Saturday, December 27, 2014

Gaining on 2014

The weeks leading up to Christmas found me with a little extra time on my hands. With no company expected, nor travel in our plans, and with fewer regular activities to fill my time, I've made good progress on several UFOs. 

First, I free motion quilted Flower Ball. This is a Geta Grama design that's English paper-pieced with papers that replicate the curvature of a ball.

I started this quilt in January, and thought it would take me years to hand stitch. Less than 11 months, in between many other projects including two show quilts, isn't bad.
Flower Ball, 40-1/2" X 40-1/2"
The last time Flower Ball was seen on this blog was in September, as a quilt top. It could have been quilted and finished sooner.

Batting is Orient by Quilter's Dream. I'd never used this type before, and while I like it, a denser batting would have been more appropriate for this wall hanging. Orient would be great for a summer-weight quilt, a stroller throw, or light baby quilt.

Before I began quilting, I used my lucite board and dry erase markers to play around with designs.  

For quilting, mostly I used YLI polyester thread - I love the sheen - to quilt flow-y like feathers in the flower petals. Flower centers are spiral-quilted and surrounded by pebbles.

In the white paths between each flower are more pebbles with the occasional small spiral tossed in. 

The background quilting is an all over orange peel pattern, and is less dense than the quilting in the Flower Ball.

I always like to admire the resulting quilting texture which is usually more apparent from the back.


Flower Ball now hangs above the guest room bed, and I love it there, especially with the aqua ceiling.


With the Flower Ball finish, I moved on to honor a request from four year-old grandson, Austin. I pulled out Star Wars glow-in-the-dark fabrics I had for several months, and with a few other pieces from my stash, put together this top. Batting is Cream Rose that I've had around for a long time. The pattern is a freebie, called "School Pride," from Riley Blake Fabrics. I modified it to not only add the wide strip with Austin's name, but to make the quilt larger than the 46" X 53" pattern. This came out 60" X 71".

Because I can reconfigure my sewing room with sawhorses and hollow core door table tops, I did so for a two-day pin-basting marathon, beginning with the Star Wars top. 

Then, I re-pinbasted this Kaffe quilt (so-called because it's Kaffe Fasset fabrics). The reason I needed to re-baste is explained here. There's a completely different backing on this second basting go-'round.

And then, after pin-basting a third quilt top, "Urban Abacus," (50" X 67") my pin tin was completely empty!

I have my sites on two quilt finishes before the end of the year, so I'm totally in the FMQ groove. Back soon for an update. Linda

20 comments:

  1. Oh my Linda..this flower ball quilt is totally stunning! I can't wait to see what you do with the other three. Your work is amazing.

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  2. The flower ball is amazing. Looks perfect over the bed. My back aches thinking of all of those pins being placed. Very impressive set up for a FMQ marathon.

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  3. You're certainly on a roll! Is that a glass of wine I see while you were pinning? Have fun with all those new projects.

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  4. Oh wow, the flower ball turned out fantastic!! I know all the thought and work you put into it, and it was totally worth it. :D

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  5. Love the flower ball wall hanging Linda, and also Austin's quilt. Great quilting in the Flower Ball.
    Happy New Year

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  6. Beautiful work on your Flower Ball. I hope you send it to a show in the future. The quilting really stands out. The pattern for the Star Wars quilt looks very quick and still looks complicated. I congratulate you on your pin basting marathon. That is the worst part of making a quilt before I got my long arm. I did them all on the floor. Ugh.

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  7. Wow! You ARE on a roll! i love the quilting on your Colour Ball! Beautiful!

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  8. What great progress. I love the quilting you did on the flower ball!

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  9. You and time on your hands in the same sentence? How did that happen?? Love how your quilted the Flower Ball. And you've been very industrious getting the other tops ready. Do you ever, or have you, used spray baste?

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  10. The flower ball is great and good luck getting the others finished.

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  11. Flower ball looks fantastic! Colors are so well placed and balanced. I've watched that collection of hexagons grow and now they've been quilted beautifully. Love the Star Wars quilt. Lucky Austin!

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  12. Your flower ball is just so fabulous! The quilting is nothing less than superb

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  13. Flower Ball is awesome! I love the quilting designs you chose. Also, rather jealous of your door/ sawhorse basting spot. I usually crawl around on the floor!

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  14. Your flower ball piecing and quilting is very very wonderful.

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  15. Your progress is enviable. They are all wonderful.

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  16. Congratulations on the beautiful Flower Ball finish...just gorgeous! I really like Austin's quilt...he will love having it on his bed for many years. Are your fingers sore?

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  17. You go girl go!!! I need to follow your example.

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  18. What a fun set of WIPs you've got at the moment, and nice Geta-ball. :D Wait - you painted the ceiling aqua? That sounds so cool!

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  19. I think my fingers would be sore after all that pin basting Linda. But what an accomplishment to have three of them done. I just got the Christmas decorations down today but this time of year I always get in the mood for cleaning and organizing. Since you moved recently you probably don't have that need but we've been here 11 years now and I know there are some cabinets that have things I haven't used in a long time....best to get rid of them now. I hope your new year is one full of joy and NO health issues! blessings, marlene

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