Gone To Earth

On the subject of Free-Motion quilting

Dear Blog,

You know how I yearn to be a better quilter.  You know how I'd love to confidently set out and create some of the beautiful free motion quilting designs that you see on the web, in books and on other peoples quilts?  You probably also know how often I have watched video's on You Tube on how these marvellous little designs get carried out.  How often I've sat and read and watched the designs on blogs in pure astonishment and awe. 

Have I ever really relaxed enough to get stuck in ?  That would be a big No!  How many books have I acquired, how many patterns have I collected and admired? All of them nicely organised on my computer.  How many quilt tops are there upstairs just waiting? 

This has to end!

I've bought all the threads that have been recommended...(and that's a few) I've bought calico so I don't have to be concerned about how much fabric I may destroy... but have I actually really started and got stuck in ? err! That would be a big NO!

But then I acquired this book (yes - another book) but it's entirely fitting to where I am right now.

This is Free-Motion Quilting by Angela Walters of Quilting is my Therapy.

 

Free-motion Quilting by Angela Walters

 

 I want to actually DO something, otherwise I'm going to be stuck in this place forever ... always wanting to and never actually doing.  Yes, I know that it's only practice that will make perfect and it's only practice that will give me the confidence to just get stuck in.  But I also need a little bit of hand holding... 

That's is where this book resonates with me.  I love the designs ... the swirls, the hooks, the leaves, the 'squarey' designs and the circles.  I love the way this book is written and presented

OK - so the instructions are static (It's a book, so no surprise there.), but the little diagrams show quite clearly where to go next... how to develop the design across a quilt top and that's actually really helpful because you're not being distracted by anything else that may be going on.

Angela stresses the part about trying the design out on paper or a magna-doodle in her case, until you understand the pattern, the way it joins to it's neigbours, how to avoid getting trapped in corners. You've probably read that before but have I actually tried it ... not with any real conviction.

 

From Free-Motion Quilting by Angela Walters. Feel the designs understand how they flow...

 

So, dear blog, this time I feel inspired enough to start and I am going to make this work.  Each week I'm going to tackle one of these designs, practicing it until it feels fluent enough for me to claim it as part of a free-motion quilting repertoire. (My 'free-motion quilting repertoire'  now doesn't that sound grand - but definitely exciting :) )

Any one want to join me?  You will need the book and some fabric that isn't too precious plus threads and obviously a sewing machine with a darning foot and the ability to lower the feed dogs so that you can free motion stitch.

See you here on Friday?

 

LouLouThi, a nine patch block and a new addiction

A piece of fabric... ok, maybe one or two pieces of fabric, plus little sewing. Result?  A nine patch block and a new addiction.

This is a nine patch block that I was working on absolutely ages ago.  It's made up of prints from LouLouThi and LouLouthi Needleworks.  

 LouLouThi Needleworks has been designed by Anna Maria Horner and it represents something a little different in that the design on the fabric is marked out in little crosses .... and yes that means that you can cross-stitch the design for something wonderfully textured or you can use it as a cloth in it's own right 'cos it's just pretty.

(This print is called Vision in Pangaea.  The background is a soft cream with the various motifs picked out in different colours against it.)

My nine patch block does have an intended desitnation, it just hasn't quite made it there yet as I've been distracted by the rest of the piece of fabric I used for the blocks.  

A fat quarter of this is huge when it comes to cutting out little squares... because the bolt is a massive 54 inches wide.  Yes - there's a lot left, so I've been stitching that too.  Cross - stitching to be precise.

(... and I've bought some new threads in lots of pretty colours.)

I'm addicted to it.  I haven't actually done any cross-stich since I left junior school so it took a while to get back into it again but now I'm really enjoying having something that I can just pick up for a few minutes and then put down. (Actually it isn't easy to put it down. I'm finding that really difficult.)  I'm using Pearle sewing threads on this as I'm loving the slight reflectiveness of it.  I may not use all Pearle threads as that might be overkill but I'll make that decision as I go along.  

This piece is intended to make a 'small' (note the word small) sampler style cushion but that really depends how long it takes me.  It may end up as a small bag or small mat for the table in the hall.  Just now I'm enjoying the 'doing'.

