Quilting for Enjoyment

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.

1^st 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

http://www.quiltshawaii.com/

Poakalani &John Serrao – online inspiration and information

http://www.poakalani.net/index.html

https://www.facebook.com/#!/hawaiianquilting