Got a little FMQ done!

I did it! I finished my first FMQ project!

I made an improvised log cabin block around a fussy-cut piece featuring a cute cherub - might be little Neptune - and framed it with an olive green solid. I have no idea what fabrics I used, most of them were in a little baggie at my quilt store marked "scraps" that I bought for $2.50. The cherub is from the Salt Air line by Moda.

I then quilted the block with a mushroom thread, Aurifil Mako 40wt, and the solid in a Sulky 60wt. I quilted some swirls, leaves, a little take on ribbon candy and my nemesis, pebbles. I need better light to take close ups, which will come tomorrow. I made a straight-grain scrappy binding from the leftovers, and voila! A placemat.

I am so proud of my first FMQ project. It's nothing special, heck, it's actually quite rough, but it's done. And as Angela Walters says, "Close enough is good enough". I've definitely been bitten by the bug!

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Practice is Key!

Since I'm taking Angela Walters' class, I happily bought her book to follow along offline. I was so tired of random doodling on blank quilt sandwiches that I quickly made an improvisational log cabin block from some scraps. Pretty scraps that I would never have used anyway. Not my usual style. Pics tomorrow!

I've been slammed with chores, and since baby has begun crawling all over the house I have to run around more than ever. This is going to be a short, sweet blog post. Aren't those the worst kind?

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Craftsy Sale!

My favorite website for learning, Craftsy, has a sale on a few quilting classes. I just could not resist buying a few more free motion quilting classes that I've had my eye on. They were incredibly cheap and I really wanted to see my FMQ idols in action. I bought Machine Quilting: Small Changes, Big Variety and Dot to Dot Quilting by the awesome Angela Walters who has quilted for Tula Pink and other big names, and really wanted to buy Quilting Big Projects on Small Machines by Ann Petersen but it wasn't in my budget. Or so I thought. I received an email from Craftsy that since I had been a member for 1 year, as an anniversary gift they offered me any class for $19.99! That was an offer I could not refuse. So I am now plowing through three amazing classes, and really want to spend a little time each evening refining my skills.

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Supreme Slider!

I am *so* thrilled with my latest purchase. My LaPeirre Studio Supreme Slider Free Motion Machine Quilting Mat that helps tremendously with FMQ. My curves went from choppy and pokey to smooth and even. It reduces friction so well that moving your quilt sandwich is like butter!

This is before, with only my generic extender table and my Janome Magnolia 7318.

This is immediately after laying the Supreme Slider: no practice, well, this is my practice. Lines are straighter, curves are smoother, and while I have a long way to go, I am really not ashamed of this. Shocking, right?

What my set up looks like: Those are Fons and Porter's Quilting gloves. I love the color!

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A Post A Day?

I'm trying to publish a post each day, and I'm excited and nervous all at once. While I am no mega awesome artist, I definitely want to get there, and even if this blog helps one newbie I would count it a success. At this point I have barely any page views, although one kind person from Poland has seen a post of mine, (yay!) and I have no comments. Whew. No pressure at this point.

Post by post I want to build this blog into a showcase of possibilities. Right now I am pretty terrible at FMQ, decent at piecing and need to learn a lot of techniques to be proficient, but I know that the only thing that will make a difference is practice. I'm writing this post as a reference to those days when I feel down and out about my efforts, and journalling my horrible FMQ will give me a boost when I see my improvements along the way. I'm afraid what I'm writing is quite disjointed, I'm watching Rizzoli and Isles as I type.

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Bungalow - Finding co-ordinates!

Here's my current collection. I have atleast a 1/4 yard of each, some up to a full yard. Happy girl!

The two golds, the fourth and sixth from the left are not part of this collection, and not by Freespirit. The Emerald flowers is Dewberry, a different collection I think, but look how well it goes with the rest!

From my last post, I need 3 maize, 3 coral, 2 chestnut, 2 emerald 1/4 yds. I think I need 1 coral, 2 chestnut, 5/8 yd of another maize and the solid linen color.

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Planning for Joel Dewberry's Bungalow Quilt

I am working on my queen-size quilt, but just can't help beginning my version of Joel Dewberry's Bungalow quilt. Clicking on the link directly opens the PDF to the free pattern, which I found on Google. This is she, in all her glory:

I have a yard of a few of the fabrics from this line, as well as a couple of prints from his Aviary line that co-ordinate with this palette. The only fabrics I don't have are the background and the golds. I'm not a gold person usually, but it really sings in this pattern.

