QuiltCon Workshop with Krista Withers

Some of you know that I LOVE free-motion quilting. I am primarily self/internet taught. I have taken a few classes, but none have been as good as the QuiltCon workshop with Krista Withers. As a matter of fact, her quilting won best machine quilting at QuiltCon.

I love that it is a mix of straight lines in multiple directions and some free-motion swirls mixed in with "ghost" shapes.

 Krista was down to earth and gave us practical strategies to layout out quilting designs.

 She showed how you can make a "path" for fills and complete the rest with various straight line designs.

She also taught us to use mylar or clear plexiglass to "test" are ideas before putting thread to quilt.

Another example of Krista's work at QuiltCon

Still planning new master pieces after seeing sew much inspiration.

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

WIP Wednesday

I'm not quite sure why some quilters are so afraid to FMQ. Just quilt on printed fabrics, you'll never see your mistakes. You'll never see your quilting for that matter!  I just started FMQ my Grandma's quilt. I had thought how cool it would be to quilt this flower design from Lori @ the Inbox Jaunt on the rows, but it's really hard to see it.

The design is not just a swirl, it's actually a flower. I know it's hard to see in the pictures, it's hard to see in person.

You can see it a little better from the back.

Well, I guess that's why I love solids! But I do love Grandma's quilt.

I did finish up my Charming Squares quilt top late last week.

Now this will be a fun quilt to quilt.

Here are this week's stats:
In-process: (4)
Express Your Love
Layers quilt
Grandma's Quilt
Charming Squares Quilt
 
New projects: (0)

Finished (0)


I'm linking up with  Freshly Pieced for WIP Wednesday!

 

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

HELLO!!!! I'm BACK!

I have been struggling with trying to keep up everything going on in my life at the moment and I'm afraid blogging has taken a bit of a backseat. I have gotten a little sewing done, yesterday I finished this little pillow.

 I created this from a block that I made over a year ago. I realized that I had a pillow form almost the exact size. So I quilted up the front, pieced together a back and VOILA' !  I added a little detail in the corners, kind of a mod design (at least in my mind).

Anyway, hopefully I'll get a chance to blog a little more regularly for now on.

Color Me Quilty!

Pat

WIPped Cream and A Cherry On Top!

I have been very good lately, not starting new projects, working on whittling down my WIP! But this week my best friend Kate was in town and that went out the window. We took the new machine class and a FMQ class with Molly Waddell. The best part was that I was able to hold my own in the FMQ class - Thank you Leah Day!!!!

Pillow top from my FMQ class with Molly Waddell

So I was able to do my homework this week, the class actually taught us paisley - which just happens to be one of my favorite designs. Of course, I had to be a smart aleck and use metallic. I am a glutton for punishment, but it looks so cool!

Paisley with metallic thread on black fabric

The back for the pillow  - and the reason for using metallic thread!

While I was at Quilters Corner for my class, I purchased a book on FMQ by Angela Walters. It has a form of paisley too. So I thought I would give it a try.

This paisley is a little more open and no travel stitches.

Angela Walter version of paisley

I like both versions of the paisley, I think they would both be used for different reasons.

Leah, I want to tell you that you were right when you told me to give myself some time to get to know my machine. While I still have some issues from time to time, my machine is now FMQ quite well. Thanks!

I also had fun dyeing this week. It seems that September is my month to dye, the last time I dyed was last September.

Hand dyed fabric

I even was able to write up a primer/tutorial on my process for dyeing. This week was WIPped cream and a cherry on the top!

My stats for the week:
In-process: (6)
Purple heart wall hanging ( needs borders, backing, quilting and binding)
Expanding Possibilities quilt (Continue to quilt)
Storybook quilt # 2 - All embroidery is done
Geneva Public Library quilt - join and quilt (maybe make a block or two to even it out)
Sew Cal Gal's April FMQ Challenge - Need to make into a pillow.
Sew Cal Gal June FMQ Challenge - Need to bind.

New projects: (1)
Metallic FMQ pillow

Finished (1)
Hand dyed fabric and tutorial!

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

Color Me Quilty!

Pat
P.S. Saturday is Quilty Embellishment Day (QED)! I have a WONDERFUL guest blogger Gene Black an Alabama Artist and Quilter. I hope you all will stop by and link up any QED posts from this month!