Back away from the sewing machine Ma'am. That's right, just step away slowly.
Put down the seam ripper and walk away.
This is what the sewing police would have told me if they had found me this morning free motion quilting.
I was getting FRUSTRATED!
My machine and I were having words.
My thread was breaking. My stippling was not smooth.
I was finding it difficult to FMQ a lap size quilt.
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| My FMQ practice from the Sewing Summit. Not too shabby! |
Oh and let's not forget, this was my first time FMQ anything larger than a baby quilt, and I've only done that once.
I've taken a FMQ class and took another one at the SS. I've practiced on smaller doll size quilt sandwiches with great success- I was feeling so confident, so sure that I could do this and do it well that I jumped right in (after warming up on a practice piece first) and started to FMQ a quilt that is a Christmas gift.
That's right, not a random quilt for my family, a gift. AND I surely had lost my mind choosing a plain background-
go with a busy print people- it will hide your crazy mistakes!
I choose a chocolate brown sheet because 1) I wanted to showcase the FMQ -
go figure! 2) I love the
variegated thread I chose and wanted to showcase that as well and 3) it is a nice balance to the very busy, very scrappy front.
 |
| Keeping it real here people and it isn't pretty! |
I was like a bull in a china shop- charging ahead, determined to keep going- when my thread broke again- a sign for sure.
Time to back away.
Take the
gloves off, take deep breaths- and let's be real, leave the room in a huff, and put some distance between
that quilt and me.
I know I need more practice.
I also know I am not about to take out all of those stitches.
They really don't look that bad, do they?
I need to work in wider sections rather than rows.
I need something that will make my quilt level with the machine bed- so wish my machine was in a sunken table.
I need to use my
Supreme Slider.
I need to remember to decrease my stitch length initially (instead of half way through quilting!)
Oh and yes, I need to remember to take a deep breath. That hopefully washing it will hide the imperfections (of which there are many) and that even though it is far from perfect, I think the recipients will still love it.
And if worse comes to worse, and I don't feel that it is good enough to give as a gift, there is still time to make another one and keep this one for us.
So, I'm going to practice, practice, practice and make it a priority. Because as much as I would love for my skills to improve overnight, you and I both know, that is not happening!
I am sure you are familiar with
Leah Day and her Free Motion Quilting project. I came across
this post today which was ever so timely.
Maybe I'll jump in and join
Cindy's FMQ practice with
Sarah,
Hadley, and
Annabella.
Maybe tomorrow free motion quilting and I will have had enough of a time-out that we can get along again. Because I really do want to get along. I
want to be will be really good at FMQ. So, I'm going to have to jump back in.
Wish me luck!
BTW, today is Day 10 of the 12 Gifts of Christmas! Be sure to check out
Lindsay's fabulous patchwork scarf tutorial and her wonderful and informative blog
Craft Buds. Don't forget to leave a comment to enter to win a $50 giveaway from
Mountain of the Dragon (a really rad shop) too!
Looking for any of the 12 Gifts of Christmas posts? You can find them all
RIGHT HERE as well as the
$250 Fabricworm Giveaway!
