Tag Archives: machine quilting

Orca Bay Mystery Quilt Part 10

Posted on September 6, 2012 | 12 comments

My version of Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay design is finished.  I gave the quilt to a long-armer.  It is the first time that I have trusted someone else to do the quilting on a quilt top that I have made.

Although the long-armer did a good job, she did not do what we had discussed.  She showed me some creative ideas and I said to run with them.  For whatever reasons, her ideas never materialized and she quilted an all-over design.

Because this is a scrappy quilt with so many prints, I am okay with the quilting.  Anything really fancy would be difficult to see (although what we had discussed would’ve been great).

Interior design is not my strong point, so I tried not to get my fancy tv tray bedside tables in the picture.  LOL!

Uh-oh!  Maybe I should have looked before I took this closeup.  Sheesh!  The quilt police may get me for this one!

A closeup of the back of the quilt.

For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 1, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 2, click here.     
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 3, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 4, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 5, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 6, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 7, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 8, click here.
For Bonnie Hunter’s Orca Bay mystery quilt – Part 9, click here.

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Free Motion Quilt Challenge – June

Posted on June 29, 2012 | 30 comments

The June Free Motion Quilting Challenge at SewCalGal is a tutorial by Cindy Needham.  Cindy is a talented and professional quilter who travels all over the world.  She is also an author, a designer, and hostess of retreats.  Be sure to visit her website to see her fabulous quilts!

Cindy gave us so much useful information and lots of practice!  I loved this month!  Cindy suggested the ‘divide and conquer’ method.  In other words, divide the work into sections and then fill in the sections.  Instead of an entire blank canvas (or fat quarter, as in my case) to fill, I could simply concentrate on a section at a time.  Baby steps.

Here’s my piece:

Cindy suggested using a contrasting thread.  Obviously, I didn’t pay any attention to that.  Don’t be like me. 

The only time I changed threads was when the spool I was using ran out.  Yup…I was using up thread, and I emptied three spools.

Do you see the Jester hat in the quilting above?  Wendy, over at Ivory Spring,  does it much, much better!  She has a tutorial on how to quilt the Jester hat.  I need more practice!  I was confused frequently while trying to change directions.

More close-ups:

Thank you so much Cindy!

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Free Motion Quilt Challenge – May

Posted on May 28, 2012 | 15 comments

I am participating in the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge over at SewCalGal.  This month’s free motion quilt expert is the lovely Leah Day, whose blog is the home of the 365 Day Free Motion Quilt Project.  Leah is a fabulous inspiration, both as a quilter, and as a generous fellow human being. 

Leah gave two assignments…a Double Stipple and Railroad Tracks.  Here are my practice pieces.

Yes…I broke the ‘rule’.  You know, the one about using the same thread for the front and the back.  I admit it…I rarely use the same thread in both.  Please don’t tell the quilt police!

And I find that I have trouble creating a large stipple.  There is just something in my brain that won’t tell my hands to create wider spaces.  I did try.  I need to work on that.

Apparently, I don’t do angles either.  These are funny lookin’ tracks for sure.  A bit more practice and I might even like this.  I think the problem, for me, is that straight lines take more concentration.  I don’t want to think too much.

Leah does them both much, much better!

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