Playing Catch Up!

How did I get so far behind? Haven't I been stitching right along??? I am two rows behind on my Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL - 10 blocks! So my goal this week is to catch up!

All of the blocks are now basted

Front

Back

 I got all of the blocks basted yesterday, but only one quilted. Well, I did spread 3 yds (big trailer full) of mulch, planted 2 new shrubs and moved 2 perennials! AHHH, gotta love spring!

I'm linking up with Sew Happy Geek for Manic Monday.




Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Woohoo, The Ringmaster iPad Case is Complete!

Okay, so it's a bit late, okay really late! This is for my step-daughter's significant other's birthday...which was March 17th. Sometimes, other stuff just gets in the way. Hopefully he will like it!

I think this came out really cool. And trust me, with four kids between the two of them, all under 9 years old, he really is a Ringmaster!

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge

Oh my gosh, I just loved Don Linn's method to mark quilts (click here to see my post on marking my quilt). I will most definitely be using this method again and again. Thank you Don! This month I also had a little fun with trying out a new fill stitch, wind stitch from Leah Day.

Front

Back - A few thread blobs, but not too bad

Detail - I travel stitched the birds a few times to make the line darker and the bird stand out more.

The quilted space is approx. 12" x 12", I used Isacord thread. I think I will add a border and make this into a throw pillow. I really like how this turned out!

Of course I will be linking up with Sew Cal Gal for the April FMQ Challenge. Can't wait to see what everyone else stitched this month!







Color Me Quilty!

Pat

Try New Things (TNT) Thursday: Quilt Marking

I have been participating in Sew Cal Gal's free-motion quilting challenge this year. Every month she has a guest blogger give a tutorial. This month it was Don Linn (Mr. Quilt). He showed us an ingenious way to mark a quilt for quilting, with fine mesh tulle!

Tulle, clip art, water soluble marking pen, embroidery hoop, and black Sharpie marker (not shown)

 I was pretty happy, I found the tulle at JoAnn's for $1.49/yd and I had a 50% off coupon. So for less than a dollar, I have enough tulle for numerous projects.

I pressed my tulle before I hooped it (it was pretty wrinkled). I was surprised how hot I could set my iron.

I found the bird image online, free clip art.

Trace the image on to the tulle with the Sharpie marker.

I am amazed at how easy it was to trace and how well it showed up on the tulle. Do NOT unhoop your design.

This is a VERY important step, heat set your marker. Otherwise it will bleed onto your quilt.

Your quilt (or in my case quilt sandwich)

Place your design on your quilt and trace with your water soluble pen.

Do NOT press or you will heat set the marks on your quilt. My pen is a bit old and dry so the marks are light.

Stitched!

 I will so be using this method to mark quilts again and again. I love the idea you can do it after your quilt is already basted.

I'm linking up with the lovely Melissa at Happy Quilting for TNT Thursday!


Color Me Quilty!

Pat

WIP and QAL Wednesday: Sharp Stippling

Crazy week! Friends in from out of town, an emergency room trip with DH (he's fine now), 80 degrees (F) on Friday, an inch of snow on Monday! Phew! It felt good to get back into my sewing room. I worked on the little water lily wall hanging from last week. I did sharp stippling in the outside border.

Front

Back

I have to laugh, I really struggled with sharp stippling, kind of felt like I was trying to pat my head, rub my stomach, walk and chew gum! I struggled with drawing it on paper, so I knew I would have trouble stitching it. But I have to say, I'm quite pleased with the result. I really love the texture.

I then stitched some square spirals for the inner border. That's when I started to have some problems.

Knots

Skipped stitches

Which leads me to my question for Leah today: Does the design you are stitching affect the machine's tension or stitch quality? I stitched the sharp stipple first with very little machine problems. I started stitching the square spirals and I kept getting birds nests, skipped stitches, loopy stitches, etc. Same thread, same needle (the needle was new before I started stitching the sharp stipples), same tension setting.

So on to my other projects this week! Nada, but at least I finished the Mom's Water Lily project!
My stats this week are:
In-process: (9)
FLMQG solids challenge crib quilt (2 out of 9 Urban Nine Patch blocks done)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (basted, now to be quilted)
Storybook quilt # 1 -   quilt the border and bind it
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL quilt (18 blocks out of 30 quilted)
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
iPad case (embroidered and started piecing and quilting)
Sew Cal Gal's March FMQ Challenge - Embellishment

New projects: (0)

Finished (1)
(Mom's) Water Lily applique project
 
I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

My Big Fat Winter Stitching List: The Moment of Truth!

Last October I decided to link up with FairyFace Design Winter Stitching List. Sew the big question is...How did I do??? Did I even dent my Big, Fat, Overly Ambitious List????

WINTER SEWING LIST

1. Hip to be square (FMQ Sampler), FINISHED!!!!

2. Cubic rhythm, FINISHED!!!!

3. Mermaid pillows - FINISHED plus two more!

4. Purple heart wall hanging,  - On hold until June!

5. Table runner, FINISHED!

6. Christmas stockings - FINISHED - 17 Stockings!!!!

7. Two iPad covers -FINISHED

8. Two doggie mats - FINISHED

9. New wave quilt - NOT STARTED

10. Expanding possibilities, Back is pieced, quilt is basted

Front

Back

11. Potholders (several) - FINISHED - 4 sets of potholders, 2 oven mitts, 6 embroidered hand towels

12. FMQ Friday's at Fluffy Sheep Quilting - I participated in FMQ Fridays until the end in December! Since then, I am participating in Leah Day's QAL Wednesdays, Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL, and SewCalGal's Free Motion Quilt Challenge.

January's Sew Cal Gal Challenge

February's Sew Cal Gal Challenge

March's Sew Cal Gal Challenge

Leah Day's QAL Wednesday homework

Leah Day's QAL Wednesday wholecloth project homework

Leah Day's QAL Wednesday final stippling project homework

Quokka Quilts - QAYGFMQQAL

13. WIP Wednesday's at Freshly Pieced - I have participated each week Lee has had it open.

14. Try New Things (TNT) Thursday's at Happy Quilting - I have only missed 3 weeks.

  Here are a couple of projects from TNT!

Gothic pin cushion made from 4 charm squares

Gothic Windows - made from 3 jelly roll strips

15. FLMQG solids challenge crib quilt - 2 out of 9 blocks completed

16. Friend's baby quilt - FINISHED
 

17. Purple Ohio star quilts - Although I switched to a different set of orphaned blocks, I created my Storybook quilt which is almost complete. Just need to finish quilting the borders, trim and bind!

Phew, I did more than I thought! I would say that I put a big dent in my Big Fat Winter Stitching List!!!

Also linking up with Fabric Tuesday at Quilt Story! 


Color Me Quilty!

Pat