Wednesday, June 13, 2012

WIP & QAL Wednesday!

I've been "re"-listening to the Harry Potter series as I sew. I closely associate myself with Hermione. I can't stand not getting my homework done, I had to at least give it a try. As I explained in yesterday's post, I'm sewing on my backup machine without a foot petal, just the start/stop button. Now, I've FMQ before with just the start/stop, it does give you a nice consistent speed, but my results are still really ugly.
The full view - my machine kept telling me my top thread was broken - it wasn't. ARGH! It's going in for a cleaning when I get Miss Ellie back!

Bit of a closer look at the ugly quilting.
I really like this design (Leah's version, not mine), I just don't like stitching it on my backup machine.

So my question for Leah today has to do with feet and pressure: On this little machine, I have a typical generic FMQ foot.
When I FMQ with my machine, the fabric doesn't glide under the foot, (I am using a supreme slider). The foot seems to hold the fabric down for a second, making my quilting choppy. It seems to me, I remember reading about how you did something with the spring and/or little bar at the top of the foot. Would fixing the foot help with this problem or is it a pressure setting on my machine?

On to other projects, I finished my Urban Nine Patch baby quilt. My first all solids quilt and my first curved piece quilt using my Quick Curve Ruler. I added a border of curved pieces, so that the circles were completed.
Approx. 42" x 42"

I tried pressing the seams open, that's different. I think I will have to work on getting used to doing that (an old dog issue).

Wrong side of the top.
An attempt at an artistic shot! ;)
Reminder: Quilty Embellishment Day is this Friday, June 15th! I use the term embellishment quite loosely to include (but not limited to): FMQ, hand quilting, embroidery, painting, buttons...think outside the box! I would love for you to link up a project you embellish this month. There will be a chance at a giveaway for anyone who links up! :) Please join in the fun!




Okay on with the stats this week:
In-process: (8)
Urban Nine Patch - FLMQG solids challenge crib quilt (top is complete)

Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (basted, now to be quilted)
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Quokka Quilts QAYGFMQQAL quilt (All 30 blocks are quilted, need to join and bind)
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
Sew Cal Gal's March FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.
Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow.
Sew Cal Gal's May FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow

New projects: (0)

Finished (0)
 
I'm linking up with Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday and The Free Motion Quilting Project for QAL Wednesday




WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced
Free Motion Quilt Along

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

21 comments:

  1. Love your Urban nine patch quilt Pat!

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  2. Your urban nine patch is fantastic and I love your artistic stained glass window shot!

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  3. The urban nine patch is just fabulous!
    On my quilting foot, I placed a small piece of cardboard near the spring to block it from "jumping" so much. Seems to work well for me!

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  4. Wow, that quilt top looks amazing!

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  5. Your Urban Nine Patch is amazing. I wish I had followed through and gotten further than pairing fabric and envisioning it in my head - so sad, maybe someday. I have a hard time changing back to my backup machine and am not sure I'd even attempt FMQ on it. The start stop is pretty much all I use on my new one. Happy Quilting

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  6. Your artistic shot is loving .. I am soo coveting this quilt!

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  7. Love your urban crib quilt. It looks amazing. Have you decided what type of FMQ you're going to do on it? Can't wait to see it all finished.

    As far as the QA for this week, you did great with just start/stop button. As I mentioned in my blog I find curvy designs easy to quilt than the straight line ones.

    Happy Quilting!
    Malini

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  8. Love how your quilt turned out! I really like how you completed the circles!

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  9. It's so sad when you don't have your machine to work with - I feel for ya. And ps- I love your "artsy" picture of your urban quilt. :)

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  10. Love your quilt. The art shot was very cool. Reminded me of stained
    glass. Hope you get your machine back soon. I was thinking as i was reading that i would almost rather be without my car than my sewing machine!

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  11. I love your quilt. It's awesome. Maybe it sounds crazy but I like to do curved seams, so I love curved seamed patterns like yours.

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  12. Your Urban Nine Patch is just amazing - even the back side of it ;-)

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  13. You're Urban Nine Patch is beautiful. i can't wait to see how you decide to quilt it. I would say you had a serious handicap with your machine having no presser foot. After all, that's how we gauge our speed for FMQing. Your Circuit Board design is pretty good with that in mind.

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  14. So happy to see the finished Urban Nine Patch in all it's artistic glory! So gorgeous! Isn't it just rotten when a quilting foot won't co-operate! Hope Leah can help out with that.

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  15. I love your Urban nine patch quilt. The colors are so vibrant and I love them a lot.

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  16. Love your Urban nine patch! The colours are beautiful.

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  17. It's interesting to learn that, at least for some sewing techniques, what machine you use makes a difference. I love your urban nine patch.

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  18. I LOVE Harry Potter! Your urban nine patch is really fantastic. I hear you on the pressing seams open. I've done it a few times but somehow it just doesn't feel right. I'm an old dog too, I guess ;-)

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  19. I love the urban 9 patch, colour and design. I've been adjusting my darning foot, a singer original made out of plastic. I cut the part that goes on top of the needle making it jump up and down. Now it does not do that and it works far better. Good luck with it.

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  20. This is a very clever design with a very antique look.I appreciate your creative work keep it up...

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