Crunch Time!
Oh boy. The clock is ticking for me to finish my fair submissions! Maybe I should have just baked a cheesecake or something. lol...
My quilt tops have been ready to quilt for a week or two now, and I've been procrastinating. I've done sample after sample of free motion patterns, but for some reason I'm just terrified to actually try it for real.
After doodling around with thread on several scraps, I decided to attempt FMQ on the small "Fizzy" quilt. GULP. I started with the outer background shapes with a light aqua thread... I did OK enough for non-central areas... but when I tried to quilt one of the four-pointed star parts in the center, I failed miserably. I think I just sort of freaked out and temporarily lost all motor skills. I ended up ripping it out... and haven't touched it since.
I'll be heading over to my mother in law's house Friday night to get a crash course on her sit-down longarm, and I'm really hoping I take to it a bit better than FMQ on my Topaz. Perhaps the table surface will help a lot- I've been considering investing in a quilting table for my machine, and since it's actually a thing I'm guessing it would alleviate a lot of the trouble I'm having trying to quilt larger pieces (if you can call 24x24" "larger").
The plan is to get the inner areas of the snowflake quilt done up so I can bring it home and satin stitch the applique down. Although I seem to have underestimated the size of a 5000 meter cone of thread! I'm not sure if I'll even be able to use this... but it was seriously only $5. And it's darn nice thread.
Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone and decided to try this pattern from Drops Design for my crocheted bag. I did grab some cotton yarn that I had already (yay, stash-busting!), so the only thing it's really costing me is time.
The pattern uses a smaller hook (a C- I'm using a G), so the design isn't turning out as defined as I was hoping, but I like it anyways.
Also, I'm notoriously bad at joining rounds the first few times I try a pattern; add two-color tapestry stitching and I'm bound to make a really wonky edge. I think I'm just going to make it my own by adding a panel of faux leather on the end, with the handle attached to it. Then I'll sew in a zipper and call it good. I think it might be really interesting!
The photos have yet to be mounted. I tried using the fusible webbing from my sewing stash, but I wasn't happy with it. I ordered some dry mount tissue on Amazon, so I'll see if that works any better. I wish I had access to the darkroom right about now... funny how that works. I always need the resources when school's not in session.
Lastly... a sewn tote. I still am not positive on a design for this (yikes). I have three options in my head right now: replicate my yoga mat sling tote, create a slouchy bag with a fold-down top, or some sort of scrappy, structural thing using four rectangles. Descriptive, I know. Ha ha. I'll just have to play around and see what the fabrics want me to do with them...
I guess I've got my work cut out for me this weekend! Oh well. I work best under pressure, and deadlines make me actually finish stuff.
My quilt tops have been ready to quilt for a week or two now, and I've been procrastinating. I've done sample after sample of free motion patterns, but for some reason I'm just terrified to actually try it for real.
After doodling around with thread on several scraps, I decided to attempt FMQ on the small "Fizzy" quilt. GULP. I started with the outer background shapes with a light aqua thread... I did OK enough for non-central areas... but when I tried to quilt one of the four-pointed star parts in the center, I failed miserably. I think I just sort of freaked out and temporarily lost all motor skills. I ended up ripping it out... and haven't touched it since.
 |
| Straight lines are hard. |
 |
| Hopefully those extra poke holes work their way out of there eventually... no bueno. |
I'll be heading over to my mother in law's house Friday night to get a crash course on her sit-down longarm, and I'm really hoping I take to it a bit better than FMQ on my Topaz. Perhaps the table surface will help a lot- I've been considering investing in a quilting table for my machine, and since it's actually a thing I'm guessing it would alleviate a lot of the trouble I'm having trying to quilt larger pieces (if you can call 24x24" "larger").
The plan is to get the inner areas of the snowflake quilt done up so I can bring it home and satin stitch the applique down. Although I seem to have underestimated the size of a 5000 meter cone of thread! I'm not sure if I'll even be able to use this... but it was seriously only $5. And it's darn nice thread.
Of course, I couldn't leave well enough alone and decided to try this pattern from Drops Design for my crocheted bag. I did grab some cotton yarn that I had already (yay, stash-busting!), so the only thing it's really costing me is time.
The pattern uses a smaller hook (a C- I'm using a G), so the design isn't turning out as defined as I was hoping, but I like it anyways.
Also, I'm notoriously bad at joining rounds the first few times I try a pattern; add two-color tapestry stitching and I'm bound to make a really wonky edge. I think I'm just going to make it my own by adding a panel of faux leather on the end, with the handle attached to it. Then I'll sew in a zipper and call it good. I think it might be really interesting!
 |
| Just a lil' bit wonky... |
The photos have yet to be mounted. I tried using the fusible webbing from my sewing stash, but I wasn't happy with it. I ordered some dry mount tissue on Amazon, so I'll see if that works any better. I wish I had access to the darkroom right about now... funny how that works. I always need the resources when school's not in session.
Lastly... a sewn tote. I still am not positive on a design for this (yikes). I have three options in my head right now: replicate my yoga mat sling tote, create a slouchy bag with a fold-down top, or some sort of scrappy, structural thing using four rectangles. Descriptive, I know. Ha ha. I'll just have to play around and see what the fabrics want me to do with them...
I guess I've got my work cut out for me this weekend! Oh well. I work best under pressure, and deadlines make me actually finish stuff.
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