My thought for choosing my September goal was to minimize my stress level this month by aiming for something fairly easy to accomplish since I have a quilting deadline in early October. I thought that I would explore and practice a few FMQ sites and try some new things. In hindsight, I was pretty ambitious!
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| Wild Quilting on Craftsy |
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| FMQ journal - Wild Quilting page |
I started a journal when I got interested in learning how to write as part of doing art work. I practiced on any piece of scrap paper I could get my hands on, but I wanted to keep a journal of the different styles of writing that I had mastered (sort of).
I knew that this journal would also be perfect for keeping a record of the FMQ that I was learning.
Focusing on just the Wild Quilting course gave me a chance to do all of that. I now have two and a half pages of notes on Wild Quilting, that I can refer to whenever I like.
In my Lots of projects! post in mid-September, I showed you this little practice piece.
I had also started working on what Christina calls Layered Combinations. These are different designs that are made mostly in a row with lots of echoing and then worked into another row of FMQ designs.
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| Layered combinations |
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| A few Showboats with dense FMQ |
Here is my finished practice piece using Christina Cameli's Wild Quilting.
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| Finished practice piece based on Wild Quilting course |
FMQ Project
As a final project, I created a little black and white wall hanging for my niece. I used improvisational piecing and many black and white scraps.
I started quilting on it with white thread. The bobbin thread was originally a white Bottom Line but when I ran out, I used a taupe one. Not a good idea because I could see the difference. Finally I ended up using the same white thread in the bobbin as in the top.
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| Improv top with lots of\ negative space to FMQ |
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| Quilt top marked and partially quilted |
You can see in the image that I used a blue FriXion pen to mark some of my showboats. Quilting with white thread on white-on-white fabric is nearly impossible without the marking.
This wall hanging project is my OMG for September. I hope to squeeze in a quick post between now and October 1st.
Don't forget to join us for October's Learning QAL. The Goal Setting post will be up on October 1st. See you then :-)
What I learned
- I started off quilting my practice piece very densely. I then figured out that this was not really sustainable. I love practicing my FMQ but I also don't want my finished pieces to be as hard as a board! That's when the quilting designs in the Layered Combinations got bigger.
- Quilting densely is important when you want the un-quilted spaces to stand out. I knew this but for effective FMQ I can't be reminded too often!
- I quilted the practice piece using a King Tut variegated thread. It looks pretty cool, even if you can't really see it in the photo.
- When FMQ with white thread on white fabric, it's important to use white thread in the bobbin. The thickness of the thread is secondary to the colour!!!
- My white fabric is actually a white on white with a flower design on it. It's the most difficult thing that I've ever quilted since I can't see what I'm quilting because of the white thread. This is one lesson I will remember!
Related Links
- September's Learning QAL related posts:
- Lots of projects! September 12, 2017
- Learning QAL - September goal setting September 1, 2017
- Wild Quilting with Christina Cameli from Craftsy
- Learning to write - again April 17, 2016
Linking parties: I will be linking this post to a whole bunch of link-ups. Find out what others are doing and check them out! Monday Making, Design Wall Monday, Moving it Forward, Linky Tuesday,
I love your FMQ piece on the blue cloth. Really marvelous! Kathy
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Kathy!
DeleteYour quilting looks fabulous!
ReplyDeleteThanks so much Em!
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