An Out of this World Finish on Free Motion Mavericks

Welcome to Free Motion Mavericks, week 329. After making the Pinwheels and Stars blocks years ago, putting them together to make a baby quilt and then using it as my free motion quilting (FMQ) project for almost a year, it's now finished!  

Pinwheels and Stars baby quilt

It's finally over 😊. Although not technically perfect, I really love how this quilt came out.

Pinwheels & Stars  baby quilt finished!

The picture on the chair pose

Chevy's turn

As I mentioned in my #AtoZchallenge2021Quilt (Art) post this weekend, (under U for UFO), I added some swirls, loops and stars. I did it all in white Omni Thread from Superior Threads and my regular lilac WonderFil Konfetti in the bobbin. I did take the time to make sure that these threads worked well together...and they did!

Free Motion Quilting between space related objects

Free Motion Quilting between space related objects

If I'm a little late publishing this post, it's because it's too late to get good pictures of the finished quilt tonight and this is too important of a finish to settle for night pictures. I'm not sure that tomorrow will be much better with all the rain in the forecast, but at least there will be daylight.

Just to recap this project:

• I introduced the Pinwheels & Stars Baby Quilt on May 13 of last year - so almost a year ago!
• I drew some pinwheel FMQ designs that I found on the Internet and started quilting the next week.
• On July 8 I finished FMQ the pinwheel blocks

Seven FMQ designs for pinwheel blocks



• By the end of July, I had found some star FMQ designs and started the quilting in August.
• By the end of November, with a few weeks off for other projects, I finished FMQ the star blocks and started making plans for all of that yummy negative space.

Six FMQ designs for star blocks

This was the original flexible plan.

Drawing of a possible FMQ plan for the negative space

• I then started doing research and practiced drawing the important elements like the Earth and the Moon.
• I also discovered on the NASA and the Canadian Space Agency websites, information about the Artemis Project. I practiced drawing and then in January, started FMQ and added the Earth, the Moon and these to the quilt. If you want to learn more, you'll have to go to the original posts (see Related links).
• The Sun was added in March and then things got productive after that. In April I added all of the other planets of our Solar System as well as some funky and fun stars, nebula and even a UFO! 

Our Universe....so far

What I learned

• It's been an amazing journey. I found some great designs to FMQ the pinwheels and stars. 
• Then came all of the space journey - Wow! 
• The FMQ filler between the space objects was fast and furious. I loved it! I actually did slow down so that my tension would be ok but I just zipped along which was really nice after working so hard on coming up with different motifs for the rest of the quilt.
• I wasn't sure how it would all look before I added the background quilting but I am so, so happy with it. 😁 It's exactly what it needed. 
• I had a bit of a stressful moment when I realised that I didn't have any more backing fabric, which I was going to use for the binding. So I contacted my local quilt shop, Quilty Pleasures, and told the salesperson what I wanted - a very, very light mauve or purple, either solid or close to it. She had exactly what I needed. I ordered it online and picked it up that afternoon.

Related links

Here are the links that I mentioned, in the same order:

• U is for UFO
• Week 4 of #AtoZchallenge2021Quilt (Art), April 26, 2021

• Baby Quilt at Free Motion Mavericks, May 13, 2020
• Pinwheels on Free Motion Mavericks, May 27, 2020
• Finished pinwheels and Free Motion Mavericks, July 08, 2020
• Planning to Quilt Stars on Free Motion Mavericks, July 23, 2020
• FMQ the first star on Free Motion Mavericks, August 06, 2020
• Finished stars and making plans on Free Motion Mavericks, November 26, 2020
• FMQ the Earth on Free Motion Mavericks, January 13, 2021
• Going to Space on Free Motion Mavericks, January 28, 2021
• Celebrating Mars' Perseverance Rover Landing on Free Motion Mavericks, February 25, 2021
• Here Comes the Sun on Free Motion Mavericks, March 18, 2021
• Orbiting planets and funky stars on Free Motion Mavericks, April 01, 2021
• Planets, Stars and More on Free Motion Mavericks, April 14, 2021

Linking parties

This is my April One Monthly Goal...Yeah it's done!!! I will also be linking up to all of those fun finished parties that I don't often link to 😊. Before you check them out, make sure to link up your own project to Free Motion Mavericks below. Put Your Foot Down, Needle & Thread Thursday, Finished or Not Finished Friday, TGIFF!. Brag About Your Beauties, Let's Make Baby Quilts!, Favorite Finish Monthly Linkup, Off The Wall Friday, Can I Get A Whoop Whoop?, Peacock Party, Patchwork & Quilts, Monday Making, 

Very cool news! I was featured on Kelly's Needle & Thread Thursday (NTT) 😊

Free Motion Mavericks

Thanks to those who joined us last time. It was really great to see the SAHRR (Stay At Home Round Robin) Parade Finale at Quilting Gail's. I wish I had joined them in this very cool project, but I did hear that there should be another one next winter, so I'm going to try to plan around that! If you didn't see the great quilts, including Gail's lovely here, do check them out!

Quilting Gail's finish for the SAHRR

It's your turn!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter