Have you seen this?

I added it to my sidebar under Interesting…  It is said zentangle can be used as a form of meditation, to help with focus, to encourage creativity.  Hmmm.  I do think it’s rather interesting.  I used to draw similar things while talking on the phone, being bored in a class, etc.  I just called it ‘doodling’, but maybe it had/has a higher purpose?  It caused me to think about fmq’ing designs, and perhaps sparked some creativity…  What do you think?!



It’s free motion Thursday!

So…sew, I am continuing to practice fmq’ing feathers and pebbles.  I have started to work on outline/echo quilting.  I ‘get’ Diane Gaudynski’s headbands, but am struggling to understand the bouncing banana quilting motif.  Practice.  Practice.  Practice!

I’m looking forward to Friday and the WEEKEND!!!  We’re to have beautiful weather.  ; )

Piecefully, Pam

P.S.  I am also practicing fmq’ing recognizable things…like that leaf for starters?!

Birds of a feather…

I have a friend’s presser foot on loan.  It’s the open toe darning foot.  It seems to be making a difference in my free motion quilting.  That and practice!?

I’ve been working on fmq’ing unmarked feathers.  I LOVE the look of these in a quilt!!!  I have the hope of using them in the border of my Bunny Hill ATAT quilt. The border is fairly narrow so, the feathers need to be controlled yet flowing and organic.  So, Im practicing…

I marked some circles in the border of my Pastel Bubbles quilt this evening.  I plan to fmq bubbles tomorrow evening…provided Mother Nature cooperates?!

Piecefully, Pam

They say

practice makes perfect, but it doesn’t feel that way…  I haven’t actually placed my Pastel Bubbles quilt under my free motion presser foot yet.  Chicken?! Perhaps. Ridiculous?  Maybe.  Finding excuses?  Probably.

I have, however, been doing a LOT of fmq practice.  I have been trying to get a rhythm.  Today my husband commented, “You sound more smooth.”  I have been trying to be smooth.  I want left, right, up, down, sideways, backward, straight, curved movements/motions/designs/sewing to not cross over one another or be jagged. I’m asking a lot.  I know!  That’s why there’s been SO much practice!!!

I am attempting to teach myself which direction a quilt needs to move under my fmq presser foot.  Right or left?  Up or down?  Going which direction can I better see…with a less obstructed view?!  I don’t know unless I figure it out.  The only way I can do that is with p-r-a-c-t-i-c-e!!!

I do have a BSR, but removed it some weeks/months ago.  Then, I was using it, just not plugged in.  It has an open toe, but the electric eye reading part of the foot blocks my view!  So, I switched to a closed toe darning foot and can actually see MUCH better now!  An open toe darning foot is preferred, but I don’t currently own one for my machine.  I’ve added to the top of my wish list though!  ; )

OK.  Since I’m no longer using the BSR electric eye fabric reading foot, I have to learn tempo and speed to control my stitch length.  Lord have mercy, this process has had MANY steep learning curves!!!  And, I feel fairly confident there are more to come…

All that stuff, plus, I want my free motion quilting to have a natural and organic *feel* to it.  Not forced and stiff.  It is my desire to quilt without following a marked design.  To *learn* how to quilt myself out of a corner, to quilt directly on top of another line of quilting to track back where I need to stitch next.  Yeh, I don’t have high expectations or goals…?!

I keep asking myself how many MILES of thread must Diane Gaudynski, Sue Nickels, Sharon Shamber, Hollis Chatelain run through their machines before they felt satisfied with their stitches…?!?!?!

Piecefully, Pam

FMQ’ing

the borders…

I somehow managed to bump a button on my sewing machine and *B-U-S-T-E-D* my needle mid-stitch.  What an unpleasant surprise!!!  I almost peed.  All fixed and now I’m ready to get back at it.

; )

Piecefully, Pam