Thank you all for the fantastic suggestions for resources I can turn to for improving my machine quilting skills! I spent a lot of time on the internet yesterday educating myself. One of my favorite tips was from my friend Jean (In the Garden with Miss Jean). She said if you quilt a leaf and it looks sort of wonky, just go over it again and it looks like you meant it to be that way. So, I spent some time making leaves, and I had a blast. It is so much more fun to make a Something, than to just sew along in a straight line trying to stay in the darn ditch. My leaves may look a bit crude, buy hey, they are kinda cute.
I also tried to do Pat Sloan's Bubbles, but my bubbles didn't look so hot. I will keep at it though.
The most prevalent suggestion was to check out the 365 Days of Free Motion Quilting blog, which I did. Man, can Leah ever come up with great designs and implementations. A good example of practice making perfect if I ever saw it.
I have 999 more hours of practice to put in, but I tell you, I am having a good time!
40 responses to “Leaves”
You are really getting there!!! And in such a short period of time, you have really done well. I still have about 1,000 hours of practice, but I’ve set my goal and, I think I can, I think I can;)
You are really getting there!!! And in such a short period of time, you have really done well. I still have about 1,000 hours of practice, but I’ve set my goal and, I think I can, I think I can;)
Without checking to see if someone already suggested this, I’ll post it anyhow. As a longarmer, the very first thing we are ever told is that we cannot effectively quilt anything that you cannot draw repeatedly. There’s much to be said for training your hands and brain to do things synchronously. Get yourself a paper tablet and doodle away, without raising the pen, to simulate continuous quilting action. And then get many yards of muslin and a medium weight batting and practice. The faster you press the foot pedal, the faster the stitches come, but you can still move the fabric slowly so as to avoid the elongated stitches that give jagged points and non-smootheness. Play!
Without checking to see if someone already suggested this, I’ll post it anyhow. As a longarmer, the very first thing we are ever told is that we cannot effectively quilt anything that you cannot draw repeatedly. There’s much to be said for training your hands and brain to do things synchronously. Get yourself a paper tablet and doodle away, without raising the pen, to simulate continuous quilting action. And then get many yards of muslin and a medium weight batting and practice. The faster you press the foot pedal, the faster the stitches come, but you can still move the fabric slowly so as to avoid the elongated stitches that give jagged points and non-smootheness. Play!
I like your leaves. I have to get to use my quilter soon. It has been sitting idle too long and I have lots of quilt tops ready to be quilted. The hints above from Margaret,sound good. Happy practising.
I like your leaves. I have to get to use my quilter soon. It has been sitting idle too long and I have lots of quilt tops ready to be quilted. The hints above from Margaret,sound good. Happy practising.
Whoever said “Practice makes perfect” wasn’t kidding. Way to go in making quilted leaves!!!!!
I’m noting these machine quilting sites,too, and appreciate Margaret’s suggestion here.
Hugs!
Whoever said “Practice makes perfect” wasn’t kidding. Way to go in making quilted leaves!!!!!
I’m noting these machine quilting sites,too, and appreciate Margaret’s suggestion here.
Hugs!
Looks like you’re doing really good.
I have decided that I’m going to learn to quilt on my DSM, too. I have made a couple of charity quilts and I’m in the process of making more, then I give myself permission to practice on something that I’m not going to see and obsess over. 🙂
Looks like you’re doing really good.
I have decided that I’m going to learn to quilt on my DSM, too. I have made a couple of charity quilts and I’m in the process of making more, then I give myself permission to practice on something that I’m not going to see and obsess over. 🙂
I LOVE Leah’s blog! She’s awesome, and between her and a class with Beth Ferrier I’m way more confident in doing FMQ, on smaller projects. Keep at it!
I LOVE Leah’s blog! She’s awesome, and between her and a class with Beth Ferrier I’m way more confident in doing FMQ, on smaller projects. Keep at it!
You are doing way better than I did when I first started! Good job!
You are doing way better than I did when I first started! Good job!
WOW! I LOVE these leaves~!!! You will be putting these on your quilts before you know it!!!
Well done! Now I have to start practicing too!
Paulette
WOW! I LOVE these leaves~!!! You will be putting these on your quilts before you know it!!!
Well done! Now I have to start practicing too!
Paulette
you’re leaves are excellent! good job.
Practice is the only way-thank goodness it can be fun practice!
you’re leaves are excellent! good job.
Practice is the only way-thank goodness it can be fun practice!
I get so frustrated with machine quilting. I get all pumped up and determined to practice till I get it right–then I make such a mess that I get discouraged again. Think I’ll check out that blog. Thanks.
I get so frustrated with machine quilting. I get all pumped up and determined to practice till I get it right–then I make such a mess that I get discouraged again. Think I’ll check out that blog. Thanks.
I recently machine quilted for the first time and used Leah’s blog for inspiration. It does take practice but it feels good to say that I made the entire quilt myself, from start to finish.
I recently machine quilted for the first time and used Leah’s blog for inspiration. It does take practice but it feels good to say that I made the entire quilt myself, from start to finish.
