Friday Flaunt - Machine Quilting

This week has pretty much been nothing but free-motion machine quilting.

I quilt using my Bernina QE153 domestic sewing machine - with a 7-1/2" throat - so it can sometimes be tedious to work on a large quilt. But with a captivating audiobook loaded on my MP3 player - the latest being The Host by the popular author of the Twilight vampire series, Stephenie Meyer - and a little perseverance, I can get'er done.

I not only finished quilting one quilt (see Tuesday post), but am making great progress on this 60" X 72" quilt that belongs to a friend.

At the moment it's not looking real pretty because so much Golden Threads paper needs to be torn off. Though using Golden Threads paper - pinning perforated paper to the quilt and stitching along the perforations - is my favorite method for getting a precise quilting design onto a quilt, the picking-off-the-paper afterward part is sorta tedious. And following that a good vacuuming is mandatory. Hmm, maybe it's not such a bad thing after all!

Four vertical zig-zag columns will have a feather design.

A finished zig-zag looks like this one. 

Right now, more of the quilt looks like the columns on the left.

Perseverance.

I need some paper-picking friends!

(Did I do okay Friday Frenzied Flaunter Enforcer, Cinzia?)

It's Tuesday and I Can't Wait

... to put the binding on this quilt!

After a week, I've finished the free-motion (domestic) machine quilting on this "Big Sister" quilt for our grand-daughter. The quilt pattern is one large Log Cabin and in each of the logs I played with a variety of  think-as-you-go quilting patterns. 

Starting in the center of the quilt, the easiest thing to do was follow the shape of the printed design.

In the next two logs I stitched little bubbles around each of the print circles.

This is what it looks like on the back. So far, so good. 

I quilted using the fabric print as a guide to make zig-zags and waves.

... including around paisley shapes.

Then, in the plainer-print logs, I quilted her name, Celina, and other names she's called like Celouna, Munchkin...

...and "Celi Celi Celi" in borders at the top and bottom.

... and, of course, Big Sister.

The next step is to add binding - straight along the sides, and scalloped at the top and bottom.

Visit Buttons by Lou Lou for the list of bloggers who are playing "It's Tuesday and I can't wait..." Join us!

Patchwork, and Color in Nature

On Sunday I planted flowers. Er, sorta. I put into the ground the finally-finished, painted patchwork board garden decorations.

Three welcome you to our front door. The other three are beside the garage, getting along with our hydrangea. That hydrangea is a fighter. Of a group of four, it's the lone survivor that returned to life after being dormant for two years! I guess lots of spring rain does that.

As I was hanging laundry outside, this pretty thing alighted on a sheet. Lovely colors, yes? I think it's of the butterfly variety called Fritillary.

And this morning I admired these wildflowers while walking the dog at Raccoon River Park. The white blossoms are Whorled Milkweed and the yellow stalk is Common Mullein

I'm appreciating God's colorful workmanship. I hope you are too. 

Happy Independence Day

An Aussie Whatcha Call-it

For our grandson who is expected in October in Sydney, Australia, I've made this... hmm, not sure what to call it! 

I combined two ideas from Australian designers:  Kiki Koala by Funky Friends Factory, and Bambino by Melly & Me

Kiki Koala's head and arms are made of flannel, and the Bambino "body" is Minkee Blankee.  

The best part is that I get to deliver this... what do you call it!?

More Machine Quilting

Still machine quilting. Now I've begun the feathers. But look!

When quilted with black thread, the design is barely visible. 

Quilted with a light cream-colored thread, the design is more apparent.  

I think I prefer the light cream, don't you?