I'm a Winner! IHAN

I saw on SewCalGal's site that I won a lovely packets of items....

I'm listed as being on the nominating committee (just a way she set things up for the Golden Quilter Awards).  I was just one of the readers of the blog who put names up for the awards and then later voted.

I put Leah Day's name for Most Influential, Best Teacher, Best Online Quilt Shop, and probably more categories, but surprisingly (to me) I'm not see Leah's name on any of the awards....  I think Leah is ahead of the curve in the fabulous Free Motion Quilting information she offers.  She prepares videos to guide us thru the steps and techniques and supplements them with well written articles.  She makes wonderful use of the web and provides complete information.  She is very accessible and follows up on questions very quickly and completely. Her Day Style Designs Online Quilt Shop webstore has some very nice items for sale too - with great prices.  She has definitely helped me make the jump from being a piecer to actually being a quilter. I sing her praises whenever I can - and know that what she offers is really for all quilters - but that some are just not ready to make the leap and do free motion quilting.

Bonnie Hunter won this year for Best Teacher, her website is full of wonderful piecing designs and tips for piecing - very easy to follow information.  I enjoy going to her website.

But in any case, I won prize #15....  Pretty cool!  Thank you SewCalGal and IHAN Store!

http://ihavea-notion.com/store/

One lucky winner will receive a bundle, with an estimated value of $50, that includes the following items: Famore Titanium Micro EZ Snips Aurifil Thread, one spool of Black and one spool of white. Snap Sack "Spirity of the Bear" quilt wall hanging kit in a brown bag Lavishea Lotion Bar: unscented, moisturizing bar Prize #15 winner: June (Quilt Quest)

FMQAYGQAL - Blocks 17 and 18

Directions for blocks 17 and 18 (Row 5 blocks 1&2)

The theme is feathers.....

Block 17: Laura's Echo Feather

Row 5 Block 1 Front

Row 5 Block 1 Back

This block has a single spine - the feathers are free formed.

I started my making the curved spine and the loop at the end.

Then I moved down the spine and created the side of the feather that was away from the loop first, curved and hit the side of the loop, hit the spine, went down beyond where the feather and did it all again.

When I reached the bottom I went back up the spine and did the same on the other side.  This was a good way to make the design.

When done with both sides I went back and added two toppers to each of the feathers, then I did the echoing. I like everything except the echoing - that part is too loopy so doesn't really add anything to the design. But I didn't know what to do instead so I gave it a try.

Block 18: Feathers in a Circle

Row 5 - Block 2 - Front

The directions were clear, but I messed up.  I drew actually three circles on the block as it seemed Laura was suggesting she would do that next time. "More guidelines required next time."  But maybe she meant something else.

Row 5 - Block 2 - Back

I think I drew the center circle too small as my feathers got all smooched and started looking like a stiff fingers.

I added tips to the feathers in the hope of making them stand out.....

Putting the design in a circle makes it very dramatic!





Blogger Note:  I'm going to click on the option I see in Blogger at the right for Enclosure Links and see what happens when I put the link back to Laura's site there....  (I don't see that it does anything!)

FMQAYGQAL - Block 16 (Row 4)

Directions for block 16 (Row 4 block 4)

I did the first design option - or maybe I should say this is how I interpreted the design:

I drew it a few times before doing - decided I wanted to fill it in so the borders were more equal than in the example. 

Row 4 Block 4 - Front

 I practiced a little on a pink sandwich and the thread brock and needle broke too - so I did this very slowly - it was done in one pass!

Row 4 Blcok 4 - Back

Sew 15 Minutes a Day

Hooked up to:
http://kate-life-in-pieces.blogspot.com/2012/04/15-minute-challenge-april-10th.html


Wednesday - April 4 - Not feeling well again.  Tried one of the patterns from Laura FMQQAYGQAL but had the problem with the thread spinning around and leaving extra thread in the piece and then shredding.

Thursday - April 5 - Not feeling well again.  Sore throat - no fever.  In evening did more filling in of the Leah Day Project whole cloth - just have the outside section to go then I'm on track for this week's lesson on blocking and binding!  Called doctor to see I should come in, the nurse left a message to make an appointment - that probably I have infection.  I hope they will do a blood lab to confirm before giving me antibiotics.  I can see from my mom what happens when someone takes a lot of antibiotics.

