Earlier this month I joined SewCalGal’s 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge. I want to use this challenge as a way to get to know my new sewing machine, George. January’s guest teacher was Frances Moore, and she did a video tutorial on quilting an all-over leaf pattern.
I used a fat quarter of Kona cotton with some scraps of 100% cotton batting to quilt on. I used 40 wt variegated thread by Superior. I roughly divided the quilt sandwich into fourths. My plan was to begin quilting the all-over leaf [ ... ]
Archive for » January, 2012 «
Jan 31
2012
Earlier this month I joined SewCalGal’s 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge. I want to use this challenge as a way to get to know my new sewing machine, George. January’s guest teacher was Frances Moore, and she did a video tutorial on quilting an all-over leaf pattern.
I used a fat quarter of Kona cotton with some scraps of 100% cotton batting to quilt on. I used 40 wt variegated thread by Superior. I roughly divided the quilt sandwich into fourths. My plan was to begin quilting the all-over leaf [ ... ]
Category: free-motion quilting
9 Comments
Jan 30
2012
I’m excited to announce that I get to make a very special baby quilt!!! DD#2 and her hubby just found out they are expecting their first child, which (more importantly) is our first grandchild! Good job, you two!
I’ve been not-so-secretly hoarding fun children’s fabrics for many years now. Since DD#2 loves children’s books, as soon as I saw Eric Carle’s The Very Hungry Caterpillar fabric, I handed over my plastic as quick as I could, and I have a nice little stack ready and waiting. Then they very cleverly [ ... ]
Category: Amalya, family
4 Comments
Jan 29
2012
I’ve succumbed! I joined Pinterest, and it’s addicting.
It started out innocently enough, pinning some interesting craft pictures. That led to good examples of free motion quilting motifs and quilts I liked.
Then I thought, “I should post my own quilts,” so I did.
Then I saw something blue. Oh dear, a whole new world of blue things!
Ideas for my home, ideas for my daughters. Organizing stuff and dream studios.
Oh dear, I’ve fallen, and I’ve fallen big! It’s so relaxing pinning on my iPad while watching TV. I’m officially addicted, and I don’t [ ... ]
Category: organizing, other projects
5 Comments
Jan 28
2012
Sapphire Star is now complete! I decided that waiting another six months to finish just wasn’t going to work for me. I wanted it done! But, last night we had movie night at our church. What’s a girl to do? I quickly trimmed the quilt, cut some binding, and sewed it on by machine. All that was left was the hand sewing. I grabbed my gear and we were off for movie night. I sat in the back row and pulled out my handy-dandy Verilux Natural Spectrum Book & Travel Light.
This [ ... ]
Category: blue things, completed!, Sapphire Star, traditional quilts
2 Comments
Jan 27
2012
Exile. How sweet the word! Sweet hubby and I decided to exile ourselves this week. Away we flew in Dad’s RV, away to a nearby, not-to-be-disclosed location, away from phones, away from email, away from the rest of the world. We got to our destination, plugged in, and hunkered down. Yes, there was snow on the ground, but we were warm and toasty inside. We watched movies and read and ate ice cream and pretty much just sat around until our rear ends were sore. Then we laid down and watched more movies. We only left the RV to treat [ ... ]
Jan 17
2012
Earlier this month, we set up George in the folding table that came with it. To my surprise, somehow my measurements were off and the table was 3″ too long for the space that was available. Because of that, when the table was set up, it was nearly impossible to freely move around in my studio. That was okay, though. The plan all along was for George to eventually live in my 4 foot by 8 foot work table. Yesterday, sweet hubby decided he might as well prepare George’s permanent home sooner than later.
We started by carefully studying the custom [ ... ]
Category: studio
7 Comments
Jan 16
2012
I just got my IQA (International Quilt Association) Digital Journal for Winter 2013. It has the award winning quilts from the 2011 IQA Judged Show in it. All I have to say is, seriously? When “Windblown” won the big award at the Houston quilt festival, they told me I would have to say a few words at the awards banquet. Not my favorite thing to do, and I didn’t do it well, either, but no one told me that they were going to print my acceptance “speech” (if [ ... ]
Category: awards, Windblown
3 Comments
Jan 14
2012
Today was Craft Day at our little church. It’s a really nice time where the ladies can all gather together for food and fellowship. We each bring whatever craft we like and sit and work and chat. Ahhh…relax!
I grabbed the Sapphire Star quilt I’ve been hand quilting. It’s been sitting for several months and I really need to start working on it more regularly.
Anyway, I got to church with the quilt, my needles and thread, and my thimble and peacefully began quilting. I’m just doing a simple running stitch 1/4″ away from the [ ... ]
Category: blue things, Sapphire Star, tools
2 Comments
Jan 12
2012
I’ve been going through a slow thaw. Sweet hubby and I traveled to visit my dad last week. We stayed with my brother and sister-in-law who live in California. They’ve been caring for Dad the last few years. My other brother who lives in Japan came, along with his wife and daughter, and my sister and her husband came from Oregon. It was nice having a mini family reunion for a few days.
For some reason, it has been very difficult to recover from the three hour time change this trip. Both DH and I have been moving [ ... ]
Category: family, studio
2 Comments
Jan 03
2012
I realize that sometimes it is a good challenge or deadline that motivates me to get things done. Maybe you work that way too? Within a Quarter Inch is hosting a Studi-O-rganization project for 2012. There will be homework assignments, tutorials, projects, challenges, giveaways, and guest bloggers.
I’m a sucker for all kinds of organizing ideas, so it sounds like fun to me! Plus, I’ve gotta learn how to keep my studio uncluttered and cleaned up. (I know, I know, put things away when you’re done using them!) That’s [ ... ]
Category: organizing
One Comment
