The Swedish Bloom has Bloomed!

A bright ray of sunshine on this cold Winter day!

I have admired this quilt from Patchwork Please! by Ayumi Takahashi

and as the Winter months just kept getting colder and colder, I decided it was time to dive in!

I didn't want to go out of the house if I didn't have to... so stitching up some bright blooms seemed rather brilliant!

 This quilt required paper foundation piecing...

I chose cute, girly fabrics for the middle of the blooms and gingham around the outside...

The borders are pieced with fun fabrics, keeping with the bright, happy feel of this quilt.

    

I decided to machine quilt narrow straight lines in the sashing.  And then added some pick stitching to outline the blooms and the leaves!  I think the combination really makes the blooms POP!

I finished it off with an embroidered label!

If you are reading this from snowy, cold parts...I hope it brightens your day!  Only a few more weeks of Winter!

happy thursday!

mary

 

Straight Line Quilting....

Okay, I know the first image has nothing to do with quilting, but it does help with the motivation....

I have a weakness for candy corn...and it is October....right?

So back to straight line quilting...I am quilting a baby quilt put together by a student of mine...and I have another class getting ready to quilt - so I thought I would post some tips on straight line machine quilting.... 

I suggest using the same thread in the bobbin as the top thread if you have any issues with tension.  If you use the same bottom and top thread, neither the bobbin or the top thread will show through....problem solved.

I like to use quilting needles - although quilting needles are not the only needles I use in quilting and some people prefer top stitching needles...but at least always use a new needle....

Loosen the presser foot to about 1,  I like to lengthen the stitch to about 3.5  and I would recommend using a walking foot...

I attach the arm on the right side of the walking foot and adjust to the distance I would like between the rows of straight line stitching....

I begin the first row by placing masking tape along the line I want to quilt...

Before you begin stitching decide if you are going to lock your stitches by taking a couple of back stitches or if you will leave a tail of top and bobbin thread...thread a needle with the tail...knot and bury the knot....this takes a little more time and you have to remember to leave a tail at the beginning and ending of each line of stitching.... 

Roll the side of the quilt before feeding it through the throat opening on the machine...if you are quilting a larger quilt, these clips help to keep the rolled section of quilt out of your way...they don't really help that much with a baby quilt...

Use the arm to follow the previous line of stitching.... 

I try to always let the machine do the "work"...so no pulling or shoving the quilt through as you are quilting...go slow when straight line quilting and you should have lovely results with beautifully even stitches... 

I hope this helps...now back to that candy corn and stitching :)

Mary

This and That.....

It is so bloomin' hot in Ohio....way too hot to spend time outside, unless you are out early in the morning.  My poor much neglected garden needs some attention, but it is just going to have to wait.  I will stay in the AC and work on projects while Flanders keeps me company.....

Flanders appreciates the AC, too - can you tell?

I am pretty much committed to doing Zig-Zag quilts with the Far, Far Away fabric....quilts intended for the yet-to-be-born twins.  As I mentioned in the previous post...I am using half square triangles.  To include Rapunzel or the Owl and the Pussycat in the zig and zag right side up....I have been flipping my diagonal line for half of the squares.  That way I can choose squares that feature the characters right side up.

  

That probably seems fairly clear to most, but sometimes the simplest things are the most perplexing!

I have also spent some time straight line machine quilting.  My shoulder feels every stitch!

 

That's about it for today....time to figure out dinner and act like I am earning my keep around here!

Mary