Free Motion Challenge Quiltalong

Yes, and yes, don't we love a challenge, especially when we are having fun while getting better at what we love to do.   Yes, Angela Walters of Quilting Is My Therapy is hosting a ten week free-motion quilting challenge.

And how timely since Amy Aderman recently shared her free-motion quilting skills on her domestic with  Quilters' Guild Acadienne members in her program and workshops.  No doubt Amy told you over and over that it takes practice and even more practice to be the free-motion quilter you want to become. 

Angela Walters is saying the same and believes in practice so much that she's putting us to the challenge test.

Here's the intro but you can click on Angela's email link and get her videos as soon as they hit the air.   All the Angela Walters' videos stay on U-Tube.

What's in this for me?   It's motivation to practice....leading to proficiency and a very comfortable level with those free-motion quilting skills and we may even win a prize!  Rev up that machine and get quilting.






 

Pictures are priceless ~

The adage "pictures are worth a thousand words" really holds true when the language is one not known to me.  That being said.....don't these quilts on display speak volumes about color theory.
Color Improvisation 2 - Modern Quilts, a traveling exhibition curated by Nancy Crow.

Here's a sampling photo of these very large, very impressive quilts in color on display.   

 

Watching The Young Grow ~

Yes, there's always a story.....and here is Polly's story about last Wednesday's sew day at the library.

Polly always sends out the invitation that anyone is invited to come - "just bring your own scissors. "

The saga continues.  Polly delivered the supplies to the library right on schedule on sew day morning, then ended up in the emergency room with pneumonia.  Oh, my!   But Paula was on hand to save the sew day for the juniors. 

Paula  helped one young sewist embroidery initials on her outgrown jacket.  What a sweet heart. 

 

Job completed.  The personalized and almost like new jacket is now ready for a younger cousin to enjoy. 

There's never a dull moment with Cara around.   Here she is modeling her fox head mask made especially for the library yoga classes.  Filled with flax seed and lavender to enhance the moments of relaxation.  How fun. 

A grandmother and granddaughter teamed up to make a pillow and enjoyed the process so much, they went off in search of more fabric....remembering that they had an old Kenmore machine in the attic that might just fill the bill to continue sharing the love of sewing together. 

A story with a happy ending is a love story.    This Valentine Day, 2018,  while off to a rocky start, allowed for good works to be  completed, new friends to be made and I'm happy to report,  Polly is on the mend and thankful that the Junior Sew Day went right on as planned.

 



 
 

One Seam Flying Geese!

Yes, the wonder of it all!  Flying geese blocks made with just one seam as seen in The LookBook published by Art Gallery Fabric Studio.  Go there, page 20.  Sew fun.

With two 2 1/2" blocks (the background) and one 4 1/2" x 2 1/2" block (the center) stacked and with one seam.....you've got a 2 1/2" x 4 1/2" goose that flies. 

In this order: 

2 1/2" block face UP
4 1/2" x 2 1/2" rectangle face DOWN then folded back over on itself so raw edges are aligned to the left.  Yes, you'll see 1/4" of the background fabric. 
2 1/2" block face DOWN

Keep aligned  and take to sewing machine and stitch across the top.  Manipulate the center and press.  Sew fun, so easy.

Here's my first block using this technique.  And then, there was two!

 

Seeing Red !!

February (in my mind) always brings forth the color RED.  Valentines and red roses, I guess.   Never mind that Amethyst is the February birthstone and that Ruby belongs with July! 

And the churn dash block can be beautiful in any color, any month.  But today, let's see it in red.

Candy Cane Quilt
Designer - Darlene Zimmerman

Free Pattern Candy Cane Quilt download HERE. 


Who doesn't like polka dots?  Seeing no hands raised as we enjoy Polka Dot Fest....designed by Becky Goldsmith AKA Piece O' Cake Designs.  Get Becky's free pattern download HERE.

Also seeing red in this Red Triangle Squares quilt made by Mary Pepper.   Inspired by Living Large from designers Sarah Maxwell and Dolores Smith.   Get Red Triangle Squares free pattern download HERE.

Oh, yeah,baby! This one is red hot.  Monique Dillard uses multiple hues of red and gives us her "Red Hots"  quilt pattern at a very affordable price at the APQ Shop.  It's a two color quilt:  Red and Red.  That's what we love about red hots.

