1.26.13

I liked having a binder cover so I looked around in my stash for another piece of fabric. This time I was not worried that I would have to throw it away if it was too small for the notebook because I had Plan B--table mats.

 

I used my walking foot and made some straight line quilting then put on the free-motion foot and let go. I enjoyed it so much! Also, I just LOVE this "new" notebook.

1.17.12

A while back, I joined the 2012  Free-Motion Quilting Challenge. See my badge on the right? I carefully chose good but economical fabric, decided to sacrifice a nice batt, inventoried my needle supply, and purchased 505 spray and a spool of variegated thread. Then I watched the tutorial on SewCalGal's blog.

I practiced with a pen and paper. Many times. I waited until I had an entire day with great lighting in my studio and cut and spray basted (for the first time) my sandwich samples together. I selected a needle.

I practiced on a single layer remnant. Not bad, just a little shakey. Tension issues I will work out on the sandwich remnant. That would be next after a break for lunch so maybe I could address the shakey issue.

Gloved and ready. I may not find much in their magazine, but I DO like Fons and Porter quilting gloves. I am about to bring the bobbin thread up to the top and begin on the sandwich remnant. Everything is going just fine! Cute little trial on the sandwich remnant. Time to try the real deal.

Oh-oh! Thread shred. Maybe it is just a fluke. Re-thread the needle. No, that is not it. Wipe the goo off the needle from the 505 spray.

No, that is not it. Adjust the tension up. No. Down? No. TRY A DIFFERENT NEEDLE!    By now, the sun has gone behind a cloud, literally and metaphorically. I tinkered with the light in this picture but you can still see the dismal mood of the situation reflected in the no longer warmly glowing fabric.

One more shred and I am CHANGING THE THREAD. 

This is the back. There are issues with the top thread tension being too loose but that happens mostly near the beginning of the shred. I unsewed at the shreds, brought the bobbin threads up to the top, knotted and buried them. Considering the trouble I had, and the increased tension I carried while determinedly pressing toward the finish, this is not worse than I thought it would look. 

Yes. I changed the thread. I finally finished but not before I decided I still do not care to FMQ. I can HAND QUILT in the time it takes to do this and my results are MUCH MUCH better looking. I have 11 more months to change my mind. We will see.