Real Life Quilting Studio

I thought I'd try something new, a video post! I did this very spontaneously just to see if it could be done. A few minutes of footage of what my wreck of a quilting space looks like right now. I think it came out fairly well, considering. Though I had to upload it through Youtube instead of Blogger.

I keep getting sucked into the computer instead of stitching or even blogging, and certainly instead of cleaning. Just keeping it real, no photo styling here!

I think I've written about using a timer before. I use one on my cheapo Trac phone. It actually has quite a few useful tools on it. Good thing since I won't be getting a Smartphone or anything similar anytime soon. It works for me. Too bad it has a snooze alarm! I have got to get more diligent in how I get my work done or else, well, no work gets done!

I hope you enjoy the video. Please leave me a comment and let me know what you thought of it. I think my voice sounded good. Not the audio quality, but just the sound of it. Because if I sounded weird, it would have ended my video production.

Free Motion Quilting Play: White on White

 I saw a picture on Pinterest a few weeks ago and what caught my eye was not really the purse that was being offered for sale, but the backdrop behind the purse. It was an all over quilting pattern done in white thread on white fabric.

I love doing a real free, free-motion piece like that. It's great practice and I needed a background for a few small items I want to photograph. I went to our LQS for a Sit-n-Sew time and took my sandwich with me to work on. Drew a large oval on it and commenced to feathering around it with noting else marked.

After I finished the feathers, I did whatever fill I wanted to until I got bored with it and then switched to a new fill. Fun!

 Then I decided to work on some geometric fills so I got out my grid stencil and trusty blue pen. I'd have rather used a pounce pad to mark, but I only have white pounce powder. If I am diligent and can stay focused --SQUIRREL!-- I will have a shot of the finished geometrics for you in a few days.

Here's another shot of it so far. I've already used it for a backdrop once and it worked great. I find this kind of practice to be so fun! You should give it a whirl!

Rainy Days Quilt

Took my latest quilt outside to take a few pictures. Common sense should have told me that if I wanted to use the kids' playhouse to hang the quilt, I'd have more 'help' than necessary. They are awfully cute though!

 

This quilt measures 74x74 inches and I had no trouble maneuvering it under my 6600P Janome. It wasn't a walk in the park, especially since I used a 70/30 cotton/poly Quilter's Dream batting. It is a very dense batt, though not too puffy. QD poly battings are different from other poly batts I've tried before. They're almost like a blanket.

A shot of the back. I must remember how much it bugs me to use directional prints. I hate that the umbrellas are not all in the same orientation. Can you see the umbrellas I quilted in the larger blocks? I think it turned out pretty cute and it's a great quilt to snuggle under.

Now.....on to the next project! Ummm.....exactly which of the 20 or so unfinished projects is supposed to be next?

Blasted Bobbin!

Or maybe I should title this post, "May your bobbin always be full". I think there's a blog of that name somewhere....

Maybe I should have gotten a fancier machine with a 'low bobbin indicator' as much as I find out I've stitched a long seam without bobbin thread. I will look on the brighter side and remind myself that it's easier to re-sew than it is to rip and then resew. Not that I do much of that......bwahaha! Seems like the more I sew, the more I rip.

Squirrel!

Looky there! Another project. This is for a demo for my quilt group tonight. Karin Hellaby's method of making pinwheels.

 

Ta dah!

Fun! Not sure what I'll do with it yet. I'd make it into a pillow for my daughter, but she hasn't quite learned how to take care of the sewn stuff I give her. Most of it ends up on the floor where it gets trampled upon. Sigh....