FMQ Week #4 Straight Lines

Straight lines using Cheater Quilt Fabric. First sample is a dragon I downloaded from "Quilting Designs from Nature" AQS, 2011. All but the wings are Free-Motion.

I free-motioned the following Cheater Quilt block to attach to a cloth bag that the local Quilt Show requires for the "Wall Hanging" I entered in the show.

Wonky, but getting better.

The next two block are from a Cheater Quilt panel

Now that my hubby finished making my extension table, and I purchased two more darning/free motion quilting feet (open metal foot is my favorite), and I bought a teflon mat...FMQ is getting better. Working out all the sewing issues was the hardest part of this project. Now I'm ready to tackle the next lesson. Bring it on Leah!!!

FMQ Week #3 Scale

Finally. Photos of Week #3's sample.

Started on upper left....small, then larger, and then medium and then ended lower right side.

Not my best stippling/meandering.....but while stippling I got asked 3 questions by my sis's provider and then 2 questions by my hubby. UNBELIEVABLE!!!! Come on, I'm working. I should have worked in my quilt room instead of on my favorite machine on my craft table/kitchen area. grrrrrrr.

Okay. Bought a new FMQ foot, metal open-foot. It works great. But instead of putting a rubber band, I lifted the spring part with a strategically placed tie wrap.

This works great!! Finally. Now if only my hubby would hurry with my extension table.

Dragon machine embroidery, mostly free motion.

On a regular sewing machine. Baby Lock Companion. Intel-A-Stitch 7500

Kanzashi Flowers

Learned to make these today.

FMQ Project Week #3

Well, after adjusting and readjusting my sewing machine, I think I finally figured out all my problems.
According to Leah:
1. Reconfigure the darning/free motion quilting foot.
Sounds easy, she demos it easy, I broke the first one.
My DH (dear hubby) sanded the rough spots so I could use what was left of it until my new one arrived in the mail. I ordered it from AMAZON from a place in MO called Sew Affordable. 
2. Don't drop the feed dogs.
Well, after 3 weeks of struggles, I realized I HAVE TO drop the feed dogs. I could feel them tugging the fabric so they had to be dropped. Maybe not dropping would work on my other sewing machines, but not this one.
3. Isacord Polyester Thread
Well, this will have to be ordered online. None available around these parts.
4. Schmetz Universal 80/12 needle.
No problem. Got lots of those.
5. Thread Length ZERO.....my button resets when I make any changes on my machine, so I gotta keep watch over that little booger.

Note to self:
If you fix the foot too high (with rubber band) so it lets your fabric sandwich slide around easily (reconfigured darning foot "the new one" rubber banded) when I raise the foot it will hit the top of the machine and make the foot loose causing it to get in the way of the needle when you let it back down and YES, your needle will hit it.
YIKES!!

I ordered another darning foot.

The folks at Sew Affordable must love me......

Door to my quilting room.

Origami Star of David

Took me a week and 4 dollar bills to make this. Online directions were terrible so iI did the last part on my own. It's a little bit wonky from being taken in and out of wallet.

White plates

I only eat on white plates and bowls. As seen in this photo. Why??I dunno. Then I visited my son and dau-in-law, opened their cupboard and saw all-white...uh oh. Wish I had a photo of their dishes.

Re-purpose Truvia Container

To hold Truvia packets.

Best Kitchen Hint

My aunt told me to make one of my spice shakers FLOUR! It sure does come in handy.

Lesson#2 continued

More practice swatches. Received my new Fabulous Fabric Glides in the mail today. Need to wait on my extension table to use them properly. Now how the heck did Leah take up quilting, buy a book, follow directions and make a show quilt that won first place???

FMQ with Leah Day Lesson #2

Quadrant stippling with Leah Day. Lesson #2

Perhaps I should have started with  a larger fabric block. This is an 8 X 9 block.

The lower right side was the beginning, then the lower left, upper left, and then right top. (for those of you not following the project)

I don't know why I kept wanting to go in circles. I need more practice on stippling on a larger scale, and then get back to quadrant stippling.

My hubby is building me an extension table for this machine and perhaps I'll do better. (sure)

FMQ Project Lesson #1


  First I had to get my machine set up correctly, as per Leah's instructions. Then I did a practice session of circles, swirls, whatever came out as I tried to control my fabric.
  

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So I did circles in gray, then in green, then in navy, over and over.

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Next, wiggle around in rows and then I got creative as I was still trying to control machine,
my gloves, and the fabric.

 

 

More rows of stippling, meandering, swirling, all still trying to get my machine, hands, eyes, and brains all on the same page.


 

Now for something fun.

 This was the worse fabric ever (brown) to use. As you can see it was running. I also used white fabric that I basted and now have some ready for today's lesson.

I had so much fun swirling and stippling. I just used the same swatch over and over in different colors.

Piece makers receive donation of fabric

A quilter is moving to Indiana (from Texas) and her son said she cannot take her fabric stash.

So our quilting group gladly accepted her donation.

Here are some of our group ooohing and aaahing over the beautiful fabric.

It was like a treasure hunt. We found yards of fabric, blocks in plastic bags, some finished quilt blocks, etc..

New use

New use for tea bag holder. My own salt cellar. (dish for salt pile)

Miniature pin cushions

To glue onto machine top.

Rover....my granddog

Making miniature pin cushions

Going to glue on top of my sewing machine. Made out of soda bottle caps .

Quilt?

Someone asked me to turn their CR bags into a quilt

Scarves for Winter Special Olympics

I am half way done with my Shriver Scarf, but don't know if I will make the Jan deadline for Texas. May have to send later to another state. I am ready to ship 16 scarves tomorrow. 14 that I made, and 2 that a friend/librarian made. Thanks Nicole.