I moved on from “Es and Ls” to this up/down loop border.  I had an easier time with this one because the movement felt more natural to me.

After one line of practice I used the pattern in the wavy borders of this Christmas quilt to try to get it to hang flat.

With a little blocking, I think I can hang it without embarrassment.  This was my first wall hanging and I must have missed the memo on measuring borders.  It’s funny now, but at the time I had no idea what I did wrong.  

Live and learn.

I didn’t buy any fabric this week.  I didn’t use any either, but I’m working real hard at it

I’m hitting the Superbowl Sale at a local quilt shop later today.  I don’t need anything, but I still like to browse.

Total Added YTD:  0

Total Busted YTD:  2.75

Net Busted :   2.75 yds

Everyone that blogs gets some kind of stats about who reads what.  Blog-City doesn’t show me who reads, but it does show me what they read.  My post on fabric beads back in 2008 is my second most popular post.

My art quilt group just happened to choose fabric beads as this month’s challenge.  I went back to look at the links on my original post, and found them lacking.  I did some research today and came up with a new list of link for fabric bead tutorials.

You can find instructions for covering wooden beads with fabric here.

This site shows you how to make fabric beads by rolling strips of fabric into a ball.

These tutorials from the folks at Threads Magazine show how to make both rolled and knotted fabric beads.

If you like a chunkier bead, you can learn how to make beads from yo-yos.

And my personal favorite, you can learn to make beads from fabric scraps.

I’ve saved all these scraps to use in my bead experiments. 

           

In addition to the links above, I have a few ideas of my own.  This will provide a nice break from free motion practice.

Several years ago, PBS produced a special called A Century in Quilts, America in Cloth that looked in-depth at some of the quilts named in the 100 best quilts of the 20^th century.  The one hour documentary includes interviews with many of the artists.  They discuss the inspiration for their quilts and how they design their pieces.  If you missed this back when it aired, or would like to see it again, it is available on DVD through Netflix.  Unfortunately, it is not available for instant viewing.

The last EQ Newsletter contained links to a couple block of the month quilts.  One is very modern and the other has a seasonal (Christmas) theme.  I believe the first downloads have come and gone, but any one block in the seasonal quilt would make a cute small wall hanging.  She also offers a smaller version of the patterns for redwork.  You can check it out at Fat Cat Patterns.

Every February for the past seven (?) years, Beth Ferrier has offered a free block of the month on her Applewood Farms site.  This year she designed four different seasonal quilts instead of one large quilt.  The first step of quilt one is available here until February 15^th.

If that isn’t enough to keep you busy, Gail Pan  has a free Christmas block of the month and two other free Christmas patterns on her blog, Gail Pan Designs.  In case you aren’t familiar with Gail, she designs embroidery and redwork patterns.  The links are in her sidebar.

I didn’t buy any fabric this week.

I finished quilting the baby quilt.  I used free motion in the border, but I changed the thread color to match the fabric so all my mistakes wouldn’t show.

I cut the binding too, so I’m calling it a bust.  That’s 2.25 yards out.

Total Added YTD:  0

Total Busted YTD:  2.75

I’m using the book Machine Quilting Solutions by Christine Maraccini.  I picked this book because I like the way she shows you how to stitch a design, then suggests you practice it and come up with your own variation.  When teaching a stem and leaf all-over design, she expects everyone’s leaves to look different.

I started practicing with what she calls an “Es and Ls” design.  With each pass the design stitched a little smoother.  It doesn't show very well, but the border print has two lines of quilting.

I learned three things very fast.

This will take LOTS of practice.  I think many people give up on free motion quilting because all that practice becomes tedious.  In the long run, I think the payoff justifies the time and effort invested.

I need to prep several quilt sandwiches before I start practicing.  It’s too much hassle to stop, reset the machine for regular sewing, prep more pieces, then reset the machine for free motion quilting, and restart.

Free motion on the actual quilt is NOTHING like free motion on the smaller quilt sandwiches.  Going forward, I’m making my practice pieces bigger.

All in all, time well spent.  I have a whole new respect for Patsy Thompson.

Earlier this month I talked about improving my machine quilting skills.  I’ve thought about this for a long time.  This is the year I’m doing it.

I bought a book.  I have a plan.

This morning I dug out all my orphan blocks.  The number surprised me (the picture only shows a few).  These blocks came from swaps, raffles, technique testing and past projects.  I decided to sew them into units, like 18” squares, and then use them to practice machine quilting.  When I have enough I’ll assemble them into a drag quilt.  Someone around here will use it and not care what the quilting looks like.

I’ll talk more about the book and share my attempts at free motion quilting in later posts.  I do plan to share all of it – jaggy, uneven stitches and everything.  I figure if I don’t have some failures, I’m not trying hard enough.

I finished quilting all the ducks and waves on the baby quilt yesterday, so my first goal is to get good enough at a simple design to free motion the borders without marking them.  I can’t wait to get started! 

The river shifted and became a shoreline.  The edge makes more sense as an extension of something else.

I’ve pinned on fabric strips to add texture.  Perhaps some specialty yarn would also work?

It needs a focal point, something to break up the dusk and add some light. 

I work, and I listen.