My FMQ Challenge this month

I've done lots of FMQ this month, but not much in the way of background or fillers.  So, at the 11th hour I made this little sample of some fillers I commonly use along with some I have wanted to try. 

For the grids and straight lines, I used some thick acrylic templates for the first time.  By the time I finished, I think I may have had the hang of them.  I tried some tiny feathers in there (can you see them?), but they look so much like pebbles I decided they were worthless that small.  Another new one I tried was the triangles.  I like that one.  Kinda fun, kinda funky.

All in all, a fun exercise.  And since the point of this was practice, practice, practice, I think I fulfilled that with the FMQ throughout the month and the sampler at the end.

I'll finish this little guy off and send him to AAQI with my other two.

And what else have I been FMQing?  Why the Princess Star quilt, of course.  Here's a pic of outlining the central motif.  I'm working on outlining the star right now, but my Juki is in the shop for timing as is my Brother.  That leaves me with the dreaded Janome.  It's behaving so far. 

-Wendy

My March FMQ-ing

After a busy Feather month in February, this blog has quietened down so I thought I would share my March efforts for the SewCalGal Challenge here as well as on my usual blog.

My practise piece - as you can see I am re-cycling my quilt sandwich!

In the photo below you can see I experimented and taped my applique mat to my table - it's my poor man's version of the slider mat that some recommend. I think it did make the surface more slippery and therefore it was easier to quilt. I am tempted to buy a proper one now.

I thought my Sew-Ezi table would be fairly slippery but not as much as the
applique mat!

 I must admit the fillers Ann Fahl suggested took more concentration than I thought they would - I challenged myself to do one loop clockwise, the next loop anti-clockwise, a heart, 2 more loops (both directions) then the star. The changes in direction then the straight lining had me thinking!

I used 40 weight Aurifil thread. I really liked it through my machine.
I usually only use the heavier weight,  for my stitcheries.
I'm also trying to experiment with different threads for the challenges this year.



The completed block in my sampler quilt. The photo doesn't do it justice.

I haven't tried the spiral flowers yet - they look fun so will definately givethema try. Also, I went ahead and bought both Diane Gaudynski books after last month's tutorial - love them :-)
Happy quilting everyone,
Raewyn.

And the Winner is ...

Chosen by RNG (Random Number Generator), the winner of "Pathways from Quilt Top to Quilted" is ... Joan in Australia!  Any comments Joan?  How does it feel to win?  What do you think the book will add to your already fabulous quilting?

Congrats, Joan!