Finished Floral Postcard

I finished the edge of my little post card/wall quilt from last Friday. It's two layers of zig zag, followed with a straight stitch aligned with the edge of the zig zag. My Janome 6600 has left-aligned zig zag and straight stitch so it was pretty easy. And I used my ditch quilting foot to guide the edge for a nice, straight edge.

When I did the straight stitch, I placed a layer of card stock on the back so it can be used as a giant post card or to record a sentiment or something. It curled a little as shown in the above picture, but a little time in the slammer under a heavy book has straightened it up.

A closer shot of the edge, above. I think the straight stitch makes the line of stitching look smoother and neater.

Eleven people left a comment on last Friday's post for a giveaway of this card. Random.org decreed that number 8, "What Comes Next?" was the winner. If I can get an address, this will be tucked into an envelope and mailed to you asap.

This post is linked up with Free Motion Friday at Leah Day's site and Off the Wall Friday at Nina-Marie's.

Freed from the Creative Funk for Friday

So my last post was a bit cranky and I was feeling a bit out of sorts in a bit of a creative funk that seems to happen between major projects.

Today was a bit better and then I realized another week had past and I had nothing to post at either Free Motion Friday at Leah Day's blog nor at Nina Marie's Off the Wall Friday.

But I decided I would get some free motion quilting in anyway. It was quiet time and the kids were being pretty good so I grabbed a piece of Peltex and a funky bit of batik that someone had given me in a stash purge. I decided I would make a large fabric post card/small wall quilt.

 I decided I would just doodle quilt a flower strategically over the blobs of color. It turned out pretty well and I'm glad because I decided that I wouldn't rip out any stitches. I wanted to stretch myself and curb my perfectionism; do it and have fun. Gave my inner critic the day off too. OK, I confess there was one tiny spot I had to rip.

 Since the ruler toe was still on my Janome Convertible Free Motion Quilting Foot Set and I hadn't done much ruler work on the Janome lately, I did some curved lines using Rhonda Beyers small Double S ruler. I really like doing ruler work on my sewing machine. It's one way of doing background work without getting too dense with a filler.

It ended up measuring about 6.75 x 8.75 inches. I still need to fuse a piece of cardstock to the back and finish the edges. It's far from perfect and there are some spots that really should have been redone but I enjoyed myself.

Leave me a comment and I will pick someone at random to mail it to! (In a manilla envelope)

Quilting Tools 2

This post probably should have come first in my series of Quilting Tools since these are the very basic, most necessary tools for me and many other quilters.

First of course is the machine, a Janome 6600P which is a fabulous machine. It has a 9" throat which is an incredible improvement from a standard sized sewing machine. It could have come with a more comprehensive manual since I am certain it doesn't cover all that this machine is capable of. Don't forget the darning or free motion foot. Janome makes a fabulous free motion foot in high and low shank versions with changeable 'toes' and an adjustable height/presser foot, and it works without the noisy clackety clack of a bar over the needle screw. Love!

Then there are the Machingers Gloves . I always use these. I have tried other methods to give me 'grip' but always come back to these.

Next is the Queen Size Supreme Slider for the bed of my machine. It really helps me move the quilt sandwich more easily. Also note that my machine is recessed into my counter top surface. This helps with handling the quilt and also helps with the ergonomics of sitting at my machine.

Also pictured is a little doodled flamingo for a sick friend who loves flamingos. I'll finish it off as a small wall hanging with a simple zigzag edge finish after I do some quilting on the background.

Now it's time to serve up breakfast, sew I gotta go.....

Edited 5/20/12 to add link for supreme slider. The slider and machingers are available also from Leah Day.

Doodle Quilting

It was a good sermon I swear, but I had to draw the floral pattern on the blouse of the woman in front of me at church. I think I may have a slight addiction here, but my hands just itch when I see a pattern that would make a good quilting design.Then I just had to stitch it out. Here it is in progress. It's on a commercial batik/dyed fabric and it's on top of Peltex, destined to become a postcard to send to a new quilty friend. I'm trying to make some smaller works and I like the idea of postcard type quilts. It's great practice and practice is what builds those quilting skills. I haven't mailed any yet, and I will just have to put it in an envelope when I do. I'm scared to let something like this travel without protection.

How about you? Have you mailed quilted postcards? With or without envelopes? Have you been compelled to draw a design that's on someone's clothes? At least I've moved on from my crazy quilting obsession where I'd want to take scissors to someone's clothing!