Thanks for the mention, but I can’t take credit for the leaves. Everyone should run out – now- go run- and get Show Me How To Machine Quilt by Kathy Sandbach. She was a great quilter and teacher who has developed a terrible illness and can no longer quilt. Her legacy remains in her books and in the innovative and stress free way she taught. Rather than going over your initial design (leaf, star, heart) go around it again (shadow it) and they look marvelous.
Nicole, I really appreciate you bringing this subject up in the first place because we quilters are all in the same boat. Rising fabric prices along with the high cost of having custom work done is affecting what we are able to do. I was able to have use of a long arm through a class and I have lost that resource. I’ve really appreciated all the hints and suggestions that people have given.
Keep up the good work.
Thanks for the mention, but I can’t take credit for the leaves. Everyone should run out – now- go run- and get Show Me How To Machine Quilt by Kathy Sandbach. She was a great quilter and teacher who has developed a terrible illness and can no longer quilt. Her legacy remains in her books and in the innovative and stress free way she taught. Rather than going over your initial design (leaf, star, heart) go around it again (shadow it) and they look marvelous.
Nicole, I really appreciate you bringing this subject up in the first place because we quilters are all in the same boat. Rising fabric prices along with the high cost of having custom work done is affecting what we are able to do. I was able to have use of a long arm through a class and I have lost that resource. I’ve really appreciated all the hints and suggestions that people have given.
Keep up the good work.
http://grassrootsquilting.blogspot.com/2010/08/too-many-projects.html
Look at this post, click on the photos to enlarge and look at the leaves in the sashing. Note that I don’t try for a straight “vein” in the leaf, it’s so much easier to make it curvy. And draw, draw, draw. Get a small dry erase board and sit with it while wathcing tv and Draw. Buy cheap paper in the school section and draw. Buy a nice sketch book to keep ideas in and draw. Did I tell you to draw, 😉 It really is the best training for quilting. Honest!
http://grassrootsquilting.blogspot.com/2010/08/too-many-projects.html
Look at this post, click on the photos to enlarge and look at the leaves in the sashing. Note that I don’t try for a straight “vein” in the leaf, it’s so much easier to make it curvy. And draw, draw, draw. Get a small dry erase board and sit with it while wathcing tv and Draw. Buy cheap paper in the school section and draw. Buy a nice sketch book to keep ideas in and draw. Did I tell you to draw, 😉 It really is the best training for quilting. Honest!
You are inspiring! I sure am enjoying your journey and may gain enuf courage to try my own FM journey. Thanks!
You are inspiring! I sure am enjoying your journey and may gain enuf courage to try my own FM journey. Thanks!
Looking good! I have a friend who says she carries a blank notebook around with her and whenever she has sitting time she doodles quilt designs. Then when she has to do it on the machine, she already knows where the next place to go will be.
Looking good! I have a friend who says she carries a blank notebook around with her and whenever she has sitting time she doodles quilt designs. Then when she has to do it on the machine, she already knows where the next place to go will be.
Check out the quilt a long a few scraps is having. http://afewscraps.blogspot.com/2010/08/quilt-along-and-giveaway.html
Check out the quilt a long a few scraps is having. http://afewscraps.blogspot.com/2010/08/quilt-along-and-giveaway.html
Hang in there Nicole. All of the sudden and before you know it you will be able to quilt like never before. What you once struggled with becomes easy and you’ll want to do more and more. You’ll be dreaming of quilting designs in your sleep! Trust me, been there, done that! –Lynn
Hang in there Nicole. All of the sudden and before you know it you will be able to quilt like never before. What you once struggled with becomes easy and you’ll want to do more and more. You’ll be dreaming of quilting designs in your sleep! Trust me, been there, done that! –Lynn
I recommend Larraine Scouler’s book “Quilting Back to Front”
– Fun and Easy NO-MARK techniques.
Pick fabric for backing that has lines or motifs to follow.
She is an Austrailian quilter from the Blue Mountains near Sydney.
Keep practicing.
Try cross hatch stitching with painters tape. Have confidence.
I recommend Larraine Scouler’s book “Quilting Back to Front”
– Fun and Easy NO-MARK techniques.
Pick fabric for backing that has lines or motifs to follow.
She is an Austrailian quilter from the Blue Mountains near Sydney.
Keep practicing.
Try cross hatch stitching with painters tape. Have confidence.
Thank you for sharing your progress. I too am trying to learn to free motion quilt. I have done what many suggested–draw. The problem is that I really don’t draw well either! I’m anxious to see how you progress.
Thank you for sharing your progress. I too am trying to learn to free motion quilt. I have done what many suggested–draw. The problem is that I really don’t draw well either! I’m anxious to see how you progress.
bubbles are very fun… try drawing them then sit down to quilt.. you can do it!! Also try quilting several panels in a row. You wont have put much work into it and by the 5th one you will see a HUGE improvement.. i promise!
bubbles are very fun… try drawing them then sit down to quilt.. you can do it!! Also try quilting several panels in a row. You wont have put much work into it and by the 5th one you will see a HUGE improvement.. i promise!