Beginning is always the hardest!

I`m about to embark on quilting Stars for a New Day (finally!).  While pinning the sandwich yesterday, I was wondering just how I did such a good job in picking fabrics!  I love this quilt, and I think I was a lot more adventurous in fabric mixing then, than I have been since.  The only thing I would change is perhaps the dark centre star fabric, maybe a little too Christmas-y looking.



This is a big quilt, 85`square, with lots of borders, many small pieces in the stars, and I`m sure challenges ahead in what I`ll use from my quilting arsenal.  I`ll start wtih stitch in the ditch around the borders and the centre medallion, then hopefully I`ll have some ideas by then!



 

While I was working up the courage to put that quilt under the needle, I cut out the fabrics for SherrI Falls' Mystery Monday.

 



I did one of these last year, and I found it was a great way to use those small pieces of fabric that are wonderful but not big enough for a quilt.  Its easy to follow along as she makes a small quilt, and really nothing to lose except fabric that may have just continued to sit in your stash!

Weekend sewing

Before I show pictures of some sewing I did this weekend, I'd like to comment that my camera seems to  be not taking very good pictures! I've had this camera for years, and while I don't think its possible for a digital camera to "break", there definitely is something off with the colour and exposure of the pictures its taking.  So, a little tweaking in a photo program is needed, but I still think that I haven't got a very true picture!

On Friday, I was able to put together the third row of Jacqueline's Album.



Then I tackled the centre of my version of Stars and Sprigs.  Because of the lost applique blocks, and because mentally I had put block making for this quilt far behind me, I decided to make the quilt square.  This actually works out ok for me, as it was already getting very big...it will finish at about 90" square.  I have a good idea on a pieced border,  that will take a bit of time and a lot of math, so I'm not sure where it sits on "the list".  In the mean time, I know I have a centre pieced and the border fabrics saved.



 

I've been working way on the quilting of Daydream on the Farm.  All these pieced blocks gave me a challenge for how to quilt them.  I don't much like stitching in the ditch with a free motion foot, so I decided to highlight the piecing by connecting curved lines to various part of the block, as shown in the few blocks in the picture below.



 

This week I'd like to get the quilting finished for Daydream on the Farm, and I'm working on the third embroidery block for Snow Day!.

 

 

 

Stencils...finding my way!

I think I finally have a name for this quilt...Daydream on the Farm.  Blocks from the Farmer's Wife quilt by Laurie Hird, setting and centre applique from the pattern From the Heart by Lori Smith.

I picture the farmer's wife, as seen through the letters in Laurie's book, standing in her yard, or at her kitchen window, surrounded by all the chores of the day, but also surrounded by the completed work her and her family have done.  She also sees beauty and peace in the fields,  in the birds and trees, and the security of life on the farm.



This quilt has numerous plain setting squares...something I've been afraid to put into any of my quilts for many years!  I knew I would want to fill it with a stencil, but that was the problem.  Following a line while free motion quilting was one of the very last skills I accomplished...and I'm still not very good at it.  The usual method of using a stencil, by brushing or pouncing on white chalk, just didn't work for me.  Either the line was too thick to follow, or too thin to see.  And all those broken lines which are part of any stencil just confused me further.  I tried golden threads paper done in a stack, and sewn through the line to make numerous perforated patterns to follow.  That didn't work either, again I couldn't see the line!  Drawing the stencil line directly on to the quilt block doesn't work either, I'm too afraid of leaving a permanent mark (although the new Frixion pens might help here.)

So finally I decided to draw a stencil pattern for each block that needed it.  Yep, it took time, but it was well worth it, to me!  After drawing the stencil on the paper, I connected some lines to make it easier for me to follow.  In this example, while it is continuous line, there are 2 loops through the pattern, so I made circuit 1 a solid line and left the breaks on the lines for circuit 2.  I also marked the 1 and 2 points to make me stay on track!  I find that its best to make the paper bigger than necessary, to make sure I have enough to hold  the paper in place, and then only 2 pins are necessary.  The paper comes off easily if  I'm wearing my quilting gloves, as that gives a bit more grip for brushing away the paper bits.



 

I have stitched in the ditch in between all the blocks,outlined the applique, and have now have all the stencil blocks complete.  I think I'll do some piecing today while I percolate some ideas on how to quilt the pieced blocks.

 

 

Works in Progress

In the last week or so, I've been quilting my version of Pat Sloan's Meadow Breeze.



Unfortunately, I really do need to take my Janome in for service.  It seems to be really happy for a while, then that darn top thread breaking starts happening again.  I need to make sure there's really nothing wrong with it  before I continue pulling my hair out trying to find what I'm doing wrong!

I've completed the last block in the Piecing the Past Series.Included in this Craftsy course is setting instructions, using various small setting blocks to create an interesting layout.



