12/31/12

FMQ Challenge: Machine Trapunto

SewCalGal has had a Free Motion Quilt Challenge for 2012.
 
I have had a a lot of fun improving my machine quilting skills. Thank you so much for hosting this challenge. Thank you to all the teachers for your tutorials. This has been quite a bit of work for them and Sew Cal Gal. Thank you!!!!!
Today I decided to do another one of the extra challenges here given by Diane Loomis was the instructor for machine Trapunto. It was give out in October... So I am running behind a Bit and on the last day of the challenge my piece is still slightly wet. It is not perfect, some small spots (2) of extra quilting to sew down scissor nips >ouch<

12/28/12

Dec FMQ Challenge

This months free motion quilting challenge at SewCalGal was given by Patsy Thompson what wonderful way to end the challenge. It was all about borders and how to make them interesting and exciting. I began my challenge by doing a lot of the doodling on the border sheets. back and fronts I also doodled in the air and my dear husband would say are you free motioning? To which I would reply yes. I then marked my fabric with borders, worked on 1 or 2 borders, set it aside and thought about what I wanted to do next. I did the quilting in 6 settings. I had to take out part of the last border because I got turned around and did feathers in the wrong part. When I finished the borders I decided on the center. Leah Day's Star Flower to complement the Leah's star flower bands (ribbon).




Thank you Patsy for your wonderful lesson. I can hardly believe I was able to complete my piece & I love it. Thank you Sew Cal Gal for hosting this challenge and all your hard work...

12/26/12

Free motion quilting challenge 2012

This year I followed along with SewCalGal FMQ 2012 challenge it has been fun most of the time, but also frustrating. I have learned to practice drawing my quilting, not to out sew my machine, try new threads and fabrics along with other things. I found many new friends that want to machine quilt better. I learned (still learning) to relax while machine quilting.If I am having a problem think about what I am doing.



January-Frances Moore-Meandering leaves

February-Diane Gaudynski-feathers

March- Ann Fahl-loops and hearts

April-Don Linn-stencil transfer on tulle

May-Leah Day-double meander

June-Cindy Needham-Divide and Conquer

July-Angela Walters-tiles

August-Wendy Sheppard-jester hats

September-Paula Reid-stencil

October-Teri Lucas-writing and using different thread types ,colors and weights

November-Sarah Vedeler-spirals

extra-Susan Brubaker Knapp-motifs from photos

 

I am still working on Patsy Thompson tutorial, I have applied doing more in my borders not to have just plain ones. Here is one with Leah Day's Star flower ribbon in two different sizes in two of the borders and spirals in the outer border.
 
 
This quilt has several of the lessons learned in it.
 
Thank you SewCalGal and all of the guest teachers.


12/2/12

Adventures in Hawaiian Appliqué


“I don’t want to go home with Pupula Haole”

Hawaiian Appliqué Quilt

34 ½”

 

For this year’s Little Red Hen challenge, I wanted to make a pineapple quilt.

When I was a little girl, I lived in Hawaii. One of my childhood memories of Hawaii was a beautiful Pineapple quilt. In looking for a pattern for a Pineapple Hawaiian quilt. I found out that not only was the technique of how they are made, but they are to have special meaning to the maker. So I decided to design my own, Pineapples had to be the main focus. Next it had to have sausage fruits representing the weird fruits from the Sausage tree and also, some islands, these items are part of my memories from Hawaii.

For the hand quilting I outlined all the appliqué, then echo quilted portions and on the pineapples and islands did definitive quilting and finished the quilting with ocean currents in the white field.

As for the name, I used to tell my mom and dad “I didn’t want to go home with the Pupula Haole”, not realizing I was one myself.

 

Hand appliquéd, quilted and bound.

Cotton fabric, 80/20 Hobbs batting.

