FMQ Challenge - Jan

The first challenge was raised by Frances Moore with a meandering leaf motif.  SewCalGal post for Jan is here. Now I know I should be using my DSM, but I just got a new Long Arm ( aka April)  and I REALLY need the practice.  I've read that it takes a year to become proficient at the long arm machine and will the challenge is for a full year, lucky me!!  Right now I can do one thing on the long arm and that's it.   And it's not leaves!!  Well so I spent a little while drawing a few different  leaves and narrowed it down to two.  I liked one and my husband liked the other - go figure :) He is usually right for some odd reason when it comes to quilting - how does that happen????  So I decided to give both a try on a sample. Of course what actually came out was a hybrid of the two, so we were both right! Aw, now that's nice.  And here's a sample of what I have going on. I'm doing this around all the stars and the borders.  So by the time I'm done with this exercise I'll be able to do two things on April and one of them will be leaves. Thanks Frances for a great challenge.

Design Wall Monday - Orca Bay progress Step 8

First of all Happy New Year Everyone!!  My 2012 has gotten off to a great start. I sewed all day yesterday and will have some time today to sew as well.  Ah, but then tomorrow comes and back to the real world.  But I'll enjoy the sewing today while I can.  Have you seen the reveal of Bonnie's Orca Bay - Oh my it is drop dead gorgeous!!!  I think this is one of my favorite patterns of hers.  Oh wait I say that with every Bonnie quilt I make - but no this I REALLY mean it (until the next one :)  Here's my progress so far.  I have a few rows together, not sure I'll be able to finish.  I counted all my pieces so carefully and came up 17 triangles short on the green strings.  Not sure why I thought 110 was a good number, but that's how many I had.  But I love string blocks so I'm getting those done today.  I'm even going to make some extra for the back.  What a great mystery, Bonnie did it again.

I've also got a Bonnie quilt on April, Smith Mountain Morning (now my second favorite Bonnie patter).  I'm quilting pebbles in the white spaces which looks really good given that it's an Army quilt.  I think I'll do a fern like feather in the other blocks.  I want to keep it natural with the camouflage going on, all I can think of is leaves - anyone else have any ideas?   See around the stars how the blocks create a ring?  That's where I"m thinking I'll do the fern feathers.  But really I'd love to hear any ideas that you have.

Linking up with Judy to see everyone's design wall and Bonnie's Monday morning link up.  Fabric Tuesday is back, don't forget to stop by and see the other beautiful creations.

Happy New Year and Welcome 2012!!

Wow 2012 arleady?  Seems like just yesterday we were getting use to the sound of 2000.  Time just goes by so fast.  I hope everyone is enjoying the new year!

Bonnie revealed Orca Bay today, and it is a stunner!!  I was able to put a few blocks together before everyone woke up.  Oh I just LOVE this quilt.   

Back to the sewing room, as long as know one is asking where I am, I'm gonna sew :)

Happy New Year!!!

My first "real" quilt just came off the frame!! and year end summary

This is Fair and Square by Bonnie Hunter.  I had started quilting this on my DSM. I had everything done except the string blocks.  Those were finished on April.  I couldn't wait to share so there's no binding, that will happen later today :)  It will be nice to sit down and sew!  This is another practice quilt and my practice quilts are pretty densely quilted, but I really need some practice on April - we were bonding.  Here's some pictures.    The quilt definitely has texture.  This was all done free hand.  The veins in the feathers and edge of the petals on the flowers in the red squares were marked.

Update - Binding is done!  This one is coming off the waiting to be quilted list and on to the 2011 quilts list!  I think Smith Mountain Morning is going to be next - it's a Bonnie Christmas vacation for me :)   And I'm all caught up in Orca Bay, ready for clue 7 tomorrow.  I think that's something to Whoop about so I'll be linking up with Sarah, stop by to see what everyone else is Whooping about. 

Update:  2011 year in review.  I've added a few of my favorites, what a great quilting year it's been.  Hope 2012 is even better!!  Happy new Year everyone.
 

I'm soooo excited

April and I are bonding!!  I finished on practice piece yesterday.  It took me four days to finish that and each day I saw progress (which was good cuz the first day was really bad!!).  Once that was finished I loaded a practice piece that I had started when I was working on the french braid quilt.  I started a practice table runner for the feathers.   I never finished it.  Well I didn't finish it until today!  And I think it's very difficult to tell which part I did on my DSM vs April.  Which I am pleased as punch about!! 

I did free form feathers, marking the veins. There was a border around the entire thing just like the diagonal strips that you see.  But I got a little carried away trimming it and well, there is no outer border any longer.  Hey it was a practice piece after all :)

Now there are certainly mistakes throughout the entire piece and those will improve with time.  Now I think I'm going to put fair and square on there and see how I do with that one.