PS: My Mom was wrong, it doesn't take up the WHOLE room, just 40% of it.
So what am I sewing now that I have my first ever sewing cabinet? Yes, sad but true. I've been sewing since I was what, six? First time I've sewn with a machine inset into the table top. It really rocks! (Duh).
Anyway, I am working on improving my Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) skills. I'm participating in the FMQ Challenge organized by sewcalgal: FMQ Challenge
sorry, I don't know how to make the link so you can click on the image, use the underlined link above
There are monthly tutorials by FMQ experts. It's incredible! And once you do the work, take a picture of it to post and get entered into a drawing for awesome prizes each month and then grand prizes at the end of the year!
Here are my quilt sandwiches for the challenge so far. I'm doing my practice work on quilt sandwiches, but when they are all done I'll be combining them into quilts for Project Linus and Quilts of Valor.
February Challenge, Diane Gaudynski, www.dianegaudynski.net Her work is gorgeous and so detailed. It's the perfect example of more quilting is better. Her lines in this piece are a scant 1/8 inch apart for the fill!
...and then I tried a different shape. I need star patterns for the Quilt of Valor I'll be doing. I doodled a few ideas, but following the star outlines gave it a very boxy look. I played with it and came up with these waves, giving a waving flag look to the fill:
The May challenge was by Anne Fahl, http://annfahl.blogspot.com/ I used her continuous fill to create a daisy fill that matched my fabric on this adorable Lazy Girl's design Miranda Day bag. I left out the spiral in her centers so they would match the fabric daisies.
And my last pictures to post today are from Leah Day's challenge in May. Her blog is incredible, with hundreds of FMQ design ideas. If you're not sure what to use, she'll have the perfect design and tutorial. Her books should be next to every FM Quilter's machine! http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/
When I did the "railroad ties", I sewed across a marked line, but I didn't sew the line itself. I think it looks a little more like straight line stippling that way. The wavy line was very relaxing to work on!
The most valuable advice I got from these tutorials is:
stop and catch your breath, don't try to just keep going
and
doodle doodle doodle!
OK, time to take the kids to swim team practice!
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