I am talking pictures and ripping stitches out, rip it, rip it: frog stitch.
First I noticed that in the pictures yesterday, there were several areas of need on those projects. Don't worry, that's not the ripping I'm doing. Rather, I think that taking pictures of works in progress might be an excellent way to notice areas of design or stitching that need attention. Much better to notice them early on then after you've finishe the quilt.
And then the ripping. Actually this is good ripping if there can be such a thing. As my free motion stitching improves, I find I am ripping more. Yep, not a typo. More! That's because initially I was just working on practice pieces and there seemed to be way to many bad areas of stitching than I could stand re-doing.
Now that I am improving little bit by little bit, if I make a mistake, I want to fix it. Especially like in areas where the stitching is OK, but the pattern is out of proportion to other areas. This is especially true in the plumes on my feather border on my current quilt. I am not very consistent yet with plume size and shape.
I also saw some coments by very talented longarm quilters in which they talked about ripping out entire areas of quilts they are working on including Karen McTavish and Irena Bluhm. Makes me realize the ripping is just part of the stitching!
Amy
Sharing tips, tricks, and inspiration from my own free motion quilting adventure.
WIPs
First a shot of the guy who keeps me away from my quilting the most. Isn't he adorable? Totally worth it.
We finally had some sun and warmer weather, so I thought I'd take some pictures of some FMQ pieces I've been working on lately. Unfortunately, we also had some wind so I needed a little help to keep the quilts still enough to shoot.
Introducing Leah, my assistant and beloved daughter.
These black on white urn pieces are for pillow tops. I'm not too crazy about the first one with the flowers nor my attempt at McTavishing for the background filler. But practice leads to improvement. The urns are fused and machine blanket stitched. The black thread is Mettler cotton 40 wt, which I found to be very linty. The white background fill is done with Bottom Line in white. I think I really like Bottom Line. Think I might trade lusting after fabric for lusting after Superior Threads!
Below is a wholecloth that still needs much work; finish the feather border and do the background fill. But I love this one so far. It was a lot of fun! In the shot below it is on the grass.
A closer shot while on the clothesline. I think maybe I ought to go back and put veins(?) in the feathers with the mauvy thread.
The thread is King Tut in a mauvey nearly solid tone-on-tone and a varigated brown/tan. I love the colors on this quilt, but I'm not sure of the Tut. I like a little more sheen and while varigated threads sure look pretty on the spool, I'm not so sure of the bolder color variations.
This has been so fun! I used very little marking,mainly just for the 'frame', the feather spines, and to figure the placement of the flowers which I tried to place in roundish splashes of color. I think from here on out, I may do a lot less piecing just so I can get to the quilting faster.
I love this fabric. Unfortunately I was only able to get another 1.33 yds. when I went back for more. It's just splashes of colors, not really a batik.
Every photo assistant should have Hello Kitty boots.
After I took these shots I realized the side of the old wooden shed in the back yard would be the perfect place to hang project to photograph. After I do some mowing.
We finally had some sun and warmer weather, so I thought I'd take some pictures of some FMQ pieces I've been working on lately. Unfortunately, we also had some wind so I needed a little help to keep the quilts still enough to shoot.
Introducing Leah, my assistant and beloved daughter.
These black on white urn pieces are for pillow tops. I'm not too crazy about the first one with the flowers nor my attempt at McTavishing for the background filler. But practice leads to improvement. The urns are fused and machine blanket stitched. The black thread is Mettler cotton 40 wt, which I found to be very linty. The white background fill is done with Bottom Line in white. I think I really like Bottom Line. Think I might trade lusting after fabric for lusting after Superior Threads!
Below is a wholecloth that still needs much work; finish the feather border and do the background fill. But I love this one so far. It was a lot of fun! In the shot below it is on the grass.
A closer shot while on the clothesline. I think maybe I ought to go back and put veins(?) in the feathers with the mauvy thread.
The thread is King Tut in a mauvey nearly solid tone-on-tone and a varigated brown/tan. I love the colors on this quilt, but I'm not sure of the Tut. I like a little more sheen and while varigated threads sure look pretty on the spool, I'm not so sure of the bolder color variations.
