FMQ Challenge and WIP'D

http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/2012/03/march-2012-fmq-challenge-tutorial-by.html


I have really procrastinated on the challenge this month. I actually started the first week and have practised a little here and there. But not anything I wanted to show.
Now here are the shows... The gold or yellow quilting is for this month.

Loops, Loops and stars

Loop and Hearts, Swirls



Flowers, clover and feathers

WIP'D and finial for March's FMQ

Quilted in loops and hearts

Recycled crocheted rose bloom

Back of purse

Inside of purse

Baby Quilts

Quilting gallery has a weekly quilt theme contest.

This week is baby quilts.


http://quiltinggallery.com/2012/03/16/vote-now-quilts-babies/

Please take time to go vote and vote for your favorites.You can vote for up to 7 quilts. My entry is Brady's Scotty Quilt. 

Here are some pictures of a few of the baby quilts I have made over the years.

Lo, children are an heritage of the Lord: and the fruit of the womb is his reward.

Psalms 127:3

Name this Tree

My Little Red Hens is having 2 challenges this year. We can pick to do either one or both. One of them is to make a Hawaiian quilt at least 24" square. I want to do this one and have been reading up on Hawaiian quilts. I found that they originally had a special meaning that was sometimes a secret. That a Hawaiian quilt is the technique the quilt and does not have to be made in Hawaii or by a Hawaiian. I may be stretching it a little far, but I have decided that I want to design my own. When I was little girl I lived in Hawaii. I remember a few things about that time and I have a few pictures from then as well. Two of the pictures are of a tree I have no idea of what it is and I could use some help. If you know what it is please leave me a comment. Thank you for your help.

Update:
Sausage tree
http://xenophilius.wordpress.com/2010/01/22/meet-the-african-tree-sausage/

Thimbleberries BOM - Mi Amore Pattern - Puppies

I finished my Village Green top. It is the Queen size version 96" x 106". I love houses, stars and trees but I love the hearts in the border the best. I have to wait to layer it till I get the right size batting and I have to put a backing together for it. I really like this top and can hardly wait for it to be a quilt.

Also, want to let you know the pattern for Mi Amore is for sale now. This was the pattern I was a tester for KISSed Quilts. It can be purchased from Marlene owner of KISSed Quilts here.
This is my version.

For the last 7 weeks I have been helping raise Goldie's pups. I have found homes for 4 of them.

Only 2 left. They are calling (baying) So time to go.

Mug Rug Pictures

My Mug Rug that I posted about a few post back was finally delivered. I mailed it on January 19 and it was received today (3 weeks). It did travel from Florida to South Africa.

Free Motion Quilting Challenge February

Feathers

I love quilted feather plumes! Just not mine

These are ones I tried last year. They were horriable. I will not machine quilt feathers again, they will be hand quilted only.

Then 2012 came along and I found this wonderful Free Motion Quilt challenge at SewCalGal.

http://sewcalgal.blogspot.com/p/free-motion-quilt-challenge.html

I want to improve my machine quilting a lot, I have hand quilted for almost 40 years and I love to hand quilt and I love the look, but I only have so much time and hand quilting takes a long time. Machine quiltng is so much faster but mine is barely passable . So January's challenge was heart shaped leaves, they were fun to do and practice. But February's is Feathers. I don't know I may have to quit. No! I must try. So I read through Diane Gaudynski's Tutorial. Still doubtful I printed out the tutorial and read it again. OK maybe I can do it. So I prepared my practice sample... drew a  spine, that I was to follow, prepared my sewing machine, thread a lightweight rayon embroidery thread, size 70 needle, feed dogs down and darning foot.

Ready Set Go

I took my time. stopping after a couple of feathers (teardrops) looked and repositioned. sewed slow or medium speed. Tried to follow the directions. When I finished. I was happy. They aren't perfect and I still need lots of practice but my practice is pretty.

My next practice is a postcard and I think it is beautiful and I hope its reciepent does too!

Then after reading some of the other peoples posts on their practices I realized that I had not had any real tension or thread difficulties. So I did some pratices with heavier cotton (cream) thread and played with the tension and the I tried a heavy twisted (green) rayon thread and adjusted tension some more. Then I finished up with the embroidery rayon so I could end on a happy note. Thread really does matter.

Front

Back

I now look forward to making feathers on some quilts. But for now I'll practice.