FMQ

Completed the quilting on this black WCQ - now it needs to wait a bit for me to get a zip, to make into a cushion!

I learned lots of things NOT to do here...forgot some of the 'ribbons at the sides of the designs.

Didn't get my tension right...This white ares in the centre are the white thread peeking up, and under my signature, I used brown silk in the bobbin - and it cam out brown...too tiny for me to undo!.

Andrea made a video of me quilting the small circles...and I wasted a whole day trying to get it onto a program  that would download on line...- but it wasn't successful.  Maybe some knows a good free program to tell me about ?  :)

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!

Free Motion Quilt Challenge 2012

I see everyone has been busy with thier feathers from Diane Gaudynski's February Tutorial

It really is a wonderful tutorial .

These Monthly tutorials have been organised by SewCalGal's.  You can find all the information here

Here are some of the ones I have done.

This was on some blue satin.

You can see more of these and others on my blog - .here



Some drawings I did in the car on the way to Perth last week.

All a matter of practise :)

FMC Challenge Day 14 Thursday

We have had a tiring day to Perth and back - a long drive!
It was a real push to get some sewing done...however.....

I have been working on my feather on the black - but was trying to work out fillers...

The photos didnt work well...I will take more tomorrow and post them

So far I have added a deep purple and then a burgundy.

Here I have been playing with other silk threads and different colours The silver one is actually a steel gray, then there is a goldy-brown and the Burgundy.

This is the back of my feather one, showing how I am going. 

 I have used a dark thread for the fillers... I was having trouble seeing small spots of cream thread showing at intervals using the darker silk threads.



I will try some more colours out tomorrow ..I am too tired for more tonight.

This is my Day 14 - the last day for the Challenge, for me.  I made it!!

Again I have loved this time and so special to see how everyone is imrpoving.

FMC Challenge Day 13 Wednesday

Here is what I have done so far today.

Not too keen on using the dark thread on dark fabric - difficult to see where you are going.

Was good for a few minutes before the sun got there...but thats if for a while. 

One more day to go.

I am off for the day tomorrow...

Hopefully I can get some done when I return!

I do love what you are all doing...and I hope to catch up soo.

Free Motion Quilt Challenge

I thought I would show you what I am doing for today.

I did this thread basting last night after agin watching Sharon Schambers video to refresh my memory. 

I starched both fabrics from and back and its nice and firm now.

Blogger did its sideways things again!!

Thread bastin completed

Took these photos last night, so they are not that clear.

Comparing the two!

I am going to unpin the left side one and thread baste it today also.

Showing the differences on the backs.

I will put these pics up on my blog too.

Two more days to go!!



FMC Challenge Day 12

Something different for Day 12

Not sure what to do with it next 

Off to have a realx and then bed.

May do something different again tomorrow.

Aurifil varigated thread on top  and Aurofil in the bobbin

Cotton wadding.  Both fabrics were starched before I pinned all the layers together.

I think I am using a 70 Microtex needle ... not sure unless I go to the sutdio...and the lights are now out :) Tension on my machine is 2.00

FMQ Challenge Day 11 Monday

Nearly there - Just the echoing to go!

Hope to get this finished tomorrow -  though I have work...

You can even see my lone ladybug (my trademark ) sitting on a feather.

Then I can get it washed and show you the finished piece :)

I hope to get something else started tomorrow of the next day.  I need a change!



FMQ Challenge Day 10 Sunday

Same ole same ole - but a bit more done today

Nearly there now...just some more of the border, the centre circles and the echo quilting to go.

I may have a problem on Day 14 as I am off to Perth again for Doctors appointment for my DH.

Because of this I may be late backhome and too tired to stitch.

Around 400kms is a lot of driving.

We shall see .

School is back tomorow so I should get some more done! 

I so want to start on something different.

Everyones quilting is really coming on - I apologise for not physically commenting on each one individually, but I am watching all and cheering :)

FMQ Challenge Day 9

Busy day today - in Perth - I think I must have driven over 400kms today...However I have managesd to get a small amount done and hope to get more accomplished tomorrow.

Trying some different varigated thread - Aurifil top and bottom.  Till I ran out of bobbin thread, and as I need to clean and oil the machine.  I have some wonderful instructions for that from the Bernina8 yahoo group.

I thought that was a good time to stop as I am way to tired to tackle more!

Also did a bit of filling, and tried out some 'bouncing bananas' that Diane Gaudynski does....not too good at those.

I hope to also learn some new things tomorrow as I have some leaves to work out...if I can ... in between getting my cushion done.

Will catch up again tomorrow.

I am astounded at how everyone is progressing - all the work is coming on so much.  Just great!!

.

FMQ Challenge Day 8

Friday is half gone ..and so is Day 8

This is where I am at the moment.  I am really having fun...

                     Now  I am off to visit my younger son's wife who had her Birthday yesterday.



FMQ Challenge Day 7

Thursday's work.

Still the double wadding piece... cotton and wool.