Friday - April 6 - Feeling awful - very stuffy nose and coughing.  I have doctor appointment tomorrow.  I wanted to finish the whole cloth so I did - I could not get down to microstippling - the mini size looks okay most of the time.  I was so tired of the thread shredding - this size made it so it didn't shred - had many breaks though - but not as much as before so that was good.

Saturday - April 7 - Went to doctor's got prescriptions for allergic reaction to our extra high pollen count - didn't sew today.

Sunday - April 8 - Didn't sew - felt well enough that I cleaned the house! Feels good to feel well.  In the evening I practiced the gear FMQ block for Laura - it didn't turn out well so glad I practiced on scrap sandwich!

Monday - April 9 - Didn't sew or do much or anything - well in the evening I ate, ate, ate.  I didn't feel well so slept or moped around most of the day... Remembered to pay the property taxes (due tomorrow) - they reminded on the news.  I thought I had put that in my repeating calendar - but at least it's done now!

Tuesday - April 10 - Carefully did block 16 for Laura's FMQQAYGQAL - no thread or needle breaks!  I like the way it looks!

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)

LibRR2: Step Two Posted to Site

The directions for step two of the Liberated Round Robin have been posted to the site!
http://liberatedroundrobin.blogspot.com/2012/04/librr2-step-two.html

: )
June
http://liberatedroundrobin.blogspot.com

Sew 15 Minutes a Day

I'm linking to: http://kate-life-in-pieces.blogspot.com/2012/04/15-minute-challenge-april-3rd.html

Wednesday - March 28 - I basted my Leah's Quilt Along Wednesdays whole cloth project, prepared another sandwich for practice, and removed the last of the stitches in the SewCalGal March project that wasn't done correctly. I drew the SewCalGal March project a few times until I liked the way it was looking on paper.

Thursday - March 29 - I sewed the SewCalGal March project again and linked up the site.

Friday - March 30 - After Asian Cooking Class, I quilted blocks 13 and 14 for FMQAYGQAL. After going to quilt fire sale (and buying more fabric, needles and thread) and making dinner, I quilted block 15.

Saturday - March 31 - I started doing the outlining of the wholecloth for Leah's Quilt Along Wednesdays project.

Sunday - April 1 - Finished the outlining for the wholecloth for Leah's Quilt Along Wednesdays project. Started microstippling the wholecloth - fun!

Monday - April 2 - Continued with my pseudo microstippling the wholecloth for Leah's Quilt Along Wednesdays project - still more to do!

Tuesday - April 3 - Continued with my pseudo microstippling the wholecloth for Leah's Quilt Along Wednesdays project - still more to do!  I thought I was done with the cold - sore throat but it's come back today.  (I think it's my body avoiding doing the final tax preparation work!)


My projects on the 'to do' list for the coming week are:

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! and then I need to find my notes and add the narrative before I forget everything!

Get caught up with Leah Day's Free Motion Quilt A Long and FMQAYGQAL.  I'm not going to do BlockLotto this month as I don't want to have to get more fabric!

Belated Invitation to Join in on LibRR2

You are invited to join in on the second Liberated Round Robin (LibRR2).

The second Liberated Round Robin has begun!

The quilters who finished the first LibRR were invited to collaborate in the planning of the second Liberated Round Robin. Clare, Mary, Pattilou and Jan decided they would each write up a section of the challenge for LibRR2.

Please sign up on this form to express your interest in joining in! You will receive access to post photos of your progress and to link to your blog or photo stream, you will receive a reminder email when each new step is posted to the site, and once you start posting photos of your LibRR2 you will be listed on the “Who We Are” page. (Even if you participated in the first Liberated Round Robin, please fill out the form.)

You are invited to join in on this online project. The emphasis this time will be for you to really stretch and to create a liberated piece! There are many different thoughts about what a liberated project is. Each author will be writing their guidelines so you get to know a little more how they interpret this kind of design.

You may use what ever fabric you desire for this project, and the end size is up to you. There is no need to match up colors to a focus piece of fabric - just pick something you like!

This time, in addition to following the guidelines for each round/row/part, we really want you to be open in how you order and size your pieces - so please do not sew them together until you receive directions for that step. There is no right or wrong way to do this - we want you to try to be open and liberated!

If you are interested in joining us for LibRR2, please use this form! (Even if you participated in the first Liberated Round Robin, please fill out the form.)