 

1st place blue ribbon and Best of the Blues in Creative Hobbies – 2012 Pensacola Interstate Fair
2nd place red ribbon - Little Ren Hens 2012 Hawaiian Applique Challenge
 

Special thank you to

Little Red Hens - for the Challenge and friendship

Elizabeth Root – online tutorials and information


 Poakalani &John Serrao – online inspiration and information



Leah Day – for inspiration for the ocean currents

 
 


 

 
Daddy & me 1959

     
 


 

 

 

11/29/12

Star Quilts

Just some pictures of star quilts I have made.
 
 
This one was for a friend going through a rough time.
Friendship stars made from reproduction fabrics.
 



Stack and whack quilt given to a friend for Christmas.
 

A wierd/ugly quilt challenge.(Gold and red wavey fabric).
Feathered sawtooth.
Gift to a friend.
 
 
Another wierd/ugly challenge. (fabric in the fussy cut star, 1st border and 12 squares)
Baby quilt gift.



 
The last 2 belong to me.
Wall hanging.Thimbleberries pattern.
 Made with thimbleberries and reproduction fabrics.
 
 
 
Table topper.
Thimbleberries pattern and fabric.
 
 


Bonus FMQ tutorial

This bonus tutorial was given by Susan Brubaker Knapp  over at SewCal Gal.  Find it here. I loved working on this one. I still need lots of practice.
Thank you Susan and Sew Cal Gal.
 
 
 

 

November FMQ Challenge and more

This months FMQ challenge with Sew Cal Gal was given
by Sarah Vedeler and was about quilting spirals.
The tutoral can be found here
I have had loads of fun working on my FMQ. Thank you Sew Cal Gal and
 all the wonderful teachers and fellow quilters.
 
These are my drawn out spirals.
 
 

 
Spirals in my green border.


 
Spirals as back ground. 

 
Next ...for the more here is my Black and White with accent color finished.



10/29/12

October FMQ Challenge and more

SewCalGal is hosting a challenge this year for quilters to improve their machine quilting. Sometimes this has been difficult for me, My narcolepsy has kicked in at times causing me to have bad jumps in my quilting. I have learned to use a seam ripper or let things be as they are. So far I haven't sewed a finger God's grace has been good. My dysautonomia causes me to be unbearable dizzy at times and during these periods I don't use my machine. I do hand quilting when I can but sometimes no sewing.
So back to the challenge....


 
 
Teri Lucas Was our teacher this month with a great tutorial. Found here.
 
Here is my drawings that I began with
 


 
and my finial sample along with the threads

 
Top is silk, batting high loft polyester and backing cotton
Threads silk, rayon, cotton, polyester, metallic and variegated.
Weights of thread 12-50
Sewn on my Janome 9700
 
I have also have been working on a Bee challenge done in black and white an here it is with what I have done so far.
 
 
front

 
part of back
 
 

9/30/12

September Free Motion Quilt Challenge

This month has been filled with non sewing and quilting stuff. However, I did do the challenge it needs even more improving. I tried doing it using tracing paper pinned unto my quilt sandwich. My machine or needle decided it wanted to eat the paper and sandwich.... took a while but I finally got the mess cut and pulled out... then cleaned the machine and changed the needle. I then used Don Linn's method of transferring the design. I was at least able to do the quilting, but I don't do well following the design. So here is my piece.

 
 
Thank you Sew Cal Gal for the challenge and thank you Paula Reid for the tutorial.

8/31/12

August- Free motion quilt challenge

Busy, busy. Here it is the last day of Aug and I haven't posted about anything. But I have been busy. I am mainly working on a quilt challenge that is due in December. A Hawaiian Applique quilt, it is the first time I have made this type of quilt. You will  have to wait for more about this quilt till later. I did do a block for my local quilt guild a few years ago. Here is a picture of it.

 
Now on to the SewCalGal FMQ challenge for this month. Wendy Sheppard was our expert for August.
 
 
 
 
 
Her challenge to us was a jester motif. I spent spare time doodling these out.
 
 
 
Most of my practise was on paper.
 
I didn't care for my extra embellishment to the hat, but do like the plain jester hat motif.
Here is my stitched sample.
 
 
 

Thank you Wendy and Sew Cal Gal! I am looking forward to next months challenge.