Silk thread on top and Aurofil in the bolbbin tension 1.75 on Nessie - my Bernina 820.

Then I played with some different threads and colours.

Feathers  - small square on far left is a rayon thread I think - I had the tension at 1.75 but I dont like this one!

Small square next to it was silk and very pale greenish colour...tension 1.75 this time these pieces are with a wool only wadding.

The feathers were both aurifil top and bottom, tension at 2.0 I really love this thread.

Back to the cushion today ....  all very quiet here :)



FMQ Challenge Day 5 and Day 6

Tuesday Day 5  and Day 6  -26th  and 27th April 2011

Managed to get this done in a few moments of quiet. on Tuesday.

                                            Some more samples - this time different fillers.

I have been watching a video of Scharon Schambers from her site here

If you page down on the site you will  find  Spirit of Mother Earth  : Longarm Episode 7

Thats OK though as it is just as good for the DSM.

I sketched as I watched, and took the sketches with me to the machine...and have some samples now to refer to.

This was done in the early hours of the morning on Wednesday as I had to go to Perth for an appointment.

I forgot to put these up before I left.

Its Thursday and I have not been back from Perth for long, so need to get my next FMQ done soon.

I am actually so tired I have almost no idea of what I am doing - so this has taken severl edits!!

Free Motion Quilt Challenge

Joan's FMQ Challenge Day 4

Have been unwell most of yesterday and some of today.  Visiters here ( family and more family arriving soon for tonights meal.).  My youngest daughter Heather, and Andrea are thankfully in charge of the food!

I have done this small bit of FMQ  ( a 6 inch square) in beween being chatted to, phone calls, family,  and our killer Poodle trying to catch the chooks!!

I was begining to make a mess of my cushion, so switched to this sample above, so I havn't missed a day for the challenge.

Now this sample is quilted using a batting of wool underneath and cotton on top...so four layers. 

The fabric is well starched - top and bottom and moves really well while being quilted.

Now  am off to rest and be waited on some more..not sure about the eating though'

Hopefully a little more quilting tomorrow.

Joan's FMQ Challenge Day 3

Just a small amount done today.

We have visitors at present.

I more or less worked out the design for the border last night.  I have used a blue Berol washable ink pen to lightly mark the stems.  I have a used purple erasable Marvy marker to draw some of the feathers so I can get my mind itno gear to do the feathers.  The marks from this pen disappear after a couple of days...and it has an erasable pen at the other end of the pencil.

 

I managed to get some done in the ( very ) early hours of this morning  - which was fortunate as I am not feeling the best at present - and we have visitors.

Questions answered

Hi Mary-Anne

OK - I am using a Bernina 820 machine, my needle is a 70 Microtex needle  and my threads are silk on the top and Aurofil 50W in the bobbin.  My batting is an heirloom wool. This batting is my first choice.  I have a roll of it here.  I also have a roll of some cotton wadding which I dont really like, but have so much of it here, its what I should really practise on.

For show work I am going to try to use two battings,  one wool and the other cotton ...  together - I have some prepared to try some things out with, and will let you know when I use it.  Hopefully there will be a difference.

I draw everything!

and I practise with my drawings.

I habve a scap pice of prepared fabic handy so I can be sure my tension is OK..and I can now do these feathers very quickly...only because of the practise :)

I will post the actual cushion I made with this design later in the week  on my blog - its a gift and I cant post it yet.

It was a 12" block with a border.

I have this book that I keep things in, once I have them more or less sorted in my head.

Its a good reference. Not always good, but good to look back on.

If I am going out anywhere - I take a notebook with me and keep drawing all the time.

I have joined Sharon Schamber's site as a Premium member , and this is what I learnt from one of her video's, which I am able to download as a member - well worth the expense! I can stop the video and draw as I watch.  If you look close you can see where I got some feathers the wrong way :)

I spend hours doing this, and often have the laptop with me so I can sew what I am watching!

On one design walls are some of my drawings,  some used,  some waiting to be used and some playing.

Its just another organised mess :)

Hope that has been of some help

Ask me anything - I only started quilting like this, last year when Wendy and Joanne had their Challenge...so I have improved some :)

You can do it too !!

I love what you are all posting.  Practise Practise Practise.

Free Motion Quilt Challenge

Here is my first days work ( which was done yesterday - Friday )

Didnt realise I had missed one triangle - not to worry - I will get that done today.

Am not sure what I will do next - it will come to me.  Feathers all round the edge the edge

I did thnk to do different things in the square - but this is what evolved.

I love what everyone is doing and am watching all posts :)

Joan's Projects and sewing.

At last its Friday,  here in Australia that is...and I can start my sewing

This should keep me busy for a while.

I am using my DSM- a Bernina 820 and I am using silk thread on the top, and Aurifil in the bobbin.  I have the tension set to 2.75 and it is sewing beautifully.

visitors (family ) have gone home - and I have 2 days before my younger daughter, her DH and 2 children comes to stay.

Back to my sewing now.