Pick and choose the suggestions you want to incorporate in your project and sew. Use these ideas for one to four+ rounds or rows that will eventually surround your initial block. This time, please hold off sewing your parts together until April/May. That way it will be easier for you to be creative during this process.

It’s okay to combine ideas, add alternative blocks, insert separating borders, or cut and rearrange what you sewed between rounds. Please report back to the others on the blog to provide motivation and ideas!

If you get behind, that is not a problem. You will receive an email to remind you when a new step is about to be added.

Join in at anytime. To follow along as we first work on LibRR2, here is the Tentative Timeline (all Fridays)

Mar 2- Invitation to LibRR2 (June)
Mar 16- Initial Block/Part/Round/Row (Clare) (Time to sew Mar 16 to Mar Apr 5)
Apr 6- Second Round/Row/Part (Mary) (Time to sew Apr 6 to Apr 26)
Apr 27 - Third Round/Row/Part (Pattilou)
May 18 - Final Round/Row/Part (Jan)
June 8- Please try to post your flimsie by this date
July 6 - Final Reveal Day - Please try to post photo of your finished project by this date!If you finish your parts/row/round before the posted deadline, please post a photo and share your thoughts on the blog. Then move on to another project until the next step is revealed!

The idea is not particularly to create the perfect project, but to participate in an online event while creating a quilt! Remember we all learn from each other and incorporate ideas into our own interpretations.... The more we experiment and sew, the better our pieces will become.

To read how this differs from a traditional round robin - click here!

Please share this invitation with your quilter friends!

I just realized I had asked others to share this information, but I forgot to post on my own site!

There have been around 20 quilters who have posted their interpretation of Step One - click here to see those posts with photos!

Expense: Supplies and Fabric

Once again I couldn't help myself, I went to the fire sale for the last time (they are closing the store down and will be moving to a yet unannounced new location).  This time the shelves were noticeably more empty.  So that's good for them.

Final Purchase at Fire Sale

I found a few bolts of Kona Cotton - and then also got some patterned fabric (dots, checkerboards).  They tried to make me get the entire bolts but I stood my ground and just got 2 yards of each of the plain and 1 of the rest.  There were two pieces that had just two yards or 2 and 1/8 yard so I got all (and lowered the price to 70% off!).  I don't really need any more fabric and don't have a lot of finishes to point to so I couldn't rationalize getting a entire bolt of one fabric.  (But part of me is wishing I had that purple bolt and a bunch of the purple isocord thread in the closet here!)

The thread was still 50% off so I picked up a few more spools of Isocord recommended by Leah Day.  They did not have the same green that I am using for my current FMQing projects.

And I got a few more packages of needles.  They had handicapped version of the 80/12 recommended by Leah Day, I got two twin needles and one needle with two holes...  The price was so low it was nice to get something to experiment with!

Fabric
2 yds           end      $9.35       $18.70
2 1/8 yds     end      $8.80       $18.70
4 1/8 yards added
Fabric 70% off  Total             $37.40 - 70% = $11.22

Fabric
1 yd                         $9.50       $  9.50
1 yd                         $8.99       $  8.99
1 yd                         $9.90       $  9.90
1 yd                         $9.35       $  9.35
1 yd                         $9.80       $  9.80
2 yds                        $5.49       $10.98
2 yds                        $5.10       $10.20
2 yds                        $6.10       $12.20
2 yds                        $9.00       $18.00
2 yds                        $5.10        $10.20
2 yds                        $5.49        $10.98
Added 17 yards
Fabric 50% off Total             $120.10 - 50% = $60.05

Total yards added 21 1/8 yards  Fabric averaged to $3.37 per yard

Packages of Needles
2 twin needles @$3.99                                              $7.98
1 double hole needles @$4.99                                  $4.99
4 universal 12/80 handicapped type @$5.49          $21.96
Needle 50% off Total                                              $34.93 - 50% = $17.47

($120.10 +$34.95 = $155.03/2 + $11.22) = $88.73 + tax $6.80 = $95.61

Thread
3 isacord spools @$6.00 each         $18.00 - 50% = $9.00 + .70 tax = $9.70
Sea Shell Fb.0170  A2821  ET40 1000m
Fog Fb.0176 A1171  ET40 1000m
Glacier Green Fb.4071 A2181  ET40 1000m

$95.61 + $9.70 = $105.31

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!