Plodding along...

How is everyone?  I feel that I've been 'missing in action' for a while.  

Do you remember my post about joining in a quilt-a-long without really owning up to it?

Well I'm still plodding along, getting bits and pieces done.

I've cut all the fabric out now.

(A few cut out pieces...)

I've definitely played around with laying fabric side by side.... 

I've been sewing blocks together..... it's such a simple but effective block pattern.

I love the way the fabric looks in this little layout.... When I first saw Good Folks I thought it quite a dark collection but over time I've changed my opinion.  I think it's the golden yellows, tangerines and intense pinks that make it sing.  That yellow is quite exotic... very warm.

 

 
As I've sewed more blocks I've begun to relax a bit about which fabrics go together because there doesn't seem to be an 'awful' combination... but there are definitely some that sing particularly loudly. 

I should point out that I need 80 blocks to make the complete quilt... and I have about 20, but that's a 1/4 of the way there isn't it?  I don't want it in a hurry, which is really just as well. Making this quilt for me is really just about enjoying the process.  I'm wondering if perhaps I should settle for a throw sized quilt.

(A few blocks laid out on the table... just to admire the colour)

Instead, I'm focusing on my piecing.  I'm trying out Elizabeth Hartman's suggestion of pressing the seams open instead of pressing them to one side as is more usual in patchwork. (The traditional pressing of the seam to the side is supposed to make a stronger seam by protecting the stitching from wear and eventual splitting.) Elizabeth's method ensures that a block which is intended to be six inches in size actually ends up as a six inch block. Providing of course you've sewn an accurate seam allowance :) 

Others I know argue for using a 'scant' 1/4 inch seam, to ensure your blocks end up the size you wanted them to be.  This means that you have to make allowances when piecing for the fact that pressing a seam to the side actually takes up the width of the thread. (Multiply those thread widths over an entire quilt and it can add up to make a surprising amount of difference. But I suspect that loads of us have made up that difference in the border.... Who me?)  

Elizabeth's method is certainly simple enough but I'm wondering what will happen when I actually quilt it.... we'll see.

Speak soon.... I should have a few more blocks by then.

Sssh! Don't tell .....

With any spare minutes I've had over the last few days I've cut myself a 'jelly-roll' out of what I have in the shop of Anna Maria Horner's Good Folks collection.  It's quite a soothing pursuit actually cutting 2 1/2 inch strips, especially when it's mingled with a little satisfaction because it's turned out rather well!

 

Why am I doing this ?  Well, I've think I've taken 'lurking' to a whole new level for me.  I've joined in a quilt-a-long (which I found here ) without actually letting anyone else know.  That's a bit naughty really, 'cos everyone needs to know that what they're doing (ie organising a quilt-a-long) is getting a response.   I will own up at the end.  Time is just so pressured at the moment that I didn't want to give myself anything else to fret about. Worrying that I wasn't keeping up with everyone else.  I just wanted to enjoy the process... the putting colours together.  Laying out the pieces to make up the blocks, stitching it all together and enjoying the results.

 These are the blocks that are being made.

(photo from Fat Quarterly Ezine)

I've cut out some of the squares;

... and some of the rectangles...

I'm getting two 'block's out of one strip which is pretty good.

At the moment I'm planning to use patterned centre squares with 'plain' (perhaps I should say more plain) 'logs' and 'plain centre squares with patterned 'logs'.

Small Gathering in Azalea with Filligre in Sun

(Auditioning potential candidates already you see.)... or another variation ... 

The thing with large patterned fabric is that you can get so many different effects from one fabric design.  I always find that fascinating.  I'm going to have to mix the fabrics carefully so as not to lose the shape of the blocks in the fabric patterns and to ensure that the outer edges really do 'hold together as a square surrounding a square.  I've already said that I'm using the Filiigree fabrics as 'plains' and if I find I'm repeating those too many times I might just introduce Denyse Schmidt's four patch design which I think goes really well with the Good Folks designs and colours. I guess I won't know exactly whats needed until I start putting it together.

I'll let you see how it goes...

What are you sewing at the moment?