I've Been Practicing

Today, I am dedicating to Lady Chamberlain.  I am taking a break because I was pretty intense for 2 hours and need to give myself a break.

First, let me back up a bit.  The machine's name is "Quilt Chamberlain" but it sounds too masculine.  I'm really into Downton Abbey and love the whole lord and lady deal so she is "Lady Quilt Chamberlain", or just Lady Chamberlain.

I practiced my stippling on "The Quilt From Hell".  It was one of those "simple" quilts that I screwed up on every step!  I just wanted it done!  So I decided I'd practice on it and time how long it would take to do it from putting it on the frame to taking it off.  It's 64" square and I used some flannel plaid (what was I thinking when I bought it?  I do think it was on sale)

QFH in the frame

Close up of stippling

Q

And I finished in basically 2 hours  10 minutes!

QFH done!  All that's left is the binding!  I'll do that when I get my sewing machine set up.

 My friend, Ann, gave me a few of her quilts to practice on.  The first one was a small former  mystery quilt she had fallen out of love with.  I practiced my pantographs on it.

Yesterday, I figured out cross hatching.  I have a cross-hatch bar and after wrangling around a bit I "got it"!

 This program is driving me NUTS!  I just tried to move some text and it deleted a picture and turned my font blue and started underling!  I can't turn it off so please bear with me!  Okay-got it back to black but can't stop the underling.

Today I started back on the FMQP doing freehand straight lines.  I drew the star and did okay staying on the line.  I'll need to get a ruler to do the straight line.

The next thing I needed to work on (according to Leah Day) is outlining.  I cut a piece of a large patterned fabric and sewed it on my practice piece.

I then practiced going around all the motifs.  It was slow but not as difficult as I thought it would be.  The difficult part was trying to see through the hopping foot.  I need to see what other types of feet that are available.  I then echoed around the motifs.

I did try to pebble but, again, it was difficult to see where I was going with the foot I had on the machine.

Exciting development!  Yesterday, I had a quilting friend that I had not seen for a while call me to ask me for the name of a quilter to do a simple quilt for her granddaughter.  I told her what was going on with me and she said it would be perfect!  She just wanted large stippling done.  I CAN DO THAT!  She came over today to deliver the quilt, we picked out some thread and I told her I would get it to her in the next two weeks!  I had loaded 5 yards of fabric to practice on before her call so I'm going to practice, practice, practice then do the quilt!  It should take me under 3 hours!

Back to the Lady!

Happy Stitching!

First 3 Quilts from Lady Chamberlain!

So I can't find my camera at the moment but want t show my first 3 quilts done on my Longarm.

I stippled on the first one and found it pretty easy.

The second one I did was the Kaffe windmill. I used a pantograph and it went pretty well.

The last one was the Christmas Log Cabin. I used another pantograph and it went okay but I definitely have to work on circular pattern!

I think I'm going to get back on the Free Motion Quilt Project. And Saturday I'll set up my sewing area upstairs!

Happy Stitching!

Back to the Free Motion Quilt Project

I was a bit distracted today.  Got a killer workout done with Bryn this morning, had coffee with my dad then we had pedicures.  Tonight Bryn and I met her boyfriend's mom for drinks.  I did get some quilting done between the pedis and drinks.

The 2 quilting goals I set for myself this year were to finish the year with fewer UFO's than I started with and to improve my machine quilting skills.  I set up monthly goals for myself and posted it on the UFO Facebook page I've joined.  This month's  goal was to finish the Spinning Log Cabin and since that's done I've started the Cinnamon Stars I showed yesterday.  I won't be quilting any time soon I thought it was time to get back to the Free Motion Quilt Project.  I completed the first 35 so today I knocked out 36-40.

I didn't follow this one exactly as instructed.  Leah did it in straight rows but I liked the variation is size.   

Peppermint swirl

All 5

Liked this one

Didn't like this one

Fun Flames

Completed Peppermints

Liked this one more than I thought I would

Hoping to get 5 more quilting samples done tomorrow as well as some more work on my Cinnamon Stars.  Nails and hair done tomorrow as well as a guild meeting tomorrow night.  Come to think of it, I hope I get SOMETHING done!

Happy Stitching!

Getting Caught Up

I was going to post yesterday's activities last night but got distracted!  (What's new?)  

I thought today I'd show you how I set up my work area for doing the Quilting Project and the materials I use.  I do follow a lot of what Leah Day suggests but I do prefer Neutrogena Norwegian Formula Hand Cream as Diane Gaudinski suggests instead of the gloves Leah uses.  

I have been fortunate enough to have taken machine quilting classes from Diane Gaudinski and Harriet Hargraves-probably the most recognized names in machine quilting.  If given the opportunity, I would take Harriet first then Diane.  That last sentence almost sounds like I'm a prize fighter planning my next fights!  Anyway, let's get back on track!

I'm getting back to my quilting daily and doing the Free Motion Project.  I'm also going to start doing her current "exercises".  And start Bryn's Graduation Quilt.  Anyway, this is how I have my sewing area set up to watch the lessons on the computer.

Setting it up right next to the sewing surface lets me review if I get confused.

I have pre-cut the fabric squares and batting squares so I can just pick them up and go.  I also like to listen to music while I quilt.  I get too distracted if I have the TV on while quilting.  I can have it on while piecing but I need to concentrate while actually quilting.  I subscribe to Pandora on my iTouch.  I'm planning on upgrading to an iPhone the next time I'm eligible for an upgrade.

This is the area to my left while sitting at the machine.  Notice my project board in the background to help keep me on track!

Yesterday's 5 designs.

Acuquilt Go!

My friend, Mary, got an Acuquilt when she first started quilting.  I've played with it once and picked up some more dies when I went to the Houston Quilt Festival last November.  She brought the Go over on Tuesday for me to play with.  I've planned a "play date" for this weekend.  Like I need to cut out another project!  I'm thinking of doing a disappearing 9 patch or cutting some half square triangles to hand piece.  I'm leaning toward the 9 patch.

Happy Stitching!

Back to Practicing My Quilting

One of my goals for this year is to expand and improve my machine quilting.  I came across Leah Day's Free Motion Quilt Project which started as 365 different fill designs-one a day for a year.  A few years ago (I believe it was) she posted a video each day showing how to do a different fill design.  She believes, as I am finding out, you need to practice your quilting skills daily (or almost daily-life does get in the way sometimes!) to get better.  But then again, that's true with just about any skill.  (Okay, I'm getting off on a tangent-redirect!)  Back to my goal.  Try to do 1-5 of these designs a day to catch up.  Leah's also started a new quilting project this year but I've not even checked it out yet because I really wanted to finish Selvage Diamonds.  Here's what I have so far:

Not a great picture-forgot to turn the flash back on.

Close-up of the first 5

Next 4

Don't really like the upper right one

Like most of these

Kind of fun trying each of these

More fun

These take a little longer than some but I like them.

What I did last night.

I wanted to do more but it was getting late and needed to get on dinner.  I'm planning on doing more today as well as starting a sweatshirt quilt.  The sweatshirts came in the bag with the tee shirts my daughter wants made into a quilt for her college graduation gift.  I've wanted to play with making a rag-style quilt using sweatshirt so this is the perfect opportunity.

Happy Stitching!