I'm A Feathering Fool

The scrolls in the gold are a little shaky, but I like the feathers.

I must be delusional! I think I can finish this 65" x 65" quilt (Cubic Rhythm quilt) and a whole list of other quilty projects by Christmas! Now, you have to understand that I work full time and I'm a slow quilter (and I can't seem to make myself do easy stippling, NO I have to do feathers!).

Loopy feathers

Don't get me wrong I love making each project, but there are just sew many hours in the day! I've decided to keep me on track for Christmas, by linking up with Janine over at Rainbow Hare Quilts for Making Christmas List.

Making Christmas List:
1. Quilt and bind my Cubic Rhythm quilt - Gold metallic quilting done, 1 1/2 blocks quilted
2. Mermaid pillows

3. Purple Heart Wall-hanging.

4. At least 4 Christmas stockings

5. 2 iPad covers

6. At least 6 potholders

7. 2 doggie mats

8. Several last minutes ideas that I haven't thought of yet!

I best get sewing!!!

Color Me Ambitious!

Pat

Free Motion Quilting with METALLIC Thread!

I know to some of you this may not be a big deal, but I'm relatively new to free motion quilting (read as, never finished quilting an entire quilt!). You would think I would start with stippling my first few quilts to get the hang of FMQ (see my journey here), but no I have to jump in with both feet and do fairly elaborate (at least for me) type of quilting. Now a couple weeks ago, I did play around with quilting with metallic thread on some samples, with this quilt in mind. So, I just jumped in and started quilting.

Sorry for the poor picture quality, I am asking Santa for a new camera!

I wanted to tie into the gold metallic fabric that surrounds each area I quilted.  I'm really quite please with me results. The Sulky brand thread did not shred or break at all, which surprised me because it was relatively old thread. I use a new metallic needle, 90/14. which I also think helped. Hmmm, I might be tempted to do this again! Now, off to quilt some more on this quilt, I have delusions that it will be a Christmas present!

Just Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Quilt Transitions Through A Generation

I don't remember when I first learned to sew. Both Grandmothers sewed, my mom was a fabulous sewist, even my babysitter sewed. I remember taking my dolls' dresses apart to use them as a pattern to make new ones. My mom started quilting in the late 70's. I was busy with high school, then college. I, for the most part stopped sewing, as I moved around the country for my career. All the while, my mom made me beautiful quilts.

Transitions

My mom was very active, then was suddenly cut down with cancer. Her last wish was to teach me to use her machines and I willingly listened and learned throughout the summer of 2010. September 2010, my mom passed away and left me two beautiful Baby Lock sewing/embroidery machines and a HUGE fabric stash.
 




I moved truck loads of sewing stuff to my house and tried for months to make sense of it. I was not sure I wanted to quilt or embroider, until I found some pictures of quilts on the Flickr group Fresh Modern Quilts. It changed how I felt about quilts. Flipping through the Internet searching for modern quilts I found Melissa Cory's quilt Sugar Pop N Change and I kept going back to stare at it. At the same time, I was organizing my new stash and realized I had a tremendous amount purples and blues. I also wanted to add some embroidery that was subtle and modern. I found these cool dragonfly designs at Urban Threads. (somewhere I read that dragonflies signify transition in some cultures). So in Feb 2011, I did a 3 day retreat with some of my mothers quilting friends and created this quilt. At that time, I had never quilted a quilt so I had Sue Hodge long-arm quilt it with spirals. All of the fabric in this quilt was from my mother's stash. The pattern was my transition to modern quilts. 

Pieced back with left-overs from the front

Quilting has become a passion, it makes me feel close to mom. I feel like she's watching and I think she's pleased!

I'm linking up with Amy's Creative Side for the Bloggers' Quilt Festival. Go over and check out some of the other great quilts and quilt stories!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Free Motion Friday!

It's Free Motion Friday at Fluffy Sheep Quilting, time to share are latest attempt to stitch one of Leah Day's designs! I have to say that I was a little nervous about all the straight lines in this design, which was completely deserved.

Leah Day's Bright Star

My front

My back

 I think if I were to stitch this again, I would mark the center square and center of each side. My straight lines did wobble, just as I had feared AND my convergence of lines in not in the middle. Well, I guess the old saying 'what doesn't kill you will make you stronger'. Hmmmmm, not so sure with this design.  So, I didn't want it to beat me, so I decided to play with the design just a little bit!

Feather Fan

I'm calling this one feather fan, for lack of any better name I can come up with at 6:00 a.m.! I have to say that fitting the feathers into this block was WAY EASIER than stitching straight lines!

This week has been a bit hectic, sew I haven't had a chance to add Bright Star into my FMQ Sampler. I think that might be something for Sunday! I'm off to link-up with my fellow FMQers at Fluffy Sheep Quilting!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat