Sunday, March 16, 2008

March Fun



Saturday was National Quilting Day. I wanted to do a quick little project to honor this important day. I started on Friday and just ran out of time. But here she is in all her brightness. I wanted something to go on the wall of my office to brightened things up. This sure will do the trick.

This was one of those all in one sewing on the strips and going through all 3 layers. Slick and quick.

Monday, March 10, 2008

Janome Free Motion Foot and ME




I finally received the new Free Motion foot and bobbin case for my Beloved Janome 6600. I have 4 tops ready to be quilted and 3 are already pinned. So I grabbed one of my Quilts of Valor. I knew the first thing I needed to do was all the straight line stabilizing quilting. This is done very easily with the wonderful accu feed system.

The first 2 blocks were stenciled with my blue wash out marker. It was almost impossible to see the lines on all this busy RWB fabric. This was discovered after making these 2 blocks. Then I switched to the continous curve system of no marking. This is quite easy once you get the pattern memorized.

The result was getting 2 tops all quilted. One is even bound and the label sewed on. I made all 3 labels at once using the momogram program on the machine. I still have not figured out how to save lettering on this machine. The second one needs the binding cut and then sewn on to it. That will probably happen today after work.

I sent away for the new accu feed SITD foot and will see if that makes life even easier. I should be able to quilt most of my own as long as I do not let them get too big. I still cannot imagine doing a Queen sized one.

Friday, March 7, 2008

Scrap Quilting



I have never ever done a scrap quilt. BUT, I have been quilting for just 3 years and learning so much with each quilt I complete. The Delectable Moutains I consider scrappy but I am now doing a really huge scrap project. I believe it is called 4 Patch Ladder. I know the pattern came from Quilters Cache which is a fabulous website.

I think there will be lots of red and blue in this quilt from the left overs from the Quilts of Valor. I try not to have any of the same fabric in the same block and that is IT for any rules. And sometimes that even is not the case. It is a big lesson on value.

I am enjoying this and finally figured out what to do with leftover fabric. I cut it into 5 inch blocks or 2 1/2 inch ones. If it is long enough...it becomes a 2 1/2 inch strip.

Thursday, March 6, 2008

Delectable Mountains




This is my very first foray into a scrap quilt. I wanted to make something different for Quilts of Valor. I found the directions for this on Bonnie Hunters website.

If I do this again, and I probably will, I would make the mountain side the same fabric. It was quite confusing trying to get everything in the right direction. Then I had so many seams to line up. I finally decided to line up every other one. I think I could have lined up just the ones on each block also.

But it is done and really quite striking.