And, I've been keeping up with Summer Reigns by Kathy Schmitz.



Yesterday I took a good look at my Grandmother's Choice blocks that I've sewn to date...and I think I've decided that I don't like the purple colour theme.  I'm cutting up fabric to re-make these blocks a different way!  Pics soon!

Stitch good thoughts!

 

 

 

 

Solved it myself!

I think all of us enjoy a trip to the sewing machine mechanic about as much as trip to the dentist...or worse!  My experience, and I'm pretty sure this has happened to many of us, is... take the machine to the mechanic and explain the problem with samples.  He then fiddles with the machine, cleans it, might make an adjustment or two (likely not the ones you expected) and returns the machine to you  ( in a week or two or three) with the words "it worked fine here; no problems found; must be something you're doing".  Arrggghhh..  And a $100 bill to boot!

So with that in mind, I was determined to figure out how I can fix what was my happy machine back to its good working condition.  I played with adjustments again all Tuesday morning.  Then gave up with a sigh that yes it will have to go the shop.

That's when I found the Craftsy class on sale, the one I've had my eye on for a several days, Design It Quilt It by Cindy Needham.  All I can say is wow!   In the second or third lesson she covers tension, and as I'm accustomed to a vertical bobbin, I was happy to have some good visuals on adjusting a drop in bobbin.

My problem with my machine, it seems, was the bobbin tension was not near tight enough.  Even though I had been adjusting the spare bobbin case, I hadn't yet tightened it enough to really solve the problem and once I did, voila!, thick threads, thin threads, my regular Aurifil, all making lovely free motion stitches with just slight adjustments to the top tension! I have no idea why the bobbin tension became loose over time, but its fixed as far as I'm concerned!

[caption id="attachment_1182" align="aligncenter" width="300"] front of quilt, photo adjusted to try to show black thread quilting on the dark fabric[/caption]

[caption id="attachment_1183" align="aligncenter" width="300"] back of quilt, showing nicely formed stitches[/caption]

Just another word about Craftsy...I had signed up a for a different free-motion quilting class and quickly discovered that there wasn't much new for me in that class.  I contacted Crafsty about their class guarantee, and they refunded my money, no fuss no muss!

Mis-behaving sewing machine

I've been so very happy with the Janome 7700, but the last few quilting sessions it has been giving me grief.  I keep getting a broken top thread, and/or loose tension on the stitches.

I've tried using a second bobbin case with a tighter tension (leftover from my old janome 6600); different needles, different threads, different top tensions...nothing is giving me good results.  Before I go completely  nuts, I'm going to take it in for service and see if there's something that the tech can find or adjust...then I'll know if its something I'm doing wrong!

 



 



 

Would you cut up a quilt?

I did!  I tried to quilt the Whimsical Quilt Garden...really tried!  I put a nice free motion curvy stitch on the skinny border frame, I put some nice doodling loops around the applique after outlining the shapes.  But, as seems to be happening to me too often, lately,  I just wasn't into this quilt...I didn't like it, and as a result my stitching wasn't as good as it could be; my enthusiasm for getting it quilted, that enjoyment of seeing the quilting stitches bringing the fabric to life - - was not there.  Yesterday afternoon I hung it on a hanger and shoved it to the back of the closet.

A few hours ago, I felt that darn quilt calling me again.  Those applique blocks were a lot of work, the effort and thought that has gone into the quilt so far...I didn't want to leave it mouldering in the back of the closet.  I brought it back to the machine, sat down and gave it and me a good talking to - what lovely applique stitches!  the quilting will bring it all together!  someone will really like this quilt when its done!  But shortly after starting, that gloomy feeling returned.

I took a deep breath, flung it on the cutting board, and proceeded to cut it up!  I cut out 13 blocks, enought to re-set it with the ideas I have n mind.  The rest I'll keep to maybe make a mini or something.  There will need to be some unstitching done.

I feel great at having done this, like a weight is off my shoulders.  I can start fresh when I'm ready, and no longer have to think about how to work on the quilt as it was!

Whimsical Garden progress

I did come up with some great applique setting designs in Electric Quilt, but they couldn't be used as the applique elements in this quilt overlap on to other blocks.  Eventually, I had this idea, to apply narrow sashings between the blocks, which I think worked well enough to make some difference in the quilt's overall appearance.

 

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I made narrow strips of the fabric that's in the block frames...a clover bias tape maker that I usually use for making stems gave me the finished edge.  I cut 1/2" strips from the fabric and sprayed with Best Press. Put the fabric through the bias tape maker, and voila!  instant narrow sashing!

