Wednesday, November 21, 2012

Foot Book

Here's a couple more pages for the Bernina Foot Book.
Foot #18 - Button Sew-on Foot
We sewed on buttons, snaps, hooks & eyes and made a little book to attach to the page.  Remember these little pages are 8 inch square!
Bernina Stitch Regulator (BSR foot)
Using the BSR, we free motioned to attach the various pieces of fabric to make the center square, then applied the flowers.  We then very carefully and v-e-r-y s-l-o-w-l-y attached some beads to the flower center using the sewing machine.

I decided to go back and take some shots of the pages in the little book for the button sew-on foot.


Keep on Stitchin'!

Tuesday, November 20, 2012

Funky Chicken - Block 11

Next to the last block for the Funky Chickens!!!  Where has this year gone????
Nov2012
Nov2012-close

This was an extremely easy one.  I got the whole thing finished from capturing the drawing to digitizing applique and decorative stitches to embroidery to adding the borders in about 3 hours.  No tail feathers on this cute chick!!


Keep on Stitchin'!



Monday, November 19, 2012

November FMQ - Spirals!


This month's tutorial is by Sarah Vedeler.  Her embroidery is stunning and her free motion quilting is as stunning.  We are doing spirals.  First we stitch over drawn spirals.  Next we draw guidelines and create our spirals within those guides.
Sewn over drawn spirals
More practice is needed!!  I also did a row of spirals down the center totally free hand.  They actually look better than following the drawn spirals!
Spirals sewn within guidelines
Guidelines removed
This looks much better.  With more practice, I should get rid of the wobbles, but I'm happy with my progress so far.  Spirals are not easy for me.

Keep on Stitchin'!

In Color Order HST - November Block

Only one more block to go for this BOM!  The November Block is a pretty one.  Amazing how many different looks one can get with simple half square triangles.
Nov2012 - HST
December will reveal the last block as well as suggested layout and finishing techniques.  Soon, I'll have another pretty quilt top ready for quilting in 2013!!  WooHoo!!

Keep on Stitchin'!

Sunday, November 18, 2012

Grandmothers Choice - Week 12

This block is so pretty.  Caused me a pretty headache, too!!!  I started with paper piecing and found I'd not done a good job figuring out how to make sections.  So rather than going back into EQ7  and stretching the brain a bit more, I printed out templates.  So this block is partially paper pieced (with curses and several frog stitching frustrations) and partially pieced after cutting out the shapes.
Little Boy's Breeches - Week 12
Don't you love the name?  Barbara Brackman's Grandmothers Choice Blog tells us that someone saw pants in the shapes of the corners, so gave it the Little Boy's Breeches name.  Love it!

Take a moment to check out Barbara's blog to read what this block means to us women.  Thank goodness for our ancestor sisters in arms so that we can wear breeches!!!

Keep on Stitchin'!

Saturday, November 17, 2012

BlockBase Sew Along - Week 4

Week 4 block is finished! Sure glad I decided to paper piece these rather than rotary cut. Those little squares in the center each measure 7/8 inches finished! Now that's pretty small for my clumsy fingers to hang on to!
 BlockBase Sew Along - Week 4
This block is a bit brighter in real life.  It's actually very colorful, although the outer 3 colors are darker colors.

Keep on Stitchin'!

Thursday, November 15, 2012

Grandmothers Choice - Blocks 10 & 11

I'm caught up until Saturday when a new block comes out. I've been so busy getting these done and posted that I've forgotten to give the names of the blocks! Block 8 - Rocky Road to Kansas, Block 9 - Brick Pavement

Week 10 - New York

Week 11 - Little Red Schoolhouse

I decided to cut from templates for these 2 blocks rather than paper piecing. Some of the pieces are so small on these 8.5 inch blocks! I may go back to paper piecing when I can. I think the Little Red Schoolhouse was damaged a bit during a wind storm! hahahaha

Keep on Stitchin'!

Sunday, November 11, 2012

Grandmothers Choice - Week 9

Another one finished! It helps when they are easier blocks and don't take too long to cut out the pieces and piece. Hmmm...wonder if I can get caught up with these little 8.5" blocks tomorrow??!!!



Keep On Stitchin'!

Grandmothers Choice - Week 8

Another done, 3 more to go to catch up before another is posted Saturday. This one is the same block design as a previous one, Week 2.  (see post 2012/09/New Quilt Blocks-Block-of-Weeks).
Grandmothers Choice - Week 8
On to the next one!!

Keep on Stitchin'!!

Carol Doak BOM - November Block Finished

Each month the blocks get more complicated and prettier!  Lots of practice aligning, but the trick, I'm learning, is to pay attention to those lines.  If I'm off to one side or another on the line at the matching points, sometimes I cannot get the points to match up well.  I removed stitches several times in one spot in this block and after the 3rd time it still didn't match....well, as they say, it was meant to be that way!
Carol Doak BOM-November 2012
Before joining the Carol Doak Yahoo group and participating in this BOM, I would never have attempted blocks like this.  With each block I complete, I get excited at what I just did!

Keep on Stitchin'!

Friday, November 9, 2012

BlockBase Sew Along - Block 3

This month's block has lots of pieces!  Once again, I paper pieced the 8.5" unfinished block using batiks from my stash.  I can see that I don't have enough variety in the darks, lights, mediums but I'm trying hard not to go shopping for more.  We'll see how it goes as this BOW progresses.
BlockBase SewAlong Block 3
Those that have posted their blocks on the EQ blog site have some wonderfully different looks.  Check them out!
I'm behind on the other BOW, the Grandmother's Choice.  I'm hoping to catch up over the next several days....if life doesn't get in my way! <smile>

Keep on Stitchin'!!






Tuesday, November 6, 2012

Another Jelly Roll Quilt

Seems I've neglected a lot of my ongoing projects!  Hmmmm..wonder if all those BOMs and BOWs have anything to do with it????!!!!
This is one of 2 tops I got put together while visiting my friend over the past couple weeks.  Most likely, I'll load this onto my small frame with the Juki and do....something!  While at the Houston Quilt Festival, I purchased a small program for pantographs.  Add this to some other stuff I already have and I think I'm good for a while for these designs.
Jelly Roll Quilt Top
I still have the Jelly Roll Race quilt on the frame and only lack a small portion to finish it.  Really gotta get back to that!

I also seem to remember I have another Foot Book page somewhere around here.  Maybe I'll find it in a  day or so and get it posted.

I really have been working on things!!!

Keep on Stitchin'!




Craftsy - Quilt Top Finished!

While in Houston (actually League City) with my friend, I completed piecing 2 quilt tops and one backing.  We were so busy with going to the International Quilt Market and Festival, that we only had a few days to actually sew.  One of those days was spent doing our own little shop hop of my favorite quilt shops in that area.  Anyway....this top is put together!  WooHoo!!!
Craftsy Quilt Top

I plan to join the new Craftsy quilting lesson which actually uses this quilt to demonstrate quilting techniques.  The class is Free Motion Quilting a Sampler taught by Leah Day.  Sure hope I can do a good job.

No guarantees that this quilt will be finished quickly! hahaha!!!