Tuesday, January 24, 2012

Focus on Free Motion--Simple

Links to all of the blog posts in this series are located in the "Focus on Free Motion Quilting" tab below my blog header image. 
 
So, I've been thinking about making a Swoon quilt. I want my quilt to be smaller than the 80" square quilt you'd get if you followed the official pattern, so I did some drawing and figuring and tried out an 18" version of the block (the one in the pattern is 24").
mermaid swoon
It turned out ok; there were some cutting/calculation errors but got it figured out. I don't super-love the color combination--adding a colored binding around the edge might help with that, I think. I'm going to make this one into a pillow, after I quilt it some more. I've been feeling a little crummy and all I've done so far on quilting this is the curvy outline stitching, just on the white sections. I'm not very good at it, yet, but it's something I want to practice. This is one of the techniques discussed in Diane Gaudynski's Guide to Machine Quilting. I'm not sure how I will quilt the colored segments of this block--do you have any suggestions?

Oh yeah, I caught the backing fabric in my quilting, look:
oops, quilted the backing edge here

Have you ever done that? I've done it before. Oh well. I'm just going to cut the excess backing fabric away from the stitching and pull out the threads of the fabric piece that's caught in the quilting.

Are you almost ready for our end-of-the-month roundup of free motion quilted projects? (And the prize drawing?) What have you been working on?

Thanks to the Focus on Free Motion Sponsors! (only one more week until the link-up!)
 





 

7 comments:

Cheri the Quilting Nanny said...

You do inspire me! I think I am about same "grade" as you for experience. I have also just learned about FMQ and can't wait to get my quilt done to do that! I have practiced on a small patch and it seems easy enough, but with a full size quilt..I know it will be MUCH different. I enjoy reading your blog and will be starting one of my own just to document what I have done and maybe help others as you have. Keep my posted on your journey to being a great quilter!

Colby said...

I love the way you quilted your block! I would never know you're a beginner. The fussy cut center block is so cute as well! Nice job.

Cara said...

I am not looking forward to the end of the Free Motion Quilting Month.

I want it to be a Free Motion Quilting YEAR! I have loved these posts so much, thank you!

Leila said...

Let's not even talk about how many times I have caught my backing in my quilting! :)

Have you ever read Heirloom Machine Quilting by Harriet Hargrave? It is an oldie but goodie and the first book I read when I started quilting. Great examples too.

Cheerful Homemaker said...

I just bought the foot for my machine so that i can teach myself FMQ. I'm nervous! I love all of your tips, though.

~Babychaser~ said...

Just one more evening of binding by hand and I think it's done! :)

Leslie said...

i absolutely have done that before!!!

I love the swoon blocks. i want to make one,just one and use it for something.....maybe on the wall.