I "quilted" it on to the quilt with a narrow serpentine (curvy) stitch, following the seam line between the blocks.  In this picture it looks like its not quite on centre, but I don't think fussi-ness is necessary in this quilt, because the whole thing has a folk-art-primitive feeling.

Allow yourself to have your own quilting style!

Staring at the small kaleidoscope quilt that I made a couple of weeks ago, I realized that once again I'm stumped about how to quilt it. I knew that I wanted to emphasise the circles that seem to appear within the design - but that's about it. All along, when working on piecing and making tops lately, I've been hearing advice from successful quilters that its important to plan your quilting along with your piecing. Well, I've decided that that just isn't my style.

For years, I've kicked myself while starting to quilt a top, then realizing I didn't like it, then ripping it out and starting again. Well, that seems to be my style! Seriously, my style does seem to be having to have the quilt right under the needle, with threads at the ready, willing to experiment to find just the right thing to do. I'm getting better at getting it right the first time, and the kaleidoscope quilt was the first time I stopped and changed direction but didn't feel as if I had to rip out what was done. I am very happy with the quilting on the quilt - obviously, lol, but really it has been an eye opener to me to trust the process that is my style.

I also seemed to have conquered leaves! I can free motion pretty well - flowers, feathers, letters, hearts, whatever - but leaves have just had me making round lumps. Uck. Well I think I've got it now :)

Batik Baskets

This quilt has been sitting, sandwiched and ready to quilt, by my sewing machine all week. I never started quilting it as something about it just didn't sit right. I decided it was the leaves, and yesterday cut out new leaf shapes and fused them right over the originals - I like it much better, more to look at and more movement.



I've had a great month of piecing and playing - I have three quilt tops ready to quilt, but none necessary for any particular time. Today I think I'll take a look at my baskets and drawers and bags to really see what wips and ufos I have.

Butterfly Garden

This week, I did a lot of applique - partly because I wasn't having fun quilting the Sally Post Sampler. I did one block of Butterfly Garden, an easy needleturn quilt from the summer issue of Fons & Porter. I liked this block because it gives free rein to completely mix up colours, use big prints, some uglies from the stash, and just generally go wild with no concern at all for a colour scheme.

I have mixed feelings about the finished block - its very large (to me, who usually works on smaller pieces), I don't like the flower and especially its leaves, and I'm not happy with the solid black I chose for the butterfly body.

What I'll do with the next one is try a 9" block instead of 12", try a black and white print fabric for the body, and use a different flower and leaves. The Piece O Cake book Applique Delights has a few ideas, and so does Janet Pitmans' Applique, the Basics and Beyond. I may end up making the quilt from 12, 9 and 6 inch blocks, with various flowers and leaves or none at at all on the smaller blocks.

I also completed another 21 birds block, and got everything organized and fused - and even started sewing - the next Cherry Berry Album block.

Where I'm At - Current Projects

I'm tired and recovering from all the intense work on the fair quilts....I've also had an intense week dealing with Wendy's 16th birthday and especially the complete mess up of her timetable, including missing classes, and an additional computer glitch where she lost an entire two credits from last year. That, and coaching and monitoring Scott's entry into first year high school.

So, I will sit and ponder what I've got in my definite would like to work on projects for the remainder of the year -

Quilting -

• Almost Log Cabin - I've started quilting this, and really only have about a day's work left
• Sally Post Floral Sampler - an almost queen size quilt that is ready for basting, and I would like to have ready for the church at the end of September
• Three small Christmas/Winter theme quilts - these are small wallhangings or table toppers that I started as gifts for my sisters and sister in law last Christmas, they're basted and ready to go - they're definitely headed out the door this year, but to whom I'm no longer certain
• Sudoku - this one I started quilting when my Sapphire came back to me, reincarnated as an 870. Practiced and got my faith back in using the Sapphire before starting the fair quilts - I'm in no hurry to finish this by any specific time

Piecing and machine applique

• Strippy Basket Sampler - this just needs wide borders added, to make it a bit bigger for my Mom, and needs to be quilted by Christmas!
• Redwork Christmas and Jelly Roll - I have to start giving this some serious thought - I have a machine embroidery disk for the Snowman Collector quilt by the Stitch Connection, and a winter themed jelly roll bought last year - should this be a lap quilt or a wallhanging? This Chrimas or next?
• Flannel peaks, the delectable mountain pattern that has the preliminary cutting done - I'd like this top done in January but its such an easy one to pick up the odd block or two I just might have the top done much sooner
• 30s sampler - long term project that I'd like to work a little bit on each week or two
• two BOM quilts - Jan Patek's 2008-2009 girl gang, and Liz Lois' Just Plain Nuts

For me, this list is too heavy on the quilting and too light on the piecing. I have a few other ufos and wips that I might get into this fall, and I certainly would like to make a new small (20 x 20) wallhanging for a certain area in my home; and also, a new Christmas wall hanging (36" square or so) to replace a wreath wall hanging that's been in use for too many years.