What I need for the quilt

Finished quilt approx: 52-1/2” x 65-1/2” (133.3cm x 166.3cm)  (includes a 1/2 inch binding)
Finished Blocks: 13” x 13” (33cm x 33cm)

1/4 yard of each of these:

     A (#JD069-CORAL)
     B (#JD069- MAIZE)
     C (#JD070-CHESTNUT)
     D (#JD071-MAIZE)
     E (#JD072-CORAL)
     F (#JD073-MAIZE)
     G (#JD074-EMERALD)
     H (#JD075-CORAL)
      I (#JD076-CHESTNUT)
      J (#JD078-EMERALD)

5/8 yd of K (#JD077-MAIZE)
2 3/4 yd of L, a solid linen,
3 1/4 yd of M (#JD070-EMERALD) , or backing fabric of my choice.

Next Step: Hunting down these fabrics, some from my stash, some from the (yay!) fabric store!

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Finding the Time to Create

Ever since little Miki arrived, I have been slammed. They say a baby changes everything, and boy, are they right. I haven't finished a single project since November, when she was born. I hate having the will to make something but no energy or time to do it. I have had so many ideas, ideas I wish I had sketched out, but just as I pick up a pencil, little Miss Trouble would wake up and howl.

Now Miki is a Velcro baby, and some of it is my fault. She has always been incredibly aware of the world, and any little sound is a distraction sometimes. I remember being amazed that just seconds after being born, while I held her to my chest, she turned her head to listen to the nurse who was talking. That's not what babies are supposed to do, the nurse said, shocked. Even now, eight months later, she wants everything I have in my hand, wants nothing to do with naps, and is bored with baby toys in seconds but wants to chew on furniture. I mustn't complain, but running after her and carrying her around is giving me backaches. I go all day without eating anything because I cannot even go to the kitchen without her howling and crawling after me. What am I supposed to do?

I am slowly, stubbornly, trying to create little windows of opportunity where I can blog or sketch or even sit at the machine. Yesterday I spent one full naptime cleaning my machine - it was a 30 minute nap, normal for Miss Trouble. And that was it, and I felt like I really accomplished something.

As far as quilting/sewing goes, I don't know if I will ever finish a project until she goes to kindergarten. Frankly, I know I am setting myself up for failure by planning more than one project at a time. But such is life, and millions of women do manage to run a business from home while having babies. Yes, they probably have help, but I know I am not alone in this frustration. I wish I could just finish a project, though!

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A Year of Quilting!

I can't believe that it's been a year since I started quilting! When I found out last February that I was pregnant, I really wanted to make something for my teeny tiny baby. She was going to be my first, and what better way to celebrate her arrival than a baby quilt? I had been pinning baby quilts for a long time. It was time I stepped up and actually made one.

I decided to make a puff quilt, and decided to blog about it as well. Mainly the blogging was to be my journal filled with tips for the next one. I posted here a couple of times, but that tapered off as I could barely sit thanks to advancing pregnancy and SPD pain.

It took me a few months to complete this crib-size beauty. I learned a lot, especially that Minky fabric is a pain to work with, what a walking foot does, how to bind a quilt, how not to over stuff those squares.

                                           

I love this quilt so much. I love quilting, even though there wasn't much quilting involved. Just a few hand-tied knots at each junction, and stitching-in-the-ditch at the corners. 

But having bought many wonderful fabrics while planning this quilt, I realized something. I was hoarding my nicer fabrics, ones from Art Gallery and Moda and Freespirit. I would constantly take them out, pet them, and carefully put them back in my "Nice" bin. I would cut into the not-so-nice stuff that I bought from chain stores. And when the final piece was done, when the quilt was complete, I had something that just wasn't 100% loved, just because I didn't love a few fabrics.

So I'm forcing myself to cut into those carefully hoarded beauties. First to be opened is Moda's Cuzco by Kate Spain, my treasured jelly roll. I had the good fortune to buy a scrap pack to go with it, so I do have a little more than just 40 2.5" strips, which will make me a full-size quilt if I am careful. Isn't this beautiful?

Here is a lovely quilt that uses Cuzco. I would love to make something like this! And thank you, Ya Ya's Sweet Shoppe, for the free pattern.

Another of my favorite lines is Joel Dewberry's Bungalow. Dang, these prints are amazing. So warm, yet so soothing. My favorite is the one with the birds. 

                                         

And this quilt they made to promote the line? INCREDIBLE. Who comes up with this stuff?! I want to learn from them. < Hint: Google assures me this was designed by Joel Dewberry himself. >

Say it with me: So very pretty.

