FMQ Another Try!

Sorry but the giveaway here has closed. You can still try at Shay's blog.
Shay from Quilting in My Pyjamas  (in Australia) and I (in CA of the U.S.A.) are retrying Free Motion Quilting, together today, that far away. Have you tried FMQ yet?  I have an old 1960s home sewing machine that doesn't drop the feed dogs,  doesn't have needle up or down choices and probably a world of other apps that the newer machines have... but I love it. It works. It's one of the machines I learned to sew on, oh so long ago!

So I'm showing you my practice piece. I sandwiched a rainbow block from about 4 years ago. I thought, if it turned out well I'd make all the blocks for that quilt in this method called Quilt As You Go. (Melody Johnson has a tutorial for you.) It was quite new in the 80s, I think. It would be a great way to start out in Free Motion Quilting, too, because you only quilt one block, or a smaller portion of your quilt, at one time.

I pin basted from the center out, and tried to leave as much space for maneuvering as possible.

Here's the luscious orange I'm using for the back of this block. If I use the contrasting colors on the back of each block, I'll have another rainbow on the back, and not need a big piece of fabric.

(Who's old hand is that?) I pulled up the bottom thread. I figured I didn't want to start with small stitches. (I really don't like the look of that starting method.) If the FMQ turned out lovely I could always fasten the ends later. If it looked ugly - ripping would be easier.

Set the machine for 10 stitches to the inch.

At the last second, I remembered to put on the FMQ/darning foot, and raised the throat plate so the feed dogs wouldn't be engaged. That's how you do it with an old machine, I guess.

You know I was procrastinating when I got out the sewing machine owners manual to see if there was something I'd missed. (Went to the kitchen for water, bathroom and talked to the hubby for a few... anything, anything to put it off... are you like that?)

Finally I did start, in the center. At first I was really slow, and moving the piece instead of allowing a flow of movement... Then the thread broke, still wondering why. (Figured the fates thought I should get my post done.)  I don't like what resulted, but you know what? It was fun! I will try it again - and again. (That's how I got to be as good as I am at paper piecing, and so I'm determined to get good at FMQ.)

I can see that smaller stitches would be good, and more and more practice... maybe a plan of action ahead of time. (Here I thought just a meander would be the way to start.)

Do you have any advice for me?  a tip?  Leave another comment here for a chance at the giveaway in yesterday's post.  Shay and I will be grateful for any thoughts.

The giveaway is still in effect today. See the previous post to see requirements to win 14 fabulous batik fat quarters.

 

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So here in the U.S.A. it is Independence Day! Hurray!

 

 Our neighborhood has a parade through the streets from the grammar school to a central circle where ice cream and popsicles are given out. It's such a sweet tradition started by our neighbor who ran a day care at the time. Here are some pictures.

 This one was a particularly good waver.

This is my hubby's favorite part - the dogs.  (I think he was one in a former life.)

So that's it for my portion of the QAL... Check out Shay's FMQ over at Quilting in My Pyjamas
She will be showing her FMQ results, and taking comments for a giveaway there, too.

(You have at least 4 ways to win... please take full advantage of us.)
Thanks for your tips and comments. The giveaway has now closed -

Happy 4th of July to everyone, and Happy Independence Day to us in the U.S.A.!

 

Hugs,
Terri

Announcing: Shay and I try FMQ - together half the world apart!

The giveaway is now closed. Thanks for all your great tips and comments. A winner will be announced Sunday afternoon.
It was her idea!

Tomorrow on the 4th of July, we are trying something new, and we will need help!!!!!!!!!!!! So stop back and see what you can do to  help us with Free Motion Quilting.

For today, I am offering a giveaway of Fourteen Fabulous Fat Quarters cut from some of the shopping I did at Fabric Depot in Portland Oregon. Most are batiks, I like batiks. You can see the fabrics on this previous post. (I'm quite new to this, so bear with me...) To enter the drawing, go to Shay's blog and leave a sweet comment... Her link is Quilting in My Pyjamas.

For a second chance to win please sign up to follow my blog and leave a comment saying you are a follower. I have some lovely followers already. (Even  though you are entered, please leave a comment.)

Come back on the 4th and comment on the FMQ... especially if you have a neato tip... and you'll have a third chance to win! I'll announce the winner sometime after the 4th. I don't know how long it will take to figure out the winner. (Like I said, I'm new to this.)

Exciting, right?

See you tomorrow.
Hugs,
Terri

The hand off...

Made another paper pieced ASL "I Love You" block for a friend. Now so she knows.... it's on its way this afternoon.
Here's what it looks like:

I hope you like it, dear friend.  I'm happy with the way it turned out.  Think I'll make a few more... maybe some crazy colored ones, when I have my quilting done.

Remember you can find this pattern and other free patterns at  Sewhooked  and at Fandom in Stitches. Two of my favorite places to get paper piecing patterns.

Linking up to a Creative Princess - see the side bar for a direct link.

Happy Hump Day,

Hugs,

Terri

Don't tell me that life is random..

Okay, this may sound a bit icky, but it is a beautiful moment in my life.

