Juki Cover Finished!!

I am so thrilled with this little 32 by 40 inch quilt!  There is so much work in this small thing!  First I learned paper piecing, then I practiced my skills at free motion quilting.  I hope you can see the detail in these pictures.  While way down on the level of professional quilter...which I am not and never will be...I am very pleased with what I accomplished.  I feel like the little choo choo train that could! LOL



Juki Cover Finished!!!

Cover at work covering the Juki on the quilt frame

Quilting the in 8" square plain blocks

Quilting in the plain spacer areas

There is a LOT of stitches in this little quilt!!

Keep on stitching!!!

Juki Cover - Quilting Progress

I've begun the quilting on the Juki Cover.  I drew my guidelines, fearing I'm just not good enough to keep things where they should be!  You can see these lines in the photos below.  I used the black Frixion erasable markers by Pilot.  SCARY to draw in black on that fabric, but I'd tested and tested and it really does disappear with the touch of a hot iron.

It's a slow go for me...taking much more time that I expected, but there's lots of quilting in this little quilt and I want to do the best job I can.  I'm using a pale pink variegated thread.  I did the blank area around the center stars and then proceeded to do the stars.  Big mistake!  That pink thread looked white on the colors and ruined the stars.  So I spent an evening picking out that thread. 


Center of the quilt

I found some variegated quilting thread in my meager variegated quilting thread stash that was perfect.  There are no black markings on the stars.  Now doesn't this look better than what a pale thread would look like?  I didn't take a picture of that to show you...I was so disgusted that I had to unpick all that.  My husband said...well if you didn't put them in there, you would have to take them out.....I could have chunked the tv at him! LOL

Center Star

Here's a close up of the quilting in the blank area around the center stars.  This is a technique I learned from May's FMQ Challenge.  

Quilting close up

I also found that using the jumbo hoop from the 830 machine makes FMQing easier for me.  I have something to hang onto and gives me better control.   I think this will come in very handy when I begin the doodle fill for the blank squares.

Til next time, keep on stitchin'!

Juki Cover Test Quilting

Well, it's very apparent that I won't be using the Juki & frame as I had planned to quilt this little quilt. 


Worse than Ugly...it's UUUUUUUUUUgly!!!

Two problems with using the frame and Juki.  One, there isn't enough throat space to get the whole 8 inch block done.  That I could deal with probably, but the second major problem is that the machine seems to roll over a bump or something.  It gets just a tiny bit harder to maneuver, then it releases...which causes a jerk.  Sometimes a little one and sometimes a larger one.  So I guess the Juki set up will be relegated to all over quilting, which it seems to handle very well.  All the tiny movements in this block gave me lots of jerky moves...not all of which were my jerks! LOL  With practice I could make this block look a lot better, most likely, but I don't think I would ever be satisfied with the result on the Juki & frame.  In my next life I will have a full-grown quilting frame and machine!

I will be using my 830 to quilt this cover.  Check out the FMQ section to see how pretty this quilt block looks done on a sewing machine.

Keep on Stitchin'!

FMQ - June Challenge final block

This was such a fun challenge for me.  I've always loved the look of different techniques side by side and never dreamed I could actually recreate the look myself.  My thanks to Cindy Needham, our teacher this month, for giving me the push to try this.

FMQ June 2012

I had really hoped to be able to use my Juki 2010, which sits on a Start Right frame, to quilt this design on a cover I'm making for the Juki set up.  After a practice run, I realize the Juki set up just isn't senstive enough for detail work like this.  Check out my post in the Projects in Progress section.  Ughly with a capital U! haha  So I'll be quilting this design on the cover using my sewing machine and hopefully will do as good a job as I did in the block above.

Keep on stitchin'!

FMQ - update on June's Challenge

This afternoon I finished up my first try block that I posted this morning.  I used guidelines on the inside 8" square, but decided to wing it to create a border.  I do believe I need to stick to some guidelines! LOL  But it was such fun and I'm ready to begin on another block using things learned from the first one.  This is fun!!