Handwork

• Applique - the Cherry Berry Sampler pattern book arrived, and I'm still in love with it. Some pieces look a bit challenging for needleturn, especially if not using the firmly woven batiks or handdyes. So I'm thinking about whether to indeed go with batiks, or stick with the fabrics I've chosen and do fusible applique with hand blanket stitch.
• Hexagons - yep, I'm still slowly working with those vintage fabrics and english paper pieced hexagons
• Hand piecing! - I would very much like to explore this a bit more, especially as I have a small collection Australian Patchwork and Quitling magazines that have a number of patterns that can really only be done well by hand piecing, and I think I'd enjoy learning

Okay, now I'm beginning to wish I never started this. I don't know if it makes me feel better to see how much I can do, or be thinking that I've set too many goals. Quilting is more than a hobby to me. As I am almost housebound, I have plenty of time to work on projects when the time is right. Despite being able to work only about a half hour at a time, and a doctor's rule of resting - one time rest for 2 times activity (meaning, 1/2 hour of activity means 15 minutes of rest); and often one time rest for one time activity; its amazing how much I can get done. Whenever I have the opportunity to try something new, or learn something new, I can. I'm studying Patsy Thompson's free motion dvds - fantastic - and I'm also taking a Quilt U class on Electric Quilt layouts.

Wish me luck - and please don't tell me how many days until Christmas!

Happy Dance! Folk Art Finery is Quilted

It just needs the binding. This quilt represents the most challenging piece of quilting I've done to date. I can't say that I've particularly enjoyed quilting this quilt - I made mistakes that I've never made on other quilts, and have done way too much ripping (there were times I wondered if the backing would survive). However, I am very happy with the results, and it does represent a new level of quilting for me. I'm still keeping my fingers crossed that it will survive a washing - which I very much want to do as I like the shrink-y look that is achieved afterward. But binding first.

Unstitching Stippling and a Little Quilt

Ugh. I had planned out what I thought was the best quilting design for the borders on Folk Art Finery - I practiced and test sewed on scraps and it looked great. Only problem was I didn't account for the fact that monofilament thread on black just sinks right into the fabric and the result was very blah, especially that there was a lot of work involved that just didn't show up properly. This meant a lot of ripping out of stippling - this has got to be the worst job - two days where I spent any and all quilting time just picking picking picking. Here's a pic of a part of the section which is about 3" x 7" - of course, with the flash the stitching shows up nicely, if only it showed up as nicely in all lights.

After that, I just needed to take a break from quilting that Folk Art Finery. Luckily my sister gave me the perfect excuse by sending me her address to her new home that she's moving to next week - which meant I could do up a little quilt to send off to her as a house warming gift. I used baltimore album style redwork designs in the block centres, and I think I'll include a note that explains some of their symbolism which would relate to a new home.

Now that I'm looking at this quilt top this morning (oops! my pic cut off the bottom border), I wondering if its too much green and red, and too Christmas-y. But yesterday, I was doing a happy dance that I was able to find just the right colours in my stash. I'm going to go ahead an quilt it quick - just a large meander stitch everywhere - and get it in the mail for her.

Quilting for judging

This is my first entry into any quilt competition, and as small and local as it may be, I'm sure the judges and viewers will be just the same as those at any other quilt show.

When I sat down to start quilting Folk Art Finery, the quilt police were looming my head - chattering away and telling me all the things I should be doing. I froze, and could hardly even begin to put the needle into the quilt. I soon relaxed, after a firm talking to myself, and reminded myself that this is my quilt that I want to enjoy making, I'm entering it into the competition to make myself be more public with my quilts, and finally, just to get the experience of what its like to have a quilt judged.

I have since found plenty to be critical about, from a technical point of view, regarding my free motion quilting which is what I've ended up doing on all of this quilt.

But - more importantly -as it stand now, with the centre done and the border quilting planned, I feel that this quilt is a personal triumph for me! I am so happy with the quilting designs, and I've had the most confidence ever in choosing and using those designs. I've made my own little list of what I consider to be "marks against" the quilt - I've got them written down and will share them after I see what the judges have to say.

Here's a picture of part of the quilting - and that's all I'm posting of this quilt until after its gone to the Fair.

One thing disappointing and frustrating was that I discovered I could definitely improve the look of the border quilting with a different presser foot offered by Viking - Mike went to get it for me and its on order!!! Grrrr. The store might be able to get it tomorrow, which means pick up on Saturday, or it may be a week or more. This will force me to make a decision as to whether to continue with the feet I have, or wait.....I want this done by Labour Day which believe it or not is just three weeks away!