A new line I have my eye on right now is Moda's Modern Neutrals by Amy Ellis, just recently available in the market. I don't usually like neutrals since I find them quite drab, but a well-placed neutral is more valuable than any print in my opinion. I have no issue with white and cream and navy, but hate brown with a passion. I must challenge myself to make a brown quilt that rocks my world. Maybe a purple pairing? Mint green? Both? For now, a look at the coveted Modern Neutrals.

And the Modern Neutrals in action.

I wish quilting didn't take so long! I want to make ALL THE QUILTS!

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Quilting Adventures

Since in my last post I realized that I need to stop sewing for myself until I am done nursing, I decided to start a quilt. I was incredibly inspired by Mary Katherine Fons' book Make + Love Scrap Quilts, and when I saw Forest Preserve - and it's absolutely amazing.

I immediately pulled out my megastash of hand-cut charm squares. I had cut a zillion of them back when I was making my puff quilts, and really wanted to use them. I did a little math, which I actually loved despite my dismal skills, and voila! I got to work. Here are a couple of layouts I played with:

This layout was what convinced me my scraps would look great with Kona Cotton in Navy. I luckily had a remnant I once bought at 50% off at Joann's, so yes, I do believe in serendipity. It was also enough to get me started until I could get to the store for more of the Kona. If I had waited, I wouldn't have started this mammoth task.

This was what I came up with once I had pieced a fair number of colors. I just wanted to see whether the brights would work together, or if they would look like unicorn upchuck. Luckily, I do like unicorn upchuck.

And then came a series of what-ifs. Does every quilter get so obsessed with layouts and possibilites that actually getting a piece done is paralyzing? Does everyone get so involved with the minutiae that they lose sight of the bigger picture? I just happened to move a couple of squares around, and loved these diamonds that formed. So pretty!! Should I do this design?

What if the diamonds were single-color? Grouped in reds, yellows, blues, greens, grays? Wouldn't that be special? So my darling hubby, who I must say has great taste, chose the harmonious diamonds. And that is what will be. I am so excited! Stay tuned for my progress.

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Plus Size is a Bust

I'm studying Barbara Deckert's Craftsy class - Plus-Size Pattern Fitting and Design. She's brilliant, funny and incredibly knowledgeable. I love her class so much, I quickly borrowed her book "Sewing for Plus Sizes" from the library, and then promptly bought my own copy from Amazon. (I love you, Amazon). I love you too, Miss Deckert!

Although I learned an amazing amount, my finished garment was a bust. My first attempt was a mystery bottomweight I bought years ago from Hancock's, in a lovely purple. Super soft and slinky, it had amazing diagonal stretch. Which my fitted garment hated. There ended up being a ton of fabric pouching above my breasts that no matter how much fitting and pinching and pinning I did, refused to go away. I looked like I had three boobs. Which I'm sure my baby would love.

So I realized the problem was my fabric, as well as incorrectly fitting my FBA. I enthusiastically cut for a G cup - I have Es. So the next attempt was a more restrained adjustment with less width at the sides. This time I had puckers and pulls only on the right boob. Why!!??!

I remade the peplum top in a mystery fabric from Walmart, a very pretty fabric that I hated to cut into. And I ran into the same problem. This time, however, I am proud to say that I had to cut a much smaller size, as well as make only an E cup FBA. Feels good to make smaller clothes, I must say. Did it fit? Nope! WHAT??!!!

I finally figured it out. I am an E cup. Or should I say, one E and one C. Guess which one my baby nurses from? You got it! The left one is an E, and the fabric over the right one puckers because it is smaller. Larger darts also don't work because I am so short-waisted that there is not much room for reworking the darts.

I asked on my favorite Facebook sewing group for help, and got some amazing suggestions. One was to pad the smaller one to even them out. Brilliant!! But so - final. Padding makes me feel like I left my perky boobs behind, with my perky twenties. I honestly can't face padding a C cup to make an E cup. I never thought I would pad anything on my generous body. So I decided to wait till I'm done nursing, about six months from now, and then try sewing a fitted garment again. Anyway, since I'm nursing full-time I really couldn't wear this top since it has no access. I don't feel too bad about this, but I really should think more about what I sew before I sew it.

So au revoir, Ms. Deckert. I will see you soon. Your book and class rock, I must say!

And now, for some terrible potato-camera pictures. I really couldn't be bothered to take good photos of this disaster.

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