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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