Quilt Along #1 - Let's Wiggle!

I know .. I have so much to still do before I am up to date, but believe me, I want to catch up FAST!
I don't want to skip a single step, I hope all of you will enjoy seeing my progress as much as I enjoy doing it..


First of all, I am using a Bernina 180 Artista. As Leah explained, you don't have to drop the feed-dog, all you need to do was set your stitch length to zero, and it worked great!  I had full control of the fabric underneath my hands, it still felt as though the machine 'gripped' the fabric underneath the quilting foot enough not to have it go all over the place.  I have not tried to drop the feed-dog yet, but will give it a go and see which feels better.   

I prepared a 12 inch piece of fabric, and started to 'wiggle', my 1st row was quite small, and did not go so well, but as I went further with the 'U shape stippling', 'Piece sign stippling' also in reverse and the 'Lobster claw stippling' also in reverse I did it on a bit bigger scale and it went great! 

As I got closer to the bottom of the fabric, I thought of jumping ahead a bit.. (I know, I shouldn't, but I had to give it a go) and tried Micro Stippling, 1st quite small, and then even smaller.  It was challenging as I could not really see where I was going, but I think it came out OK.

So here is my 'practice block' on stippling.  I think this will be one of my favorite types of free motion quilting for some time!

Happy quilting.

My sewing room is calling!

I did not get ANY time for any sewing these past few days.  Kayleigh - my 11 month old baby girl had a bit of a cold, and today I had to take my husband to the hospital in the City.  He plays rugby for the local club, and with practice the other day he hurt his wrist.  So now he has to go for an operation....  


But luckily there is an upside to it all.  I went for some retail therapy and bought some beautiful fabric while we where there.  As my previous quilts where mainly 'pink' I could not resist and got some variety.

So far, I find it very difficult to know and decide which colours and prints really goes well together, but I'm sure with time, practice and some good examples it will go easier...

I also got this Sampler Quilt Book - by Lynne Edwards, and by looking at the cover you can see all the lovely quilt blocks that are shown how to make step by step...

  

I really hope that in the next few days things will go back to normal in my house, so that I can get back to quilting.  I have so much to catch up with... ♥

Free Motion Quilt Along

I mainly created a blog, not only to share my personal progress, but I'm doing this purely out of self gratification, and to track my personal growth.  I am new at sewing, and have so much to learn.  Thus far my interest is piecing quilts and quilting them using free motion quilting.  I am following Leah Day's Free Motion Quilt Along, http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/ and even though she is at week 11 I am eager to catch up.

I have pieced two quilts thus far, quilted the 1st poorly, the blocks did not align properly.  But as it was my 1st quilt, I was still proud and eager to start another.

This pattern was published in a local magazine - Craftwise

Everything NEW

I am a new person.  Since I got my sewing machine for my birthday it's as though my life has changed.  I am a mother of 3 children, 16 year old son, 12 year old son, and a 11 month old baby girl, so to make the time for sewing, is the real obstacle.  I find myself when everyone is asleep busy quilting, or looking on the web for new refreshing ideas.  This quilt was the 1st and I'm sure of many to come that I have pieced and quilted.  I have never felt more proud!


My husband will sometimes walk into the room, at 1am and I will still be quilting.  It's amazing how time flies when you're having fun, and how little time one has during the day when you still have a family to take care off.  I do enjoy it, and even though I have little time, I make the time!


I am currently following Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting Project, and I enjoy every minute of it.  I am astound the there are still people in the world that share their knowledge for FREE, purely because they enjoy it.  I sure hope that one day I will be able to make a difference in someones life, like the way she has in mine.