These postcards were the final item in SewCalGal's FMQ Challenge for 2013. I enjoyed the challenge.
They are all different. The first one on the left is a crazy quilt look using scraps. The center is my favorite and sports a FMQ feather. The final one is an attempt at a birthday balloon. You can see they are curling up at the edges - not quite certain what I need to do differently the next time.
This was the final challenge for the year. My FMQ has clearly improved - the biggest problem I have now is figuring out what to FMQ. My favorite is feathers and got brave enough to use them in two quilts. (post)
I made a small donation quilt for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. This is for sale on their web site and you can purchase it here! I quilted the words Live Love Laugh.
Over the last year and a half, my FMQ skills have improved. I've ventured away from always defaulting to a stipple. One of the reasons for my progress is last year's FMQ challenge from SewCalGal. I'm doing the SewCalGal's 2013 FMQ challenge as well.
This challenge was all about feathers!
The idea was to practice feathers and work your way up to a showcase piece. The piece at the top of my post is my fancy feather - impressed? (smile) To finish the piece I filled in the space around it it with tiny stipple.
I had fun with this practice and have multiple practice feather minis in my quilt room.
I also incorporated feathers into my quilt SeaGlass. I did all sorts of feathers in the white section of the quilt!
I also used feathers in the border of this quilt
I've one more objective to accomplish as part of the 2013 challenge and this is to make some quilted postcards. I am somewhat stuck on ideas of what to do here so I decided to motivate myself and make completing SewCalGal's 2013 challenge my goal for October as part of Another Lovely Year of Finishes. Did a practice piece - not sure it is turning out the way I want it to.
Wish me luck!
Happy Stitching!
My June goal for Another Lovely Year of Finishes is to create and complete a donation quilt for the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. This is part of SewCalGal's 2013 FMQ challenges - make a small quilt (no larger than 9" x 12") to show off the FMQ techniques you learned.
My first idea is to quilt a very simple message. I got as far as doing the raw edge applique. I am giving myself the full month so if this doesn't work, I've time to try something different.
Happy Stitching!
After a thrilling ride through 2012 FMQ with SewCalGal, she has decided to continue to offer challenges in 2013, although not monthly challenges.
This was the first one. Isn't this a cool effect? It (hopefully) looks like a ribbon floating through dark space.
I may make the FMQ around the edge of the ribbon a bit denser, still decided what I might use this for. Even my son thought it looked cool!
Learned a great new technique and can't wait to try it on a larger project!
Happy Stitching!
I finished the wool hat I made for my DD. Not the most flattering photo but I didn't want her to try it on since it will be a gift. I do need some bits though - some bits of white and of yellow wool - at most a yard of each. I am going to turn the white in owl eyes and the yellow into the beak. Is there anyone who might have bits to share of white and yellow? Please leave me a comment. Much of my yarn stash is cotton, not wool.
I also made good progress on the scarf I am knitting. The lace pattern was easy to learn so makes for good tv watching knitting.
Finally, got my FMQ challenge from SewCalGal was completed right at the wire. Spirals were the challenge this month. My first attempt was a bit sloppy - scary even!
To give me a more defined line within which to swirl, I sewed together some 2 1/2 in strips.
I was happier with this result but still need to keep practicing. I don't think either of these photos clearly shows the work - you have to look real carefully to see it.
Happy Stitching!
Enjoyed another fun FNSI. Much of the time was spent attaching the binding to my queen size quilt made from Sweetwater Pure. My LAQ lady (Cathy Kirk) serges the edges for me and I find that this makes attaching the binding so much easier. Everything is neatly held together. Glass of wine at my side, I got about 1/2 done.
I also did some FMQ including this month's Free Motion Quilting Challenge from SewCalGal. Paula Reid was the guest teacher for September.
This is roughly 8" square and I am going to trim and bind and use it as a small mug rug. I was pleased with how I did even tracing back over the design in order to get to the next place. The center looks a little wonky - perhaps an optical illusion from my photo??
I have really been enjoying this year long FMQ challenge and thank Darleene for bringing to us such wonderful guests!
Make sure to visit the FNSII line-up to see what others accomplished last night! Thanks Heidi and Bobbi!
Have a great weekend.
Happy Stitching!
The August FMQ challenge from SewCalGirl was brought to us by Wendy Sheppard. The idea was to make Jester's hats. I did practice this one ahead of time on paper - not sure it helped.
