Same Project...Different Day!

When I start a new project, I always think..."ok..I'll have this done by ....??" but never seem to give myself enough time.  I think I could meet those projected dates if I didn't have other things to do...like computer time, grocery shopping, cooking, cleaning a bit, laundry, errands and cat messes, etc.

No more excuses!  Here's the update on the "Zipper Bags Project". 

Have 16 bags finished with the sewing.  

Here's the 6 that are totally complete with glass beads  zipper pulls and for sale in my ETSY Shop.

And I still need to make Glass Beads Zipper pulls for these 10 that are waiting patiently.

Remember a few posts back all my talk about Free Motion Quilting and no more practicing.......just do it?

Well, I did have some fun with FMQ on some of these bags.  They all have different quilting on them even if I made two of the same fabric.  Different sizes too.

Easy quilting here on the elephants. 

FMQ around the flowers printed on the fabric.  (just don't look too closely at the oops!)

Really got "free" doing this one!

I still have some more bag fabrics cut out along with the batting, so whenever I feel like a little FMQ experimenting, I'll do a few more.  But in the meantime, I need to go make more Glass Beads zipper pulls so I can declare all 16 of them finished and ready for my shop.

In the next couple days I plan on making some Disappearing 4 Patch blocks for Quilts for Hurricane Sandy victims.....so are you making some too? 

Thanks for visiting!

More FMQ Fun!

A while ago I shared some of my FMQ (free motion quilting) practice pieces and if you missed that post you can see it here.

Time is always in short supply around here so I decided to stop practicing and start quilting all 12 of the Farm Animals snack mats with FMQ and just GO for it!

I did some basic stippling.......

and some meandering  loopy loops............

and then some curvy S circles......

lots of binding........

 

and they're finally finished and available for sale in my Etsy Shop.

These are perfect if you need a Christmas or Birthday gift for the gal that likes country style decor and animals.

 Fun for sure!

How about you?  Are you still practicing? or just going for it...like I did?

Thanks for visiting..........

Practice What?

When you are as old as I am (no, don't ask me.....I'm as old as dirt!) you want to make every minute count 'cause you never know when you'll be called up yonder.

A friend of mine is teaching herself to do Free Motion Quilting  so I sent her a couple links to videos, loaned her a couple books, and CD of patterns.   Last month at our Tied Together Bee meeting, she showed me what she was doing and all the practice pieces she was doing.

mmmmh!  Practice again?  What about my time?  (Read the 1st sentence above again in case you missed it.)  and all those UFO's waiting?

Thought I'd try to do something different and play a little.  These two FMQ practice pieces were made quite a while ago right after I won Leah Day's book, From Daisy to Paisley.   She's the quilter who started the 365 days of FMQ designs.

Yes, they were fun to do.......and time consuming!  (Read the 1st sentence again..)

My friend got me all enthusiastic again, so I quickly made up a couple more quilt practice sandwiches and got going.

When I need to test my tension before quilting a project, I just grab up one of these quilt practice pieces, do a couple swirls.........and away we GO.

Practice?  Why?  Why not just "practice" some FMQ while making a few snack mats?

Front

Back

Okay...so far so good, and it was fun......so let's do a few more.  The stitches show up better on the backs of the snack mats.



There's more of them, (12 of 'em) but I don't want to bore ya'll to death.

So......do you "practice" first or do you just jump in and do it on a project?  Time's a Wastin' folks!

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Thanks for visiting.

My Fingers are Worn Out!

Remember that commercial for the Yellow Pages...."let your fingers do the walking through the yellow pages"?

Well, my "quilting fingers" have been walkin' for miles, and they are stretched, a couple of them got lost, they're dirty, and  some are almost worn out.  I won't give them up though....not for anything.   I can just hear some of you.  "What is this crazy woman talking about now?"    Curious now?  Go ahead...... scroll down so you can see the first picture..............go ahead.  I double dare you!


TA DA........Drum roll please!  




Presenting.............my "quilting fingers"...

These were bought many years ago and are my original red rubber gripper  fingers for when I do free motion quilting.  There's only 6 of them left.  I used to have more of them for all fingers on both hands.  "Where oh, where, are my  red quilting fingers?"........as she hums to herself.    My cats probably know where they went, but they're not talking.

My secret combination for successful free motion quilting  (it's no secret really.....I just like those words 'cause it makes it sound special ...tee hee)    is:

My Janome 6500 cleaned, oiled, with titanium needle,  FMQ foot, the Supreme Glider for the bed of my machine, AND.....these red rubber fingers!

 Red rubber fingers for my left hand ...

Red rubber fingers for right hand...

For the picture taking, have to show you two pictures....(just not smart enough to figure out how to take a picture  showing both hands at the same time....tee hee).  Unlike the quilting gloves, these red rubber fingers don't get in the way, and you can see exactly where you are going.   They really grip the fabric sandwich well too.


So, okay.....you get the idea.   But,  the main thing is  to see the results of the quilting, right?

Free motion meandering.

Continuous design quilting...front.

Continuous design quilting and meandering.....back.

 

mmmmh! What about the quilting gloves?..you ask.  For me, they are way too hot, too big, too bulky..can't feel the threads to pull them to the top, can't feel the fabrics, they get in the way of seeing well; just don't like them......period!  I tried to use them twice then gave them to a friend.

Now, if I can just remember to buy a couple new sets of "fingers" the next time I'm in my local quilt shop.  Sigh..........sigh.........all the fabrics seem to distract me.


Thanks for visiting.

Meet Leah Day!

You know blogging everyday and finding interesting fun things to talk about sometimes presents a challenge to me; especially since I'm so totally focused on being a fabricholic, obsessive quilter, cat lover, and making it more Fun (SEW FUN QUILTS) for others.   So, I decided to share other blogs, Etsy stores, more Giveaways, and different people with you.  Isn't that what computers are for???  cyber-networking??  and information??

I would like to introduce you to Leah Day from Free Motion Quilting blog. If you are a quilter and haven't met her or heard about her blog, you are missing out BIG TIME!

Last year she challenged herself to do 365 days worth of free motion quilting designs and share them on her blog.  She uses 3 special tools for her free motion work; Supreme Slider, Little Genie Magic Bobbin Washers, and Machingers Quilting Gloves.




Boy, where was she when I started quilting? Oh my gosh, silly me......she wasn't even born yet, look how young she is in the picture.





I hope you enjoy meeting her and you  learn a little something new from her video.  

Have fun.........after all, that's  my name Sew Fun Quilts!   



Thanks  for visiting!