Apple Core Sunset / Baby Quilt - You can read about the background to this story at this post.
Appliqued the boat onto the "scenery" panel.
Auditioned and chose a nice dark blue border.
Added a lower section and mounted the sandwich onto the longarm. It's ready for quilting!
I plan to complete it and send it off to its new home in NH next week!
FMQ Practice - Another Leah Day tutorial that I put on my sampler: Cursive Fs. I stitched the top row in from left to right, as though I was using a pen to paper. The second row was stitched in from right to left. I had to analyze the way the letter F was written: up to the right / around and down / loop to the left and repeat. Then, I could figure its opposite and stitch it in backwards: up to the left / around and down / loop to the right and repeat. You can see the opposite slant. It took a few before it was easier and more fluid.
I try to write backwards or upside down or with my non-writing hand. It's no longer writing but drawing and makes the brain think differently. It can be really fun! I like the way they both look.
Instead of filling my panel with the same thing in each row, I thought it would be good to try out different sizes of Cursive Fs. I like how puffy and textured my fabric became with this pattern. I would have never thought it would do that unless I tried stitching it out for myself.
Here it is inside the outline of a leaf. Nice!
This is a light week for me. But I still want to give a big shout out to all the super sewers who visit me through the FMQ Friday post! I would love to hear from you; please give me a shout back!
I did a lot of things in ThistleFire this past week. Hope you enjoy peeking in on it all!
Craft Show - at the Knights of Columbus in Latham. Someone bought my Purple RITY quilt! (it's on the lower right corner of the picture)
Coat Lining Repair - actually, it was a lining insertion. Out with the old ripped lining and in with a new gorgeous one! And I made a scarf to match with leftover fabric. Way too pretty to toss!
Apple Core Sunset - this sky is going to be part of a baby quilt! Here is what I was playing with for a layout of the center panel.
FMQ Practice - I had big aspirations to stitch out FMQ patterns. So far, I have three done!
So far, so good! I hope you are enjoying your time in your sewing room. Lots to do before the holidays. Come on back to see me again!
I have been focusing on putting the final touches on some things for the craft show I'll be at tomorrow. The business card receipts are printed. The produce name tents are packed. The car has all the goodies in it. I think I'm ready to do some selling!
Here's a few things that came out of ThistleFire this week.
BFK Flowers- DONE! This took up most of my time this week. But it was worth it! It's quilted and bound and labeled. All ready to go to the show!
FMQ was added on the flowers, leaves, and borders.
Holiday Runners - Last minute additions for my craft table. They have minimal FMQ that is mostly SID.
OPP - Got a couple of photos from happy recipients. That is a great thing! Seeing your quilts in action.
Jen's Ringing In The New Year
Gail's Blue Star Challenge
There it is. My week in fabric. After this weekend, I'll be focusing on some projects that people want done for the holidays. Got a lot coming up; I hope you'll keep stopping by ThistleFire to see it all!
SSQC - The first club meeting went great! We made a mystery block. Here's mine-
It reminds me of the ocean. But it was the spool of thread block!
We also did our exchanges for the other projects we will work on throughout t year. This one needs a block made to go with it.
And this one needs a border put on it.
Apple Core Sunset - I didn't get to work on this one but I did hang it up to look at it and think about it.
Blue Kaleidoscope Flowers - One block got done. Only three more to go and then it's time to add some borders!
OPP - I made that up. It means the OPPortunity to work on Other People's Projects. This took up most of my time this week. The quilt that was given to me in pieces is assembled and on the long arm!
Here's what the back looks like.
FMQ - I'm linked with FMQ Friday. I liked the pattern Leah offered this week so I stitched it on fabric with fish on it. How appropriate!
My videos are on hold a the moment. My task list is getting full so they are on the back-burner for now. I may do some here and there but not the basic sewing lesson series yet.
I hope you've enjoyed seeing my week in fabric! What's under your needle?
SSQC - I have three preparatory assignments to finish before Saturday morning's Club meeting. I have two of them done. The Round Robin block is all set.
The optional project that needs a center panel with straight edges is no longer circular and is all set. See more info about this block on my Craftsy profile.
The last thing I have to do is cut some strips for a mystery project. Fun!
Winding Ways Throw / FMQ - This project is DONE! Can you believe it? Woo hoo!
The quilting was added by long arm and table top machines. Any circle or melon template work was done on the long arm but the stars on the outer border were all done on the good ol' portable Brother. I did a lot of quilt turning so I was always moving the fabric away from me to ensure the straightest lines I could make. Love it!
My hubby suggested making these curved corners.
It came out great and it's looking for a home. Its in my Etsy shop so if you want it, let me know and we'll get it to you! If you mention you found it through my blog, I'll waive the shipping charge for you. Oh yeah!
Apple Core Sunset - The sky is not falling, it is all sewn together! This will represent the colors in the sunsetting sky.
I am still not 100% sure that I will like this project when I am done. It really is an experiment and I am as curious to see what happens with it as you are!
Blue Kaliedescope Flowers - BKF did not get attention this week (again) since I had to complete my SSQC work, which took longer than I expected. It waits for me.
I love seeing it brightening up the room though. So pretty!