June FMQ-1st Try Block Complete

I did horrible on the swirls and waves...oh and those feathers..ugh.  Let's just chalk it up to...hmmmm...let's see...how about - The space was too small to navigate smoothly!  That's my story and I'm stickin' to it! ;-)

I'm just thrilled to be doing such detailed work and it actually looks like I know what I'm doing!  WooHoo  Well, in the picture anyway.  I still need so much practice!!

Keep on stitchin!

FMQ - June's First Attempt

Look what I'm doing!!!  I can't believe I actually did this.  Just have to share.  This was my first attempt!  The blue that you see are guidelines that I have not removed.


June First try!

Ok, back to practicing!

Juki Cover - Progress, Finally!

I have finally gotten the top pieced for the Juki cover.  My BOMs got in the way and those paper piecing fabrics and foundations glared at me the whole time!

Juki Cover Pieced and ready for quilting

You may notice that the final arrangement is not what I created in EQ7.  There's a good reason for that...just promise not to tell!  I screwed up! LOL  Because of my limited background fabric (read as completely ran out), I had to insert 4 of the paper pieced quadrants into a solid block so that I didn't lose any fabric from seams.  So I carefully marked and measured and rechecked and then proceeded to sew them in....on the wrong corner...on all 4 blocks!!!  Aaargh...so this is the arrangement.

I'm working on my FMQ challenge and plan to use this month's learning experience on the Juki cover.  Once I get 'comfortable' with the rhythm of this technique, I want to transfer the rhythm to the Juki and frame.  Check out my progress so far in the FMQ section.

Keep on stitchin'!!

Fat Cat Patterns - June Funky Chicken

I like this adorable plump chicken!!  I think I've said it before, but creating these Funky Chicken blocks each month is just plain FUN!!

I did something a little different this time in the digitizing and trimming.  I scooted the decorative stitch out a bit and didn't trim the fabric as closely to see if I could get a better looking cover stitch.  Remember, I'm hand trimming these appliques rather than using the Bernina Cutwork Tool.  This makes half or more of the decorative stitch off of the stitched applique, but still keeps applique fabric under the stitches...well that was my intention, anyway.  Most turned out pretty good, but I'm still not satisfied.  Will I ever be???  Maybe by the time the 12th BOM is done.....Ya think??? LOL 



June 2012

June 2012 Closeup

By the way, Fat Cat Patterns has a new free BOM that started this month.  The cutest little angels or fairies -  just reverse the fabric colors to get one or the other.  I'm saving them and hopefully one day will make a little girl's quilt for the Linus Project.  Check it out!  http://www.fatcatpatterns.com/

Keep on stitchin'!

In Color Order - June HST

June's Half Square Triangle block has lots of points to match.  There are 4 HSTs that makes up each fabric color.  Seams to match in the center, points to match at the edges.  Sew it together and there are more points and seams to match!! This block didn't press as flat as the others, but not bad enough that the final quilting can't take care of any extra fullness.

June2012 HST

Still made a pretty block, don't you think?

Keep on stitchin'!

Carol Doak 2012 Mystery Quilt - June Block

June's Paper Pieced block is so pretty!  It was an easy one for me.  I'm so glad she is starting out easy for us newbies to paper piecing.   If you aren't a member of her Yahoo group, you should be.  Not only are we getting brand new blocks each month for the Mystery Quilt, we just went over 8000 in membership.  Carol gives new blocks to the group for milestones.  And that's not all!  The group just had it's 6 year anniversary/birthday.  So we just got 3 brand new blocks over the weekend!!  Did I mention these blocks are brand new, gorgeous, free...and gorgeous??!!

Anyway, here's my block for June.

June 2012 Mystery Quilt

Keep on stitchin'!!

Craftsy June BOM - Easy 9-Patches

These blocks were super easy and I did both blocks in under an hour!  I like the updated look with the modern fabric in very old-fashioned block patterns.

The first block is the Greek Cross Block.

June 2012 Block 1

I'm always concerned when using a diagonal stripe fabric, but so far with these blocks they have turned out very well.

The second block this month is the Octagon Block Pattern.

June 2012 Block 2

Talk about easy!  This one seemed to be done before I even got started! 

I'm looking forward to seeing the blocks all put together.  I have a feeling this will be a pretty quilt!

Keep on Stitchin'!