ challenge.
ASAP I need to figure out how to post several photos - in a slide show. I have photos still to post for my Marston/Moran workshop and now photos for the Eleanor Burns talk too!
The Second Liberated Round Robin will be starting soon - hope anyone reading this will join in the project!
http://kate-life-in-pieces.blogspot.com/2012/03/15-minute-challenge-march-6th.html
Saturday March 3rd - Went to a workshop and saw other's progress. I cut pieces for the rectangle part of my LibRR.
Sunday March 4th - Nothing with fabric.Monday March 5th - Nothing with fabric.
Tuesday March 6th - Sewed part one Block 9 for the FMQAYGQAL -
Wednesday March 7th- Sewed part two Block 9 for the FMQAYGQAL.
Thursday March 8th - Sewed Block 10 for the FMQAYGQAL.
Friday March 9th - Went to workshop - forgot glasses so I left again. Sewed my Block 12 for the FMQAYGQAL. And got my blog entries for that posted!
Below this updated for these days:
Saturday March 10th - Went to workshop. Eleanor Burns's sister gave a talk showing quilts and new patterns - I practiced sewing on the mini Jenome machine (wonderfully light in weight, but can only sew with a 1/4 inch foot - no darning foot, etc.). When I returned home I finished stippling the sample sandwich and added a feather to one of the other samples. I made a new quilt sandwich to practice the all over quilting pattern - then will trim my sandwiches to join together.
Sunday March 11th - (sore throat) In the evening I worked on filling in one of the 'corners' of my practice piece for Leal Day. Every once in awhile the thread would sort of double up so I'd have to cut it and hide the ends and start again.
Monday March 12th - (ill) nothing with fabric
Tuesday March 13th - (ill) nothing with fabric
Before next Tuesday I hope to sew blocks 13 and and 14 for FMQAYGQAL and do the quilting on the sandwich I basted last week for Leah Day's Free Motion Quilt A Long.
Before the end of the month I hope to sew at least one block for the BlockLotto, and to finish the Match SewCalGal FMQ challenge.
ASAP I need to figure out how to post several photos - in a slide show. I have photos still to post for my Marston/Moran workshop and now photos for the Eleanor Burns talk too!
The Second Liberated Round Robin will be starting soon - hope anyone reading this will join in the project!
FMQAYGQAL Row 3 Summary
Here are my four blocks for the third row of Laura's Free Motion Quilt As You Go Quilt A Long.
The theme for these blocks is landscapes and seascapes...
It's a nice variety of designs - while reading and sewing I realized that:
1) I do not really notice landscapes or seascapes or plants, etc.
2) I think I should make an effort to notice all the nature that is around me...!
I'm linking to Laura's site where the Quilt A Long is behing hosted. By going to that site you'll be able to see the way the other followers have interpreted the designs (and their comments on sewing them!)
At the end of the FMQAYGQAL we will have 24 blocks - once you prepare the quilt sandwiches it really doesn't take very long to do the blocks - so do jump in! Laura is also going to be showing different ways to connect the blocks into one quilt - cool huh?
The theme for these blocks is landscapes and seascapes...
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| Front |
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| Back |
1) I do not really notice landscapes or seascapes or plants, etc.
2) I think I should make an effort to notice all the nature that is around me...!
I'm linking to Laura's site where the Quilt A Long is behing hosted. By going to that site you'll be able to see the way the other followers have interpreted the designs (and their comments on sewing them!)
 |
| Hosted here |
At the end of the FMQAYGQAL we will have 24 blocks - once you prepare the quilt sandwiches it really doesn't take very long to do the blocks - so do jump in! Laura is also going to be showing different ways to connect the blocks into one quilt - cool huh?
FMQAYGQAL - Blocks 11 and 12
Directions for blocks 11 and 12 (Row 3 blocks 3 & 4)
Laura continues the theme of Landscapes and Seascapes....
Block 11: Landscapes 2
This block is very close to the design I did for the SewCalGal project in January - so close that I decided to use the extra block I made for that and switch to be an official FMQAYGQAL block.
Block 12: Leah's Sea Oats
Laura continues the theme of Landscapes and Seascapes....
Block 11: Landscapes 2
This block is very close to the design I did for the SewCalGal project in January - so close that I decided to use the extra block I made for that and switch to be an official FMQAYGQAL block.
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| Front |
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| Back |
Block 12: Leah's Sea Oats
This is an official 'beginning' design, so I already had tried it out. Also, since I'm one of the last to finish this for FMQAYGQAL I was able to read the comments others made about this design. I also do not know what a sea oat really looks like. I do not know what corn looks like when it is growing and I have never noticed plants in an aquarium (like Leah's Josh has). I spent a little more time looking at photos and examples of people who have done this design, then drew it out several times. I brought the example photo into Fireworks and changed the direction so I could draw while looking at the example oriented the same way.....
I do not think I made any improvement from my first try - the first row looks the best, but then I got into changing the direction of the off shoots so much that they look more like circles....
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| Front |
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| Back |
I had moved the sewing machine to the living room as my son was in the sewing room - and now I know that the living room can't be used for sewing. The chair was too low, and the table legs interfered with the foot pedal. My straw spindal does not seem to be the answer for my thread - it still is catching every once in a while so I had to cut thread and restart pretty much at every column!
So not really know what sea oats are, I will just say this is a science fiction plant found on the landscape of some far off yet-to-be-discovered planet!
I hope you will join us for the second Liberated Round Robin - starting this month!
So not really know what sea oats are, I will just say this is a science fiction plant found on the landscape of some far off yet-to-be-discovered planet!
I hope you will join us for the second Liberated Round Robin - starting this month!
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