Linky for New Quilt Blogs for 2012

                         http://marciascraftysewing.blogspot.com/
                           


I just found this great new Linky Party! For those of us with fairly new blogs and less than 50 followers, we can now join this Linky Party and hopefully increase our visibility. I thought this was a great idea! I love the followers I have but it would be great to have more! The more, the merrier!

Thanks for Marcia from Marcia's Crafty Sewing & Quilt Blog! This is so nice of you! And, also, thank you, Raelene of Raelene's Ramblings, for letting me know about this. It's wonderful to follow all these different blogs and get inspired by everyone. I am sometimes overwhelmed at all the talent and projects out there. However, I love seeing it and want more!

Hope you check out all of us smaller blogs out there! So fun to visit with everyone!

April Free Motion Quilting Challenge

Don Linn presented the Free Motion Quilting Challenge this month. I'm used to finishing my quilts by meandering and not following any sort of line. I was a bit nervous! I watched his tutorial which was mainly geared towards marking the pattern. I made this design twice. I encountered problems with my thread and needle the first time. The thread kept breaking and I noticed my needle looked sort of crooked. I changed the needle and everything became so much easier!

I used Fons and Porter fabric pencil to mark the design. It's just dark enough to see and very easy to remove. It practically removes itself while you sew it. I also used Aurifil Mako 50 weight and Bottom Line in the bobbin. I had no problems with tension at all. I would definitely use this method again. I was thinking of using this on the quilt I am machine quilting. I have the center all quilted but I now have 12 blocks left to quilt. It would be great if I could use this idea to finish up that quilt. I'll have to look through my book collection and internet for some patterns I would be able to use. It's so nice to add some variety to my machine quilting. This is exactly why I wanted to try this challenge. So grateful for SewCal Gal for making this available.

Pincushion House

I should be baking or putting together Easter baskets but after 3 busy days at work, I just didn't feel like doing anything related to Easter. So, I decided to finish up my pincushion! I've seen some really adorable pincushions lately. I thought it would be fun to try. I remembered a good friend of mine had bought me a little kit for Christmas. I thought it was just the perfect thing to make. It looks like spring and will be useful. The little roof opens up and sewing supplies can be stored. The roof is the actual pincushion!

My friend, Sarah, send me this kit. I've known Sarah for about 17 years. We met in a sort of odd way. I had just started to get interested in quilting and loved to read Quilter's Newsletter Magazine. They had a little section for "pin pals" that I used to like to browse through. One month, I saw Sarah's name and address. She was from England and was a pharmacist and liked to use the computer. It sort of caught my eye and I decided to write. We've been "pin pals" ever since! Sarah and her family actually came to the US for a visit back in August, 2001. Our families have met and I tried to have a little quilt night at my house while she was here. We had a great time. I wish she lived closer. She's an avid knitter who puts me to shame. I always look at her completed projects on Ravelry. Yes, all her projects are completed. I don't know how she gets so much done!

I suppose I should go do something related to Easter. I'm tired but I'll try.

Isn't this kitty adorable?! I love that bonnet!

Happy Easter!!

Georgiana Shawlette

This shawl is named after Mr. Darcy's younger sister, Georgiana, from Pride and Prejudice. This is one of the many gorgeous projects found in Jane Austen Knits 2011. I just love this publication. The projects are feminine and frilly. This shawl was not very difficult. You can see that a good portion is made from just knitting and purling. The lace pattern is only a small part of the shawlette.

I'll have to say it didn't look very good while I was knitting it. It just sort of hangs and the lace pattern is hard to really see. However, the blocking is what transforms it. The directions were very explicit as to how wide each section should be. I washed it by hand and then wrapped it in a towel to absorb the excess water. I used a tape measure and pins to make the dimensions found in the pattern.

Not sure how well you can see this, but the shawl was pinned to my family room carpeting. I let it stay overnight. It dries rather quickly since the yarn is lace weight and very thin. It's made of 100% Merino wool. The directions actually called for 100% Merino wool sock yarn but I heard that lace weight yarn actually drapes better. I'm happy with the results!

I'm now knitting a pair of socks for my son. I had made him a pair years ago but he lost them in his apartment fire this past December. I bought the exact same yarn so they should look just like his old ones.

Little Things

I decided to make some small projects this past week. It's nice to start and actually finish something for a change! I found this pattern at work and thought it would be fun to make. Another friend at work is making it too. Just a fun little project. All the Easter fabric was on sale at Joann's. Such fun! I think I'm going to fill it with jelly beans!

I made this mug rug for my daughter. It's the same fabrics that I used to make her quilt. I thought it would look cute in her room. I'm planning on putting it in her Easter basket. I machine quilted little swirls over the large hydrangea. That free motion quilting sure comes in handy!

This mug rug was made from leftover fabric from the twister quilt. It looks adorable in my family room. I told my husband he could use it but not to get it dirty!! I just meandered all over this one.

I've also finished my shawl but I have to block it. There are very explicit directions for blocking. That may take me awhile! I can't wait to show you once I get it all done. I'm off to exercise and then grocery shopping. Enjoy your day!!

Blogger's BOM #7

Here is my Block 7 for Blogger's Block of the Month. It was fun, quick and easy. The only hard time I had was when my machine decided to chew up some of my fabric. So annoying! I have a Babylock Quest. It's supposed to be a quilting machine but I wonder! It's quite smooth for free motion quilting but sometimes decides it would rather eat my fabric than sew. Once I got that fixed, it was smooth sailing!!

Here are all the blocks so far. I think they look pretty good together. I can't wait to see what the rest of the blocks look like. I'm also interested in the setting. I guess I just have to be patient and wait. I'm so glad my husband got me these Kaffe Fassett fat quarters. I've really enjoyed working with these gorgeous fabrics. Men do surprise us sometimes, don't they??

Hope everyone has a great weekend. It's cold and soggy outside. I feel it's a great day to stay in and get some sewing done!

Free Motion Quilting Challenge - March

I have been practicing this month's free motion quilting challenge using Ann Fahl's tutorial. This was so much fun! Not sure how well you can see, but I tried flowers, hearts, stars and swirls. I had to get over making loops and actually crossing my thread. I'm used to meandering where you're not supposed to cross threads. It was such fun! I found it easier than meandering. It felt like anything goes and it still looked great. I would definitely use loops to background quilt. I'm happy I tried it and can actually add variation to my quilts now.

                                                            Hearts

                                                   Flowers

                                              Stars

 Swirls


Has anyone tried Leah Day's wholecloth project? I started it but I can definitely see that it will take many attempts to master this technique. I'm not used to sewing on a line. I'm used to meandering quite freely. You have to have so much more control to follow a line. I have veered off so many times! I'm not sure I can even post it. It's a learning experience and really looks like I need to learn!