2012 Free Motion Challenge-January

Here's how I practice my FMQ before I get to an actual fabric piece. I bought a dry erasable board and I sit and doodle several  a lot of  times, doing this over and over. It helps make a path for my brain to follow when I get to my practice piece, anyway I have myself convinced of that!!

Now you have my practice piece, ta da!!  I haven't done any FMQ for a long time so it was like starting from scratch again. I am okay with my leaves but I need to work on making them rounder at the base to look more "heart" like. Not many of mine are "heart" looking but they are recognizable as leaves and that's a plus for me. I didn't take a picture of the back but it looks good, only 1 little nest and otherwise, the stitches are fine. I used DMC in the bobbin and King Tut 40 weight in the top and a 14/90 Microtex needle.  I had trouble with my machine stopping now and then and the bobbin icon coming up on the screen. I took the bobbin out and put it back in several times and never did figure out what the problem was. At first, I tried using one of those bobbin mylar inserts and that just didn't work for me. If it happens again, I will need to do some further investigating maybe or call the Bernina store.  I plan to make the Sampler Quilt piece that Sew Cal Gal has on her blog, it will be a good reference in the future. I hope everyone is having as good experience with this challenge as I am and I hope to improve my FMQ a lot in 2012..Sew until next time, have a Stitches kind of day.

I Won on Collector With A Needle 1-1-2012

It's been over 3 weeks since Dawn from Collector With A Needle blog spot notified me that I had won a 12 fat quarters from her give away...I do want to apologize to Dawn for not getting this post written sooner but several things have happened in the last 3 weeks.  We've had 2 deaths in the family and it just befuddles your mind sometimes and it is hard to get focused and I think a lot of you will know what I mean. But I'm not going to dwell on that right now as I really, really want to say a big Thank You to Dawn for the fat quarters that I won. They are really bright and cheerful, as you can see above, and colors that I don't usually buy for myself but I just love looking at these and petting them a little.  (Do you ever pet your fabric? It's really nice). I am mostly an appliquer and some of these are perfect as there are lots of different colors on a single FQ.  Some of the FQ's will make very nice mug rugs, little houses, baskets, and I could go on and on for more ideas.  Wow, I really do like them and from the bottom of my heart, I want to say thanks to Dawn for drawing my name and wish I had gotten this post on here sooner...Sew until next time....have a Stitches kind of day..bye for now.