Friday, March 2, 2012

Giveaway Winner and Quilting

The really cool thing about hosting the Blog2Print giveaway... ah, besides the fact that the prize is so great... is that I already knew almost everyone who entered! I follow most of your blogs, and I count you as friends. The bad part is, "I wanted everyone to win!" But the good part is, "I'm happy one of my friends won."

She's an Aussie who lives in South Australia. Yay Emma! Emma blogs at Sampaguitaquilts, and if you don't already read her posts, you should. She's a young mum of two, and an extremely talented free-motion quilter. She recently switched to quilting on a Bernina 820 and has shared her views about that. Boy, you should see the stuff she quilts!

I follow the blogs of several free-motion quilters whose information helps me with my own free motion quilting. That's what I've been doing lately: quilting.

After reading my friend Karen's FMQ post showing her favorite go-to quilting design, I adapted it for my Disappearing Four-Patch quilt. (Click the "Nine Quilty Tutorials" tab for my Disappearing Four-Patch Tutorial.)

I began quilting the design by making a large comma, circling in and back out. Then I feathered around the comma. And finally I echoed the feathers once (sometimes twice) before moving on to quilt the next comma.

On the back.


These "feather flowers" show up best on a tone-on-tone portion of the pieced backing.

On the front, the design is so busy that the all over quilting doesn't show up very well. I'm glad I didn't spend more time on it, as I completed it in two days.

I'm hand-sewing down binding now.

Mentioning binding makes me want to comment about some younger quilters who are posting about how quickly they can stipple quilt a quilt, and machine sew binding with invisible thread. Well, I'm all for it if you're in a big hurry because your quilt is needed elsewhere.

For me, in recent years, making quilts has become more about developing skill sets and enjoying the process.
An aside: I can quantify my own quiltmaking efforts by telling you that I recently inventoried all my quilted items - quilts, wallhangings, table runners, and pillows. The number totals 114 items... in my possession. That doesn't count the dozens of pieces I've given away. 
When I spend time free-motion quilting, I'm learning how to manipulate the fabrics, try different designs and methods for marking designs, and work with my sewing machine's temperment. FMQing increases my appreciation for the efforts made by quilters who take time to quilt their best - by machine and by hand. And hand sewn binding? Well that's quite relaxing. I make this observation for myself and from observing quilters who sew quilts as a group effort. It's everyone's favorite part! And who can deny that a hand-sewn binding just looks nice?

I'll leave this topic with my point: Making quilts isn't about who can make the most quilts the fastest. It's the adventure and pleasure in the process.

Hmm, I bet you've heard that before. Well, I needed to hear it again. Linda

P.S. I have entered a pillow into Quilting Gallery's weekly online quilt show. You can vote for five pillows and I'd appreciate one vote for mine: "All About Selvages." Thanks!

8 comments:

  1. I love your attitude about racing to finish. It is all about enjoying the process and coming away with something unique and beautiful!

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  2. I totally agree. It's about the enjoyment. Love the look of your FMQ. Hugs,

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  3. yay - congratulations Emma - I've visted Emma's blog (and I'm pretty sure I found her here !) and you're right about her fabulous free motion quilting and such great quilts :)

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  4. Wow! I'm thrilled Linda; thank you so much! (And thank you for the lovely comments, too!)

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  5. Thanks for sharing your FMQ tips and sites. I really want to explore this part of quilting further. Just waiting to find a decent block of time to work with. Might have to service the machine first. She is well overdue.

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  6. Love that quilting Linda, and the back of Friendship Medallion looks excellent. Thats what I will do with mine. I get such a kick out of piecing my backs out of my stash!

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  7. I love what you said about quilting for the adventure and pleasure of it. I feel that way too. I'm not in a race though sometimes I do hurry and push myself to the finish. :) That is only so I can start again!
    Your blog is an inspiration to me.

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  8. Congrats to Emma.
    that is a great quilting design on your quilt. I am going to check out those links.
    I did vote for you pillow.

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