Long Arming again

I have been back for days two and three of long arm rental.  I did another "practice" baby quilt and today quilted my one block wonder.  For the baby quilts I did overall fills, but today I tried to do a pattern.  It's very different.  I found that if I used my whole body rather than just my arms I had a little more control.  Luckily the top is very busy and the thread does not show on the back at all.  I keep reminding myself of how my quilting looked when I first started on my domestic - it was just a LONG time ago.

 

Two of the fill designs I used on the baby quilt.
These are two different solid blue fabrics but I used the same thread on both.

I did melons around the block.  This shows one center.

Another view of the quilt design.  (One of my better spots!)

Very busy.  The quilting will not show unless you're up close and personal.

I have a long way to go, but I'm having so much fun.  Just today I watched a video of Angela Walters regarding quilting.  A quote from her:  A finished quilt is better than a perfect top.  (I think I got it right)  I have another quilt that I would never get around to finishing, but now I'm going to use it for day 4 on the long arm.

Thanks for checking in.

My new toy - Silhouette Cameo

Before Christmas I purchased a Silhouette Cameo cutter.  Last week I finally got it out of the box.  I spent almost no time on the "basic" operation, but moved immediately to importing my own files to cut.  I purchased a pattern that uses Go dies but also gives you the forms in case you don't have a cutter.  I scanned this page, imported it to the Cameo, and created the pieces to cut.  I did copy and paste so that I had the number of pieces needed for the pattern.  You Tube was helpful in figuring out how to do this.

I did run in to a few problems, but overall I'm excited that I could make this work.  This opens up more options to combine with my Babylock Destiny.  I'll keep you posted as I learn more.

What you are seeing is the fusible side of my fabric.
I learned the hard way to cut "fabric side up".  The
fabric left a lot of residue on the cutting mat and
decreased the stickiness.  I had trouble with the
last pages through not sticking and getting messed up.

Thanks for checking in.

A new skill developing - using a long arm machine

We have a local business that has long arm machines for rent.  I took the certification class 10 days ago and had my first rental today.  My eyes were too big.  I took in two baby quilts and had another as a back up.  Three hours later I finished the first quilt.  It was fun, but I had to keep reminding myself to relax and flow.  The process is very different from moving fabric under the needle, but I found the swirls fairly easy to handle.  I'm a long way from tackling feathers on this machine.  I relied on the stitch regulator to keep the stitches even.  I did a little ruler work.  Stitching in the ditch with a ruler is much easier when the thread blends in with both fabrics!

I even added some words.

All in all it was a good day.  I had fun and worked on a new skill.

Thanks for checking in.

Machine Quilting workshop

I took a four-day workshop with Jill Schumacher this past week.  I spent most of the time on two quilts.  It was a great time of work and fellowship.  I got lots of great ideas - now to implement them.

This whole cloth on dupioni silk is one of Jill's designs.

The silk is difficult to work with.  It slides all over the place.  Using red, silk thread on a shinny, slippery, red fabric made it difficult to see where I'd been.  I thought black on black was hard!  This is the largest silk pieced I've tried.  32 x 39 inches.

I marked this Thursday night, added the trapunto work Friday in class,
basted it Friday night, and started the quilting Saturday in class.
The feathers are done.  I'm working on the grid work.

This is the quilt I started at a Cindy Needham workshop 1 1/2 years ago.  I needed to do all the background quilting.  I was hoping to finish it for Best of the Valley, but I've decided it bead it so it will have to wait for the 2016 show.  Friends at the workshop helped me decide on what type of beads to use.

I've almost finished the background quilting.
My eyes got tired making all those "pearls".
42 x 42 inches

Thanks for checking in.

Two new tops

Last month my sister-in-law was diagnosed with breast cancer.  I decided to make her a quilt to use during chemo treatments.  I went through my stash and put together a top.  The backing is a zebra print flannel.  I didn't do heavy quilting because I wanted it to remain soft and cuddly.

Here's a close up so you can see how it's pieced.  I could have done
a 9-patch with two other blocks, but I wanted to keep that one fabric
a single piece.  There is a block to construct and it goes together
very quickly.

If you followed my Bonnie Hunter mystery, you'll remember I changed out one fabric and ended up making the quilt smaller.  I came across the extra pieces and decided to put them together - somehow.  The final result is pretty busy, but it's bright and cheery for a child's quilt.

Thanks for checking in.

Guild BOM

I was in charge of BOM for my guild during 2014.  Members were given directions for a star block each month.  You keep your blocks.  For our January meeting participants are to bring in their top that uses all 10 blocks.  They can add additional blocks, but the 10 given through the guild must be present.  My directions were for 9 inch blocks, but the size could be changed.  Here is my result.

51 x 51 inches
The center block uses a stripe to make it seem
that the fabric curls around the star.

The 10 star blocks.
The blocks were constructed during the year as samples.
All I had to do was set them in a design for the January meeting.

Another guild had a similar program last year.  It was supposed to be a row by row quilt.  When first presented to the guild a sample was shown, but in order for everyone to see, the quilt was held up side ways. That caused confusion among many present, "Is it rows or columns?".  The discussion became so comical I decided I would do the blocks but with the rows all mixed up.  I collected the patterns all year but didn't start construction until after Christmas.  The blocks are 3, 4 1/2, 6, and 9 inches square.  There are a couple of coping pieces, but surprisingly not many.  My quilt got 2nd place in the popular vote at the meeting.

55 x 66 inches

The outside border is a border print.  The upper left inside

border is a section of the border print.  I have no idea 

how I'll quilt this!!

I have all the required "rows" but the blocks are set on point

and the rows go in many directions.  It was somewhat 

complicated to sew it all together, but amazingly it did work.  

I had the ribbon have a start and end.   I'm not quite

satisfied with the corner but I think you get the effect.

Thanks for checking in.

Bonnie Hunter Grand Illusion Mystery - Top complete

I had a hard time with the Grand Illusion Mystery this year.  I wasn't happy with my choices then I got sick and fell behind with Christmas sewing so I had to put the mystery on hold.  The past 4 days two friends visited and we've been sewing like crazy.  One of them was also participating in the mystery.  When Bonnie gave the big reveal we checked it out before retiring New Year's Eve.  By the time we got up the next morning there were already completed tops on Facebook!!  My friend is finishing her's as directed, but I made some changes.  The big change was not completing all the blocks and leaving off the border.  I do like my finished product.  This is my first quilt top of 2015!!

The outside border is a border print I used to select fabrics.
I was surprised at how much it "calmed" the inner piecing.

If you participated in the mystery, you should notice I reversed the
orientation of the hour glass block and omitted the four patch center.

http://quiltville.blogspot.com/p/grand-illusion-mystery.html

I've finished another top (actually I need two sides of the outside border) but I can't show it yet.  I have to reveal it at our guild meeting Wednesday.  Check back later.

My friends and I have had a wonderful time and got 2015 off to a great start.

Thanks for checking in.
Happy 2015.