Free-Motion Wrestling!! and Thread Painting Experiement

Perhaps you have this same situation: quilt tops that need to be quilted. The dilemma: how to quilt them. I'd love to use a long-arm machine, but don't own one. I'd love to RENT a long-arm machine, but that's a two hour drive away. So it's time to take matters into my own hands, literally, by going "domestic," as in use my home "domestic" machine. Of course, it has turned into a wrestling match. It didn't look anything like Leah Day, believe me.

Safety-pinned and ready to whirl

I pulled out the quilt I began making for my husband back in 2007. I had it sandwiched and pinned, ready to quilt. My domestic machine does not have its own cabinet, so I use an acrylic table attachment when quilting. It's small. When machine quilting on a domestic machine, it helps to have a level surface to help support the weight and size of the quilt while quilting it. It's ridiculous, but here's what I did:

The QUEEN-SIZE quilt sandwich is on the dining room table. I decided to use the living-room throw pillows to prop the weight of the quilt up to almost the level of the acrylic table attachment. The pillows would also, in theory, be soft on the table surface and slide easily as needed in maneuvering the quilt. Clumsy, but I'm desperate.

The dining room chairs are substantially built, but they're not the right height to wrestle with this monster. Add throw pillows and practically fall off the chair.

Now I have to learn how to work with the speed and rhythm of the machine. Result? Skipped stitches, uneven stitch lengths.

The thread is also important. I used King Tut cotton in the top and The Finishing Touch polyester thread in the bobbin. Result? Broken threads...un-sew...restart...broken threads...repeat. I won't show you THAT ugly photo.

I think the bottom line for quilting on my domestic machine is to use its high speed, which is scary at first, and then the other key is: don't swirl too quickly (skipped stitches, broken threads).

I like swirling, but I think many of my swirls end up looking like velociraptors from the Jurassic Park movie. (Speaking of velociraptors, have you ever noticed that they move around and act distinctly like chickens?? If you're a chicken-lover, you'll notice it!)

I'm not done with this "monster" yet. I've imperfectly completed about a third of it. I figured that it's better to get this done so we can use and celebrate the love we share. Since it's for our use, who cares if it's not perfect?? I won't let the "quilt-police" examine it. And someday, when my children inherit it and realize it's not their style or colors, they can donate it to a quilt museum where the caption will read: "Had this quilter lost her mind??!!"

Thread Painting Experiment

During the local quilt show last week, I attended a presentation about thread painting. Of course I had to go home and try it.

My first attempt: a cup and saucer. I drew a crude picture with a Frixion pen. I used a light stabilizer behind the top fabric (an old cotton sheet) and machine embroidery thread, neither of which were thick enough for this project. I believe she recommended a thread weight of 30, but I currently don't have any. I hooped it on a wooden hand-embroidery hoop.

My second attempt: Thick, wash-away stabilizer, a layer of old cotton sheet sandwiched between the stabilizer and top fabric, raw-edge applique fabric scraps for tree trunk, tree roots and branches and leaves, multiple layers of that machine embroidery thread and varied colors. I used the wooden hand-embroidery hoop again and I suspect that it wasn't tight enough, since the fabric is rumpled or gathered. I might try my machine embroidery hoop next time and purchase some thick thread to try this out in the future.

Linking up with other creative ones like you at:

                     

I'm seeing green & yellow...Quilt!

Here's a project that some friends from church and I have almost completed:

This is Diane's Green & Yellow Quilt because she's a University of Oregon fan (the mascot is a Duck)! I will create a label for it, and then we bind it.

I did the free-motion quilting on my domestic machine, using the motifs of flowers and leaves for about 104 blocks! It measures out to be an over-sized twin.

Free-motion motifs on the top of quilt

Since I don't have a large table that is level with my machine's sewing surface, I had to muscle it around and do the best I could. I found this to be an awesome opportunity to practice my free-motion skills, which I do enjoy. I think I'll concentrate on doing smaller projects on my machine in the future though. With a smaller project I can experiment more and use smaller fill patterns.

Free-motion quilting on the back

Since she is a duck fan, there had to be duck fabric. I searched and found this:

"Everything but the kitchen sink" fabric by Yuko Hasegawa for RJR Fabrics

The photo doesn't do it justice, but it's very cute and would make a darling quilt, place-mat, outfit, handbag, etc.

Being a University of Oregon fan myself, I'm just ducky on what's going to be a rather hot day for May in the Northwest. How about you?

Linking up with creative people like you at:

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What's in a Name? Fun with "Leftovers"

It's WIP (Works in Progress) Wednesday! I continue to make progress on that big queen-size folksy or homespun "Stack the Deck" quilt I'm making for my husband featured in last week's post (January 29). Will it be finished by Valentine's Day?? I doubt it... My sister and nieces came to our house for part of the weekend. We had a great time together, laughing, talking, eating a great lunch and dinner at restaurants in town (The Plank and Toshi's Ramen), and most of all, SEWING!! I worked on my quilt, putting long strips of vertical sashed rows together. My sister, Diana, tried her hand at sewing ovals, which she found discouraging. My oldest niece, Aubrey, made progress on a quilt she's making for her in-laws.

This is NOT the in-law quilt. I believe the pattern for this quilt is called "Hip to be Square" by Me and My Sister Designs which she's making for a friend, a generous and talented young lady!

Yesterday I worked on machine embroidery. I produced a quilt label for my sister (SewCraftyChick.blogspot.com). Then I pulled out some "leftovers" from machine quilting practice and scraps of fabric to make mug rugs or coasters for the two international university students living with us. With a little machine embroidery, they now know where to place their beverage glasses and cups on the kitchen counter! Keep in mind these little items are not "professional", they're just "experiments" that are imperfect but fun to make.

