Organizing my Works in Progress

 The McTavish-along is getting off to a good start and I am so glad to have so many folks comment and link up. Isn't free motion quilting fun? And to learn from one another via the internet is just fabulous!

One thing I learned, thanks to fabulous appliquer Karen @ http://karensquiltscrowscardinals.blogspot.com/  (Not Karen McTavish) was that I had become a no-reply blogger! Oh the shame! Seriously, I understand privacy issues, but if you're a blogger like me who is trying to build a circle of like minded friends, or if you're asking a question of a blogger, you really shouldn't be a no-reply commenter. This means folks can't respond directly to a comment you leave! Apparently this setting has a mind of it's own in blogger sometimes and it's a good idea to check to make sure you aren't set to no-reply. (Leave yourself a comment on your own blog and see if the email you get shows no-reply instead of your email addy.)

I've got a ton of half finished projects that have been sitting in my recliner in my studio. Messy, messy. My "studio" is a small room just inside the front door. Can't let it get too messy.


It almost felt like the chair of shame, taunting me with all the unfinished projects. Some are for me, some for classes I teach, some for the shop I work at one day a week. The big grey piece is a commissioned quilt I'm working on.

 I bought another big drawer unit this week. I plan to use it for works in progress and get that chair emptied out!


Got the drawer in place. Looks like I might as well move some pictures off the wall....

Have I mentioned lately that I homeschool my kids? Yep. Never ending battle for time at my house. Today during history, I let the kids doodle while I read aloud.


This sweet girl is a creative one! Look at her doodle! I think my quilting is rubbing off on her a bit. This past week she made a dress! All by herself, no pattern or anything. Now, it's not going to be worn by anything other than a stuffed animal or doll, but still!


I gave the dress a spot of honor on my design wall. She's already using my Janome 3160 to piece a doll quilt. That stop-start button and the speed slider are awesome when teaching a child to sew!


Here's one of my WIP's, a sample for the shop and inspiration for a class I'll be teaching at the end of March. Gotta get a binding done!


 And my main project, a commissioned quilt for a friend. Look at all those tails to finish off. It's going well, but I need to get it done!


I have a border in mind that will involve ruler work and an area of McTavishing where there's a bit of water in the scene.


 Here's a FMQ sample for the shop that still needs binding. I need to get it done and back in the shop. I quilted it at the shop (Sew Simple of Lynchburg VA) on the Janome 8900.

Free motion quilting

It stitched up beautifully and the automatic tension worked wonderfully. No adjustments needed.

Free motion quilting

Then there were these blocks I did on the shop's Janome 15000. These are designs that come in the machine, created by Jill Buckley, aka The Quilt Rat.I need to piece these into a runner or wall hanging.


And another piece for a demo I did a few months ago still isn't done.

 

And this purse, from the post Quilting to add Color, from back in November.....is still just a set of quilted pieces.


 But, look! The new drawer is filled.


And the chair is revealed....sort of.....I threw a quilt over it. Doesn't it look better? Wish I had time to sit in it!


 The blog has seen a huge jump in readers lately, so if you are new, don't forget to follow the blog with whatever method you choose (there are links in the sidebars) or bookmark the page.


14 comments:

  1. Hi Amy,
    I have started following you on Bloglovin. I am a new quilter and will be finishing my first machined quilt in the next month (attending weekly beginner classes). I have never machine quilted, just hand quilting so far. I have all the different feet for my domestic sewing machine but where do you suggest I start? I don't want to just 'stitch in the ditch".
    You can see some of the quilt on my blog.

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    1. Thanks for following! That’s a huge question! A lot depends on the quilt. (I’ll check it out soon) I’d first suggest you don’t experiment with your first free motion quilting on an actual quilt. Get some practice in first. Check out some of my “How To” posts; see the tab at the top of the blog? The first design I teach folks who take a class from me is simple loops, which can work nicely across a quilt.

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  2. I too have started to follow you. Great blog. Some of my daughters and I began sewing very young and are still at it. Why do you leave your tails to bury at the end? That would drive me nuts. I bury them as they occur and my quilt stays tidy, which keeps my brain tidy so it can get more creative.

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    1. I don't leave them all til the end, but if I'm on a quilting roll, I don't like to stop and do them. I'll usually wait until I'm at a stopping point or before I start another quilting session.

      And I have anything but a tidy brain---sometimes there's so much swirling around in my head I don't know if I'm coming or going! I could really use some help with that!

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  3. The "no reply" thing comes and goes. I know that Bloglovin doesn't seem to play well with Wordpress but your info sheds a bit of light on past difficulties. You really are coming along nicely on the tidying up 'thing'. Those drawers are so nice....see through is always a good thing!!!! Love your blog (have I said that already?????) and will be following along on the McTavishing-along. Hugs...................

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  4. i always get a bit more creative after a good tidy up. It never seems to stay tidy very long though. Those drawers look great, put away , but still visible .

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    1. LOL, it’s the creativity that usually requires the tidying up!

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  5. I also like to use a ruler when freemotion quilting but the last time I had a lot of shredding im thinking the speed has something to do with it I changed the thread several times and still had a slight problem I use a 7010 needle I think it makes a smaller hole in the fabric and sometimes 9014 to what is your preferred thread I also have been trying mctavishing and love it there is a sample on my blog
    thanks Diana
    Diana-runswithdogs.blogspot.com

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  6. I love a ton of threads and types. I match my needle to the threads I use. A 70/10 is a bit small for me unless I'm using a ver fine thread. 90/14 is my usual quilting size.

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    1. what type/brand/weight of thread so you prefer

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    2. I mostly use a 40 wt. poly thread when quilting and use several brands. Isacord is my most common thread as it is good quality, affordable, and most importantly, available locally in a large range of colors. I use a 90/14 with it, sometimes a 80/12.

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  7. Great drawers, Amy! And your Sampler lookings very very amazing! You do a great job in those! Thanks for sharing!

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  8. Recently I have bought top rated recliners for my house. Shopkeepers told me that these are the most preferred and are of best quality in the recliner market.I must say,these are actually comfortable and satisfying.

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