News - ThistleFire has a new member! A Viking Tribute 140C Anniversary Limited Edition Sewing Machine. I am amazed at this machine. It's a digital, computerized, push-button marvel! It even has the ability to sew fonts and simple pictures. The one thing is doesn't do is make my coffee for me! I have signed up for a class in order to really learn how to use it, since it is so powerful. I want to use that power! At the same time, it seems like it is more than I deserve. I'm truly grateful.
Welcome back to another wrap up! I'm linked with Leah Day's Free Motion Friday - hi everyone who is visiting me from there!
ThistleFire is one of my favorite rooms to be in. I managed to overhaul the space and really get things organized. It looks so much better and I can actually FIND THINGS when I need them! It must be in the air! We're all getting things put in their places.
One addition I launched on my blog is the tab for the Sewer's Spotlight. There is one person featured in there right now with several more in the wings. Check it out!
Here's the progress from this past week.
SSQC - Our club's first meeting is on the 14th! Can't wait to see everyone! An optional project that we will be working on in the club requires a completed "center panel, any size as long as it is square" to be brought to class. This panel will be worked on by other club members throughout the year. Here's what I have started for this project.
Yes, I know it's round but it will be square by the time it's done! You can learn how to make this pattern too, if you are in Craftsy. Look for the Precision Piecing class.
Winding Ways Throw / FMQ - I managed to get the long arm quilting done. The rippling circles are a nice feature and show up just great on the back on the red. I plan to do more quilting in the larger outer border and in the small pieces outlining the center circles. I think simple outlining the small pieces would be enough. The outer border will get funky curved line stars.
Apple Core Sunset - Nothing was done on my sunset panel this week. It just sat in its box waiting for me. My puppy thought it would be big fun to steal my spool of purple thread but I got it back before she did anything tragic to it!
Blue Kaliedescope Flowers - Oh, I just love the way this looks a little more each time it gets worked on. Two of the four edges were attached. I'll get to the next two this weekend. They need to be match point pinned before the sewing is done.
Can you say "wow" with me? Carol Doak came up with a winner with this pattern!
Part of the seam was really thick and I thought it was because I was at an 8-point corner. As I
unfolded the panels, I realized that it was NOT an 8-point corner, it was a 12-point corner! Yikes! Thanks to paper piecing, it lined up nicely each time.
You Tube Video - "Basic Sewing Class #1: Preparations" Several people have mentioned that they were interested in learning how to sew. If I had the time, I'd love to go around and hold classes but what I can do is offer video classes. This is some direction on getting prepared, along with some homework!
Isn't it funny how the thumbnail usually chooses a ridiculous looking photo?
I love to hear your comments. I get so few of them! I hope you are inspired to sew with me!
Another week has gone by. What have you done in your sewing room? This week, ThistleFire has many projects in the works. Here's all of my updates!
SSQC - this is the Club I go to - Second Saturday Quilting Club is beginning year 8 in a couple weeks. We have prep work to do for class 1.
This is for the mystery project we will work on at class. My main color is purple. Yay!
I am also signed up for the Round Robin project and the Sampler Quilt Project. Here is what I made for the Sampler. I LOVE samplers! I had to choose my favorite colors and I picked turquoise and peach. I'll show my block, the Crossed Ohio Star, to the other quilters and they will make a block to go with it but I can't look at any of them until June. Can't wait to see what my sampler will look like!
Winding Ways Throw - This has been an interesting progression. I'm trying out some techniques I learned in Craftsy classes.
The quilt is on the long arm and I came up with these ideas for the narrow border design. Wanting to keep curves in the motifs, I chose the top one.
Here it is quilted on the red border.
I wanted to make the circles predominate the top's design. I decided to put three stitched circles in each of them. You can see them: one in the center, one around the edge, and one in-between them. There is crossover with the lines on the half where the light and dark overlap. I'm likin' it!
Apple Core Sunset - All the sky strips are together and they need to be connected. Then the green grassy field will be added to the bottom of it.
I wish I took this in the correct "landscape" layout. If you tip your head over your right shoulder, you can make out the view. LOL Next week's image will be better!
FMQ Practice Panel - Hi fellow FMQ-ers seeing my post from the link with FMQ Friday at Leah Day's site! I did a couple of my own ideas from sketches this week.
This was supposed to look organic and fern-like but I think it looks more like a scorpion. What do you think of it? Not sure I like it.
I do like these though. Little yellow flowers attached in a string. It's fun and pretty and reminds me of summer. I found that sewing them while moving side to side gave better results than when sewing up and down.
My practice panel is full! I could squeeze more stuff in it if I really want to but I think I'll leave it just the way it is. I like the fact I can see my progress in my FMQ ability over the time I took to make this. Some of my early stitches are just terrible but you can also see better stitches in the piece.
Here's the back. It looks good too!
BKF - All of the corner blocks were made and the edging strips are sewn together. They are pinned along on the sides where they need to be stitched.
Crazy Strip Blocks - Since BFK was worked on, I made more crazy blocks. The one on the bottom needs to be pressed and cut to size, obviously! These are such a riot to make! I did a short video about them.
YouTube Video - Yes, it's about how I go about making the crazy blocks.
Thank you so much for stopping by! I'd love to hear your thoughts on my updates! If you like what you see, please follow my blog and subscribe to my YouTube channel. If you want to post something for me to see, you can do that at my Facebook page, Pamelyn's Postings. Have a fantastic holiday weekend! See you next week................