Thank you All People Quilt for this array of 22  beautiful quilts in red. 

We'll all be seeing red today. 

 

 

 

Pre-cut What?

What might be the hardest thing in getting started?  You know the old saying in love and life 'the first cut is the deepest'.  While that might have different meanings to many, to me it means that because of my love of fabric,  the first cut is the hardest. i.e. cutting into a yard of fabric is much harder than cutting a five inch block in half.  Don't you agree?  So for the January QGA program,  Diane Redfearn, decided to de-mystify pre-cuts by showing how to easily use them in making our forever favorite quilt. 

Here's her program promo tease to jump start our being involved.....

Using Pre-cuts

We seem to collect pre-cuts and then don’t know

what to do with them!! We hope to give you some

ideas and useful suggestions. “

” and earn a Merit Badge!

Bring something you have made from a pre-cut to

show as inspiration. If you don’t have the quilt—

then bring a pattern suggestion and tell us about it!

Diane's trunk show of sampler quilts made from pre-cuts got rave reviews from the audience:

 

Pre-cuts come in several shapes.  Moda put them in our face with their now famous jelly roll.  Next came the charm pack, mini charms and layer cake.  Need I tell you that a jelly roll is a combination of fabrics from a line of fabrics cut into 2 1/2" strips and beautifully rolled and packaged.  Or that a charm pack is a bundle of 5" squares and that a layer cake bundles 10" fabrics together, oh, my!

Now, as Diane asks us.....we have them all in our stash, what can we do with them?   Thanks to her adventuresome self and her internet search, Diane gives us easy access to numerous patterns and video tutorials through Moda Cutting Table (spotlight on the Cake Mix Recipes ).  How delicious is the  "Marzipan" by Amanda of Jedi Craft Girl

Villa Rosa Designs who has put together the most delightful Rose Cards....a card for each of the shops' patterns.  Oh, how fun?

 and Missouri Star....where Jenny tells us to go ahead and skip to the good part...cutting out those hours of cutting....just go for the pre-cuts.   I'm lovin' her attitude and her pages of 836 pre-cut project patterns. 

Thank you Diane for your most interesting and informative program to maximize our quilting time and energy by using simple  PRE-CUTS.










 

Gulf States Quilt Show ~

Plan your road trip: 

Gulf States Quilting Association (Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama and Florida) - better known as GSQA - is hosting it's 17th biennial quilt show April 13-14 in the Northshore Harbor Center, Slidell, Louisiana.

 

 

 

There will be a room filled with show quilts,  lectures and demonstrations, merchants mall and more.

Click on the GSQA events link for details.   

 

 

 

 

 

 

Introduction to Free Motion Quilting ~

 

Free Motion Quilting Workshop

Teacher – Amy Aderman

Friday, February 23 or Saturday, February 24

 

Do you have a stack of quilt tops eagerly waiting to be quilted?  It’s time to learn to quilt on your home sewing machine.  It’s easier than you think and is so much fun!  This class is an introduction to free motion quilting.  You'll learn  the basic free motion quilting techniques and several great quilting designs.  You’ll also learn about basting and how to manage large quilts on a small machine. 

 

 

Amy Aderman....a beautiful lady who shares her talent.  Amy is a sales representative for Blank Quilting, Studio E Fabric, AE Nathan, Stof Fabrics and Air Lite Batting.  She has been sewing for years and quilting for a few of those years.  Amy leans toward the modern aesthetic and focuses on clean lines and open space in many of her quilts. 

Amy will begin her weekend with us on Thursday, February 22 where she will be sharing her wonderful quilting talent with Quilters' Guild Acadienne members and guests.   Want to learn to use your home machine to produce a finished quilt to be proud to show the world? 

When:  February 22 @ 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m.
Where:  Northwood Methodist Church, Lafayette, Louisiana

Amy will follow up with two free motion quilting workshops on Friday and Saturday.  "Entwined" pictured below is just a sampling of the stunningly beautiful quilting Amy allows her home sewing machine to complete. 

Entwined
by Amy Aderman

Also mark your calendar for July 28.  Amy will be the GSQA presenter at the July meeting in Long Beach, Mississippi.