Sunday, June 15, 2014

WIPs for the Slow Blogger Link-up

Knotted Cotton

So, I am linking to the Slow Blogger movement monthly doings from Weekend Doings, introduced to me by Knotted Cotton. Now, I love Martha's photos of her knitting. My photos are truly terrible in comparison, but I have four WIPs and one completed project to share.

First up, my attempt at free motion quilting from a class I took. The class was offered by the Hickory Hills Quilt Shop in Hot Springs, Arkansas. The class was great. I, however, will need a LOT more practice before I can even be considered an "acceptable" FM quilter. I don't have a stitch regulator, so I am trying to make consistently sized stitches as well as handle the FMQ. The center flower is an absolute mess (hence no closeup of it). Practice, practice, practice. That is what it takes.





Next, a bag that I really would like to make, but trying to make it made me realize why I avoided sewing for so many years. I cannot read the instructions. Quilt patterns are much, much easier to read and at least I can look at the finished quilt and sort of figure it out. The bag is currently a mess as I figure out how to finish the lining--the instructions are impossible!


Then we have a table runner from a quilter's meeting at Hickory Hill Quilts. I used Sharon Schamber's gluing tips (she demonstrates for binding in the link). NOW, AT LAST, I have points that match. I simply have been unable to get matching points when I use pins. Glue, I love you. I just need to quilt this and I am done. Using some Anna Maria Horner fabric in matching colors on the back.

Sharon Schamber's Glue Binding



Now, the big quilt that scares me to death. I have a good machine, but a tiny throat space - Bernina 350. I love my machine, but it took forever for me to baste this quilt (501 basting spray). I am following Ann Petersen's Crafsty class-- Quilting Big Projects on Small Machines -- to do this. Fingers crossed I manage. I swear I did what she said and set the glue with an iron, getting the wrinkles out, but the photo with my dad holding the quilt - I could not get him to go outside and it is Father's Day, after all - looks just awful. My husband helped me make the quilt sandwich, but I am not quite sure we did such a great job.

The quilt is a memorial to my mother that will go to my dad. She was killed in a house fire on Feb. 1 and this was a quilt we had picked out together for me to make for her. My dad won't care if it looks terrible, but I will. Fingers crossed I manage the biggest quilt I have made to date.



Finally, we have a quilt I am making for a friend's wedding present. Per norm, I am late getting it ready. It is a rail fence and I like it, but both my dad and my husband think it is fairly ugly. My husband said, "It is not the best quilt you have made." Hmmm. I am thinking of adding 2.5 inch gray borders to each 10 inch block, then quilting the blocks. I will join them with an inch binding strip of batik, a la Ann Petersen's class. I'm so freaked out about my dad's quilt and my small machine, that I need an easier way to create the wedding quilt throw.


If you have managed to get to this point, thanks for reading! I meant to post before this, but just never got around to it. I am so glad that I saw the post about the Slow Blogger link-up. Got me motivated again.

On another note, I am thinking of making a quiltshop hop in Missouri before I head back to Tennessee. Would go to Tula Pink's mother's shop in Stewartsville, Missouri (MO) (Country Expressions). I am not sure her mother is still co-owner or that the shop is there, but I will be close because I would definitely go to Hamilton, MO to Missouri Start Quilt Company! I will also stop by the Albrecht-Kemper Museum in St. Joseph, MO to see the Tula Pink and Luke Haynes exhibition. Too bad none of my friends are quilters or I might get some company on my journey!


9 comments:

  1. Hi Debbie: You remind me so much of me. I've been quilting longer but beginner at fmq and photography. How do these people manage to get their photo's to look so good??? Sorry to hear about your mom. The quilt will men a lot to your dad. I think your fmq looks pretty good and I love the table runner.

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    1. Hi Lisa! Thank you very much! I will keep practicing FMQ, but for now those projects are used for cat beds. My cats love to sleep on quilts--especially while I am trying to quilt!

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  2. Your memorial quilt to your mum is beautiful and I'm sure your dad will treasure it. Good luck with machine quilting it - I will keep my fingers crossed for you.

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    1. Thank you, Catherine. I will post a photo when I get it finished.

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  3. hank you Debbie for your kind words :). Your FMQ looks fantastic I wish I was that good. I'm sure you dad will love your memorial quilt to your mom is beautiful. I have the same problem with my machine that the throat is simply too small to quilt a big project so I wish you good luck.

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    1. Fingers crossed on the quilting. I almost sent it out, but I wanted to do the entire quilt by myself. It just seems most appropriate. I am starting later today. Otherwise, I will be paralyzed with fear. :-)

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  4. I've never done free motion quilting before, but I think yours looks really good!

    Those little hearts are very cute.

    Sorry to hear about your mum. I particularly like the back of the memorial quilt. Take your time with your quilting, I imagine it will be quite an emotional experience.

    I happen to like your friends wedding quilt. I particularly like those colours. Perhaps if the second square across in the second row up from the bottom (the dark square) was moved up one spot diagonally, to the right, it might balance the whole layout a bit better, maybe, but otherwise I think it looks great.

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    1. Thank you! Thanks heaps for the tips on the blocks. I have moved them around a little and keep thinking about adding gray blocks between or something else. I think I will make a couple of gray blocks and see how they look in there. I will quilt the blocks separately (no more big quilts through the machine--scares me too much) and then put them together with 1-inch strips. Will practice FMQ on the gray blocks in blue variegated thread so they match the other blocks.

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  5. I enjoyed looking at all your projects particularly the memorial quilt,
    It's beautiful!

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