This has been so fun! I used very little marking,mainly just for the 'frame', the feather spines, and to figure the placement of the flowers which I tried to place in roundish splashes of color. I think from here on out, I may do a lot less piecing just so I can get to the quilting faster.
I love this fabric. Unfortunately I was only able to get another 1.33 yds. when I went back for more. It's just splashes of colors, not really a batik.
Every photo assistant should have Hello Kitty boots.
After I took these shots I realized the side of the old wooden shed in the back yard would be the perfect place to hang project to photograph. After I do some mowing.What I've been working on
I finished my sister's birthday quilt, but didn't get a pic. She said she loved it! My mother's Oodle of Doodles quilt? Done and definitely not appreciated. (no pic) I guess if you are a nurse turning sixty, the gift of a lap quilt is translated into a lap robe--which means you are getting ready for the nursing home. Sigh....
A quilted pillow for a friend of mine with a recent loss of her husband. Done but not mailed. I love this one. I told my hubby that this one makes me want to acknowledge maybe I have a gift or talent for this or something.
Another pillow top or wall hanging (below)I'm working on. Just a few more details in black then I'll fill in the background with white quilting. Forgive the stray black threads.
A quilted pillow for a friend of mine with a recent loss of her husband. Done but not mailed. I love this one. I told my hubby that this one makes me want to acknowledge maybe I have a gift or talent for this or something.
Another pillow top or wall hanging (below)I'm working on. Just a few more details in black then I'll fill in the background with white quilting. Forgive the stray black threads.
I love doing these! It's mostly about the quilting. Fun! Both were done with nearly no marking, just a few stem lines to keep things smooth. I did mark the word 'peace' and the outline of the heart on the cream pillow. I like the freedom of making it up as I go.
I also did a few quick little wall hangings for Valentine's, but again, no pics. Just some pink hearts appliqued on white and then a loopy heart meander around.
Quilt Scandal
The Mid Atlantic Quilt Festival was held out near Virginia Beach and I had planned to combine it with a trip to the beach and aquarium, but the plans fell through.
Imagine my surprise to see a news story about scandal at the show! Apparently on of the Art quilts depicted a somewhat abstract naked pregnant woman who was sitting cross-legged with her girly parts showing (that's the term we use here in this house of preschoolers). Bet that's the first time a censor bubble was used on a quilt on TV.
Here's a link to a story on the quilt. (With the censor bubble) The comments on the story are pretty interesting. Since I might have taken my kids to the show, I have an opinion I'll share here. It's supposedly art and I wouldn't call it pornographic, though it's not to my taste and I don't think the girly parts add anything to the artist's 'message' about homelessness, nor are they necessary. It certainly got the quilt more...umm... exposure! I would have hoped that a quilt that might be considered too graphic might have been hung with a pedestal or something to keep the parts out of the direct line of sight, giving a moment to take in the quilt before your eyes are smacked with a va...girly part. Not an outright cover up, just a way to be warned and a moment to turn away if it is something one would be offended by---especially a moment to guide one's children out of sight. Who would think a quilt show would expose kids to something too adult?
Then again, I'd like a warning before girls in hip hugger pants bend over.
Imagine my surprise to see a news story about scandal at the show! Apparently on of the Art quilts depicted a somewhat abstract naked pregnant woman who was sitting cross-legged with her girly parts showing (that's the term we use here in this house of preschoolers). Bet that's the first time a censor bubble was used on a quilt on TV.
Here's a link to a story on the quilt. (With the censor bubble) The comments on the story are pretty interesting. Since I might have taken my kids to the show, I have an opinion I'll share here. It's supposedly art and I wouldn't call it pornographic, though it's not to my taste and I don't think the girly parts add anything to the artist's 'message' about homelessness, nor are they necessary. It certainly got the quilt more...umm... exposure! I would have hoped that a quilt that might be considered too graphic might have been hung with a pedestal or something to keep the parts out of the direct line of sight, giving a moment to take in the quilt before your eyes are smacked with a va...girly part. Not an outright cover up, just a way to be warned and a moment to turn away if it is something one would be offended by---especially a moment to guide one's children out of sight. Who would think a quilt show would expose kids to something too adult?
Then again, I'd like a warning before girls in hip hugger pants bend over.
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