But once I put the fabric under the needled, I found this one very challenging. I kept getting myself tangled up and actually restarted two times to cover the 12 by 14 piece of fabric. I started off free hand and then after stitching myself into a corner, drew on the fabric with pencil.
The best section (in my opinion) was my very first section.
Happy Stitching!
SewCalGal's FMQ challenge for July was brought to us by Angela Waters. The idea was to frame a portion of the fabric, FMQ inside and then repeat.
I decided to try some of the previous months lessons and practiced my feather and my leaves in two of the boxes. I was pleased with the regular length of my stitches. The curls - upper left - gave me a lot of problems.
Thanks again to Darlene for inviting these FMQ experts each month. I continue to learn and enjoy. Off to practice some more.
Happy Stitching!
April's FMQ Challenge by SewCalGirl involved learning a new method for transferring FMQ designs onto fabric. The only other time I attempted to transfer a FMQ quilt design was a few months ago when I used a light box kitchen window. Although it got the job done, it was a bit awkward.
This method involves using a piece of tulle to transfer the design - you first trace onto the tulle with a sharpie and then from the tulle to the fabric with a fabric safe pen. I was certain I had a piece of tulle somewhere but found only a spool of tulle about 6 inches wide in my (messy) closet.
Given the symmetry of the design we were transferring, I made it work by coping 2/3s of the design and then rotating my hoop to finish copying the other 1/3 onto the fabric.
It was fun to practice my FMQ skills on such a small piece. I quilted the backside and used a contrasting thread so I could really see what I was doing.
The other side is actually the front - my BINGO card!
I will defiantly use this method again. Transferring was so easy. I do need a larger piece of tulle - the small piece worked ok - I was able to transfer the design - but the edges of the tulle were not as tight as they needed to be in the hoop. My actual FMQ went ok - I realized afterwards that putting the pieced part down meant the mini quilt didn't glide quite as smoothly as usual. But, it got the job done.
Final day for the Table Topper Blog hop - please enjoy visiting with our final list of ladies:
Finally, if you'd like to enter my giveaway for two FQs of beach themed fabric, please visit my blog post here.
Happy Stitching!
Had a productive FNSI and FMQ my Butterscotch Schnibble.
The fabric is Moda Butterscotch & Roses and the pattern is a Schnibble pattern called Lincoln.
For the FMQ pattern, I choose an overall pattern of loops and stars.
Some of my loops collided with the stars but overall I am happy.
I am participating in SewCalGal's FMQ challenge and this month's guest - Ann Fahl - had wonderful tips about FMQ and Stars and Loops were a suggested pattern. I am starting to assemble my book of FMQ patterns as she suggested. On this journey beyond stippling, it is the idea that causes me the most pain - keeping a notebook will help.
Finally, don't forget to place your vote for the Golden Quilting Awards hosted by SewCalGal!
Happy Stitching!
Second month of SewCalGal's FMQ challenge - this one is feathers. The instructions on the blog are incredibly easy to follow and I just love the way Diane Gaudynski feathers look - they are beautiful.
I took a FQ of a fun sewing print and backed it with some solid blue from the stash. I found this FMQ challenge quite fun to do although it is hard to see the results on the front of this fabric.
Here is the view from the back
Some of them turned out ok although all of then could use much better definition at the top and bottom!
I decided to turn this month's FMQ practice into something useful and am turning it into a dust cover for my sewing machine - just need to add ribbon ties to each side. For the binding, I practiced machine binding.
Happy Stitching!
Fun time in my sewing studio corner of the bonus room last night while my daughter watched a movie. I did some basic piecing of two quilts in progress but also did my January's practice FMQ as part of SewCalGGal's 2012 challenge.
Ladies and Gentlemen, I introduce my first FMQ of leaves.
I was pleased with the result - not sure that they all look really like leaves but it was the first time I've deviated from the basic stipple FMQ.
Next up was a little FMQ of fabric I will be making a small bag with. Darn, wouldn't you know it - I went right back to my old standard. I looked at this blank canvas and couldn't figure out what to do so basic stipple it was!
I decided I'd better get right back on the bicycle and try again. I selected a cute piece of fabric that I'll make a iTouch holder for a niece and decided that my leaves could easily become hearts.
Of course you can't see it very well in the photo but I did it! It was a lot harder to see my quilting as I went (white on white) but there truly are hearts on there!
Looking forward to the February challenge!
Now off to see what others did on FNSI.
Happy Stitching!
