Express Your Love #3

I can not begin to explain how much fun I'm having making this quilt.  At last I'm ready to start quilting.  What made it even more fun, is that my parents are here visiting from the Cape.  It's been a very long stretch since I've seen them in August 2011, over a year ago.  So you can imagine how much fun it is, having my mom here with me while making this quilt top.  Getting her input and having her see what I'm doing makes it even more special.

The biggest test was the outside curves and the sharp points, but I got it done.  I am very happy with the result.  I like the effect after changing the design of her hair, and I think it gives her a totally different look.  I had hoped when I went fabric shopping for her hair on Friday, that I could have found  vibrant different shades of blue, but when I put these browns and yellow together, I liked it very much.  

I also decided to add a border, a narrow inner purple- and a wider black border.   Then she will be ready to start quilting.  To imagine, there is so far not one single stitch sewn.  I really like the 'No sewing until you quilt it' technique, it makes this art quilt really simple to piece and it opens up so many possibilities.  The sky is the limit, and I love it!

After seeing Leah's tutorials on quilt painting, I would love to try it too, maybe not on this quilt, but  I would definitely give it a go in the future.  It makes the lines look so precise and the colours are really vibrant.

I am linking up to:  UFO Sunday on the Free Motion Quilting Project & Sew Darn Crafty @ Sew Many Ways

Previous Posts:
Express Your Love #2
Express Your Love #1

Update 23/01/2013 - I have started my very own linky party called "Anything Goes - Quilt 'n Sew" which will run every Monday, check it out HERE

Happy quilting.

Express Your Love #2

I am having so much fun making this quilt top.  I think she is coming along very nicely and that I am making good progress.  With regards to the problem I had with the background seam allowance showing through the coloured fabric, I simply cut the seam allowance of the background a bit smaller and it makes a huge difference.  I am hoping where it still shows up a bit, that the quilting will cover it up.

I do however find it much easier to work at night, this summer -especially these past weeks, have been very hot.  The other day we had some chocolate bars, and they where almost completely melted, the kids had fun eating them, I guess I did too, licking out the wrapper made me feel like a kid again.  

Anyway, so far I am happy with my Goddess quilt, I still have quite a lot to do.  At least I already know what she'll be saying...

Previous posts:

Express Your Love #1

I am linking up to:  WIP Wednesday @ Freshly Pieced

Happy quilting.

Express Your Love #1

I decided it was high time I started on my Goddess quilt - Express Your Love.  A quilt many of us are making following along with Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting Project.  

When she came up with the idea that all of us will be working on this quilt together, I thought it would be great to at last learn the 'no sewing until you quilt it' technique.  

Its nice how things come together.  I bought the "No Sewing Until You Quilt It - Super Combo" book, that includes a DVD and 1 yard (big enough for this quilt) of french fuse from her quilt shop Day Styles Designs just before Christmas.  So I had everything I needed to carry on with this project. 

Except experience of course, this will be my 1st try at this technique, and so far it is much easier than first anticipated.

I did however make some changes to the design and that's her hair.  I am having the background all black instead of two colours, I will just quilt in those lines later.

As you can see from the picture below, the curves on this piece is not as smooth as I would have liked it to be.  I just cant get the outside curves right.  I wonder if I should try and needle turn applique those parts instead of gluing them down...  

There is one thing that bothers me about the piecing.  I fused the background colour which is black down first.  But the coloured fabric that goes on top is quite transparent, and you can see the seam allowance through the fabric.  To take this whole quilt apart would mean I will have to start all over.  And I'm more than half way.  I'm also wondering if the quilting itself wont cover it enough to not be so visible...  What would you do?

Another question, to those who also live in South Africa - I have inquired quite a few local online quilt shops, and non of them have french fuse, do any of you know if we have this product available here in South Africa and where I could buy it, or at least a substitute?

I am linking up to:  Leah Day's FMQ Project - UFO Sunday & Flamingo Toes - Think Pink Sundays

Happy quilting.

Looking forward to 2013

Thus far I have randomly made a few quilts, wall hangings, totes and bits in between.  Yet I have so many techniques I want to learn.  Paper Foundation piecing is one of them, so this year I am going to commit to a few BOM's, learning paper foundation piecing and random quilt blocks.

So I've signed up for the following BOM's, mainly to work on my piecing skills and at the end of the year I will end up with at least 3 beautiful quilts.

Skill builder BOM

The Sugar block Club

Lucky Starts Foundation Pieced BOM

With regards to free motion quilting, I plan to this year follow Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting more strictly and she has planned this beautiful  Express Your Love quilt that we'll be working on, not exactly sure how we'll go about making it, but from what I understand we'll learn different piecing techniques to make this and then of course to FMQ it too.  I really look forward to make this...

Express Your Love from Leah Days FMQ Project

And in between I want to learn "No sewing till you quilt it".  I bought the book from Day Styles Designs, and am totally intrigued by this technique.  (Images from Day Styles Designs)

It might seem like a lot, but I'm sure I can do it... I think :-)  

I'm certain if I have a schedule all worked out, I can do it... 

Happy quilting.