Today while using the facilities at my WinCo Grocery Store I heard a little girl singing to her mom. First she sang a little school song and then she started in on "You are my sunshine, my only sunshine, You make me happy when skies are grey...." and then she paused a long while... like she forgot the words. I remembered them from singing them to my kids and granddaughter as a baby. (She the one who just got married.)  I picked up the slack. "You'll never know, dear, how much I love you. Please don't take my sunshine away."  Then she started over and sang the whole song through by herself. (I'm crying here with a big smile on my face.)

So random - No! She was there for me - I was there for her. Don't you think so?  Have you ever had a moment like that one? Please, do tell. I could use another smiling cry.

Hugs,

Terri

Design Wall Monday

I have a new Design Wall.
You remember that I'm trying to sell my house, and the design wall my hubby made was foam core nailed - with huge nails - to the wall. Well, that come down this week and the holes were patched and the whole thing painted... by my hubby, seen here hamming it up.

He did a wonderful job, you can't see the nail holes even when you know where they were!
I'd buy this house!

But, please don't think I have no place to design... (Oops! double negative...)

Foam core leaning with some Rainbow Scrap Challenge blocks from several years back.

I've shown them before...

Some patterns for the next paper piecing project. I'm making potholders for some of my peeps.

 

Above is a new "I love you" hand in the works.

 

Oh, and this occurred this week. A hole. I picked the flowers for a backing on a H2H quilt, and had to add some extra fabric... did not notice that there was a big dip cut out of the middle edge of the flower fabric. Noticed that while sewing together. What to do?

 

See the hole is quite big.

 

To the rescue.... a little paper pieced apple core, fray checked and zig zag stitch and now it's a whole.

 

 

 All for the backing to this....

 This is the quilt with the apple core on the back. I pin basted on my dining room table. It was easier on my back than putting it up on the design wall (now nonexistent) and stitching the basting. Since then I've done some straight line stitch in the ditch, but I don't like it... Gotta do the yellow with yellow, and redo the blue, too. So there is some ripping out in my future. You know I'm putting that off.
Sew that's what I'm up to... How about you? What project occupies your mind this week? Our neighborhood has a parade of school kids on the 4th...
Oh, and Shay (in Australia) of  Quilting in my Pyjamas and I are having a giveaway and showing off our ineptness at FMQ on posts from Thursday through the Fourth... You will want to come back and see that.

Sew Hugs to you all - especially if you got this far down in the reading.

Terri

You've gotta see this....

Go to see Janeen's blog - do yourself a favor. Especially if you paper piece. She is showing a bee eater bird that is amazing! Of course, she has other patterns that are amazing... you can see those, too.

Have a quilty weekend,
Hugs,
Terri

I'm BAAAaaack...

We've been to the Grandgirl's Wedding and lived to tell the tale.  I even DANCED at my Granddaughter's wedding. (Not much of a dance, but we were on the dance floor and moving. That qualifies. Lots of other - younger people - didn't.)

Her "Little" Brother and younger Sister and Dad (my favorite SIL) on this side - his family on the far side. They had a special table with Chrissy's pictures with the bride as a baby and a sign saying that they knew she would have been there if she could be.... I think she was.

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That wasn't the only party we got in on either... We attended the High School Graduation Party of the bride's next Sister, too. Here she is in her party dress. Isn't she gorgeous! I got to visit with her quite a while... learned she's going to college  Wants to study the CSI sciences. (I'm so impressed, and proud.) You don't know the trouble she went through to get herself graduated. A fine accomplishment.

 We are Party Animals! We took the kids out to eat a couple of times - so much fun.  And the couple went with us shopping - bless her soul she thinks I can fit into Misses! She gave me permission to wear my pedal pushers and the lacy top I brought along to wear for a possible practice party to the wedding. I even wore makeup and earrings. (That hasn't happened in a long time.)

So we were in Vancouver, WA and surrounds. Shopped for houses there for a couple of days (Hoping to move there when our house sells.) and then FABRIC.... of course.

From Fabric Depot (Portland OR) - all except one of the 14 are batiks. They were on sale 30% off. All are 1/2 yard cuts, except the 7th one (folded differently). It was near the end of the bolt, so I got 1 & 1/8th yards plus 3 inches. (The cutting lady didn't like fractions so she just threw that bit in for free.... you gotta love a place like that. (Farther down is another picture - shows more detail.)

 And from the Craft Warehouse in Vancouver I got these fat quarters, also on sale. The browner one I loved - what's wrong with me? It's butterfly wings in off white, tans, brown and gold. See below for a close-up.

 I'm thinking bento boxes with the wings surrounded by different darker browns. (I'm aghast that I'm even thinking about it.) Brown?  (I must remind you that I am pretty heavily medicated. That's my defense here.)

Here's the batiks back again. While we were there I worked on some paper pieced housewarming gifts using that red in the front... I'll show you that at a later date.  Meanwhile it's laundry already, and the H2H charity quilting started right after this.

So I hope you had a quilty week while I was gone. I look forward to reading all your blogs, but first the quilting.... June 1 was the deadline, and I'm sorry I missed that big time.

 

Hugs,

Terri