Corina Day 14

Blogger is sure having issues! I don't know where my previous post went and couldn't post yesterday. It looks like everyone is having the same issue.

The last day of the challenge. I wish I would have finished off with a bang, but I am in the middle of doing a very simple topper that I was given as a practice. I had an old stencil from years ago so I thought it was about time to use it! At the beginning of this challenge I found my stitch length was all over the place when I would be concentrating on following marked lines. That has improved alot (no more nano stitches!).  Once I finish quilting the border I will make the move to quilting something a little more challenging. I've always wanted to make a wholecloth runner full of feathers for my dining room table. Thanks to this challenge, I am no longer scared to do it!

This has been a great learning experience. My confidence level has increased (thank you all for your encouragement) and my stitching improved.  I want to thank Joanne and Wendy for hosting this challenge.  Maybe in a few months we can all reconnect and see what we've accomplished since this challenge, a FMQ Reunion!

CORINA DAYS 11-13 (Reposting since Blogger seems to have lost my previous post!)

Love using the washout marker

It's getting easier to follow the lines. Going great until.......

Oh Pickles!

  Note to self: When something doesn't feel right, FIND OUT WHY! Me and the frog will be spending some quality time together.

Challenge Drawing Winners

Wendy and I drew the names for the prizes.

Wendy will be sending this lovely book to Sue.

I will be sending this fat quarter bundle to Corina.

Congratulations to the winners and thanks to all the participants!! It has been another wonderful challenge! We have enjoyed seeing every ones improvements. If we keep at it, imagine how good we will be next year. Practice, Practice, Practice!

Wendy and I are planning on keeping this blog going. We will be hosting different challenges through out the year - so keep an eye out! We hope that participants will keep posting their free motion quilting work on the blog and to encourage each other.

Thanks again to everyone!!♥

Corina - Days 4 thru 10

Well I'm finally up and running with the new computer, after mine decided to misbehave yet again! Last weekend I made some needle cases for a swap that I free motion quilted on but i couldn't post until I was reasonably sure my partners received them (there's more about them on my blog).

Monday another needle case. not crazy about how the dots looks with the quilting

Tuesday was feather practice. Flowed a bit better.

The table topper above was given to me as a piece to practice on. It was already bound so I had a bit of an issue transferring markings. I decided to go with sewing through paper (I buy rolls of medical exam paper. it's cheap and very thin). I still have to remove some of the bits. I've only spent a bit of time each day on it. I had tension issues and I had a hard time following the pattern. I wasn't getting into a groove with the rhythm. I couldn't seem to work out where to start and stop on the corner patterns, so there are some spots with quite a few passes of the needle.

Today I finished it. Forgot to take a picture of the front (tomorrow's post)!

It wasn't a super productive week, but I did learn a few things. It's going to take awhile to know which designs look good where, how much to quilt a piece, etc. Happy Mother's Day to everyone!

Corina - Day 4, 5, 6

I've been doing a bit each day but am having computer issues so no photos. Finally bit the bullet and bought a new computer today so I hope I will be back in full cyber swing by Friday at the latest! I got a washout marker and love it. It's so much easier to see the lines than with the chalk. It is feeling a lot more "natural" to free motion quilt. It's surprising how a few days of practice and lots of encouraging words can make such a difference! I'm really enjoying seeing everyone's work!

Corina - Day 2 & 3

On Saturday I didn't have much time, but managed to try another small feather and practice a couple of fills.I will definitely be buying a wash away marker tomorrow! I tried a green chalk marker and I find it very hard to remove. I just made a mess (with a good soaking I'm sure it would come out, but I want something that's easier to remove).

Today I tried marked designs. My stitch length suffered a bit because I was trying to stay at least close to the marked line. There are quite a few teeny stitches! I like one of the flower motifs and the large motif turned out good. I started doing the bump method of feathers but kept going back  to the method of backtracking down the length of each feather. It was a good learning day.

I liked doing this fill.

 

 

My fave flower. Wish I would have done bubbles in the center instead of stippling (looks like brains in the center!)

Next time I'll try taking pictures in the daylight. I'm working on muslin but it looks more like a grey fabric. I am really enjoying this challenge. I'm not sure I would have tried any of this without it.

Feather Motifs

I decided to try following a marked design for feathers instead of free form and came across a great website on my quest for inspiration. It seems quite a few of us are into trying feathers for the first time or improving our feather skills so I thought I would pass it along. It is called Forest Quilting by Pat Adams of Minnesota. She has 45+ feather quilting motifs to print out, along with patterns, links etc. Here is a picture of one of her designs. Isn't it just so perfectly "feathery"?

 I've picked out a couple of motifs to try and will post my results later.

Corina - Day 1

True to form I am starting on the last possible day! All week I was planning on which quilt I was going to free motion quilt on. At the last minute I opted to start with some muslin and scrap batting (totally chickened out). I've quilted a few of my quilts with good old meandering, or wavy lines, but never with actual designs. I find the thought of starting on a real project a bit daunting (which is why I have a stack of free motion doodling samples, but not many finished quilts). Perhaps after a few days of practicing I will give it a go. For now I would like to practice my feathers. I'm not unhappy with them from far away, but up close I need to get my stitch length more even and the feathers a bit smoother and longer (the whole feather seams kind of narrow). I also need practice following marked lines. Every time I've tried to quilt a motif on something by following the lines it looks like I've been drinking more than just coffee!

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