One student from Saudi Arabia and one from Japan

No more overloading the dishwasher daily with a ZILLION glasses and cups they've used throughout the day, a little pet peeve of mine. Perhaps they'll learn our custom of re-using them throughout the day, and then getting out new ones for the next day. It's not unlike little children (and even some BIG children) changing their clothes frequently in one day and throwing whatever they've rejected on to the floor, or into the dirty clothes basket...they're usually still clean! (I hear there's even adults who do this, LOL.) What's the custom in your home?

Have fun with your leftovers, too! It's fun to create.

"WIP" Wednesday: Red & White Table Runner to be Re-Quilted

Do you ever have times like this: you've already "finished" the project, but you're not satisfied? That's what I'm dealing with in this table runner: I'm not happy with my machine quilting, so I "un-sewed" and will do something different. I'm convinced I'll like it better.

Top: Bright, isn't it?

Back

Sometimes I can't leave "well-enough" alone. 

Tell me about a something that you technically "finished," but decided to take apart to bring it more in line with your expectations.

Christmas Tree Skirt (reversible) almost finished! and Thanksgiving Prep

Patchwork & quilted tree skirt with ties, reversible.

My work in progress: I started this tree skirt before Christmas last year. Apparently I created my own layout since I didn't place the parts of the stars in the right positions. Oh well! I am so happy to finally have the binding and ties attached. The ties are black (made from a small Christmas print) to match the back side, which I also chose to design. I finished hand-stitching the binding to the back this evening after a long day of Thanksgiving meal prep. I want to add some machine quilting to the larger spaces now that I have a new machine (purchased after I'd put this together and did the initial quilting on my old, very old machine)! I'm so glad this will be done for our tree this year! How cheerful and homespun it will look.

Close up of what was supposed to be a star :P

****Don't forget to check out my recent interview of 2 designers featured on my previous blog page!****

I spent most of the day cooking the following:

Roasted & flavored pecans & walnuts

Homemade stock for gravy making

Homemade chocolate fudge

For those of you in the U.S., I hope you have a wonderful Thanksgiving Day celebration!

Newly listed on Etsy: Handmade Black & White Quilted "Picket Fence" Table Runner

I like this design because the stars really shine in the 3 sections, especially when using fabrics with high contrast. It's difficult to photograph so that it doesn't look washed out (or like blah black & white photos). In person, it's bright!

I chose a charm pack from a quilt shop featuring black and white fabrics with bits of yellow/gold here and there (see posting on Nov. 15, though those fabrics are the leftovers). I had to augmented the group with a few others. Then I needed fabric for the back and binding (an excuse to go to the quilt shop, yeah!). I machine quilted with a 1/4" outline in white cotton thread.

back view

I look forward to making more of this pattern in the future, and like I said, I hope to publish the pattern, too! Let me know if you're interested. I'll notify you when its done :)

"Works in Progress Wednesday"

Forest of Trees!

I find paper-piecing of quilt blocks intriguing. The detail in following the patterns can be aggravating since it's so easy to make a mistake: mis-positioning the piece of fabric, using a piece of fabric that ends up too small for the section, flipping the fabric to the wrong side, or....each error necessitating ripping it out or finding another piece of fabric. So why do I like doing it?, you may ask. I like a challenge, even if it gets me into trouble sometimes. I also appreciate the results.

I made these trees last year and have as yet to commit them to something. I'm thinking along the lines of placemats. With winter coming, and the holidays, trees seem appropriate for something.

Have you tried paper piecing? Do you like it? Share some of your "successes" with me (and all of us!). Thanks!

I'm getting some great suggestion on how to trim these trees. Thanks so much!

Top view of runner & quilting

Close up of quilting

   Holiday Twirl: Almost Done!

I thought "Holiday Twirl" table runner should have an encore, now that I've finished quilting it. I still need to do the binding, but I think it's cheerful, don't you?

Back view of runner & quilting

Gardening & Harvesting, the other interest

How about this morning's harvest as well? I planted the carrots in September so we'd have those sweet darlings to enjoy in the Fall.

Now it's time to check out fabric at the store since the local newspaper had a coupon for a shop I haven't been to yet. Maybe those paper-pieced trees will find some fabric to play with!

First Foray into Longarm Machine Quilting

 My sister (sewcraftychick.blogspot.com), niece and I decided to take the "plunge" and try our hands at longarm quilting our finished quilts. We made it "family day" at a quilt shop that rented time on their machines to learn how to do it. I pieced this sweet simple 4-patch quilt & used it for my first attempt--it went pretty well! Not perfect, but satisfying. Now my daughter uses it to keep warm :)

L to R: Julie, Aubrey, Diana

Here we are having a "family quilting retreat" in my upstairs room. We had a wonderful time and this was the weekend my niece, Aubrey, became hooked to quilting at age 16! Now she seems to get more done than my sister and I, ha! ha! Notice the hard-working dog that my sister brought along. If only he'd learn how to hand-stitch the binding instead of napping ;-)

L to R: Aubrey & quilt, me & my quilt, Diana & quilt

I hope you can pass along your love of stitching, too!

Autumn Leaves & Pumpkin Table Runner

Here's the tablerunner I'm trying to finish. I've combined machine embroidery, patchwork, free motion stippling by my home machine (my first time!), and now I'm working on hand-stitching the binding to the back. Once this is done, I hope to include it on my Etsy site that I'll be opening soon!!