Sunday, May 1, 2011

Day 10 Mary Ann/ND


Today I prepared a lot for the coming week.

I received a package from www.harriethargrave.com
including sixteen different 14x14 batting squares - each one is a different batt marked with specific details about each one; i.e., scrim/no scrim, recommended distance apart for quilting, name, company, etc.

In Harriet's book, "Heirloom Machine Quilting", she recommends practicing and keeping a file of your work with specific details like thread(s), needle, fabric, batting, etc. so that when it comes time to quilt a whole quilt, you will have the perfect reference. You can even measure them before they get washed and then after each following wash to measure their shrinkage, too, before quilting an entire quilt.

You can order Harriet's sets of batts online here:

For days 10-14, I plan on creating four 12.5x12.5" squares with the same design because I want to see how each different batting "reacts" to the same pattern for comparison purposes.

I haven't figured out the pattern for Day 14 yet, but if I get to practice sketching enough, it might be free-handed feathers as featured by Kim Brunner in her "The Quilter Magazine" article for June/July 2011 pgs. 94-96. http://www.thequiltermag.com/

Set of sixteen different batts:



Harriet labeled them all so nicely!
I'm saving the 90% silk /10% poly blend for last...

Tracing paper from Hobby Lobby

Harriet Hargrave quilting design

The "Free-Motion Quilting Basics" article in the June/July 2011 "The Quilter Magazine" caught my eye when it arrived in the mail on Saturday.

Look what's in there! WOW!!
If you like this, please visit www.kimmyquilt.com for more info.
She produces digitized patterns, quilting toold and instructional DVDs for midarm and longarm quilters, plus she teaches! I'm thankful she was featured so I could practice these in my sketch book this afternoon:

Step 1:






It's obvious I need a lot more time in my sketch book
creating feathers before I can "draw" them free-hand
on my fabric, so....

I traced my pattern with wash away blue marker today...


after having spent time sketching, I began to realize how
to use the "spine" to go back to as a "base"
and then start again from there



This result just blows me away!
I LOVE IT!
:-)
Thank you to all you encouraging FMQers!!!





YLI nylon in top
Mettler 50w silk-finish cotton in bobbin
tension 2
really decreased my speed
clear, open-toe foot
Baby Lock Quest Plus

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Great ideas from fellow FMQ Challenge participants - thank you, everyone!

Thread Talk

Free, gorgeous FMQ or embroidery pattern from The Quilter Magazine:
This will be available for a limited time only!

Gorgeous thread for a great price! (Canada)

Harriet's personal favorite thread choices, incl. silk:

Quilter's Template Heaven:

Forest Quilting offers free templates:

May I recommend...



2 comments:

corina said...

Beautiful! I look forward to the results of your batting experimentation!

Leeanne said...

What a cool idea, being able to buy the squares of batting to try. Harriet Hargraves book is awesome, she has the most wonderful advice and tips.Your quilting is looking lovely.