Thursday, July 25, 2024

Stitching and FMQ on Free Motion Mavericks

Hi and welcome. I've had a great relaxing week by the pool. It turns out that 20 minutes in the pool is all I need, so I'm glad that it's not my pool! 😎 I've read lots of books and am slowly putting stuff away in my studio. It was a good week and I'm slowly starting to get back into the groove. I hope that you had a great week also.

Free Motion Quilting (FMQ) in teal


I've put my teal and other blue scraps together to make a small runner. Here is a preview of the final piece. Despite not having the correct foot, I used a couple of my rulers to quilt these. I also did some FMQ because once the first line is stitched, it's relatively easy to follow it to make the subsequent lines without the ruler.

Teal lines made using a ruler and FMQ

The Table Scraps Challenge for July is actually aqua, related to teal, and the theme is butterflies, so this first block is perfect.

FMQ following the fabric lines

Quilting using an oval ruler and FMQ the centre

I've quilted about a third of the piece. Since July's last weekend is in a couple of days, I'll be posting this finish before next week's post - so keep a lookout for it! 😁

Second Kawandi style quilt finished


I finished my second Kawandi style quilt yesterday. I really love it and it was much easier the second time around. I'm thinking of starting another one, but this time with the scraps organised by colour. The down side is organizing the scraps. That could slow me down....we'll see 😊

Second Kawandi style quilt finished

Here are the two finished pieces.

Two Kawandi style quilts

Here they are as seen from the back. I took advantage of the busy back to hide knots when it was too difficult to slip the needle underneath one of the fabrics. That can happen when you get closer to the middle and fabric pieces all overlap.

Two Kawandi style quilts, seen from the back


What I learned
  • Quilting with rulers using an ordinary darning foot is not easy and the stitching is not as even, but it can be done! 
  • I bought a universal foot to use for the rulers but it's too fiddly. If it's not at the perfect height it affects the tension. I got tired of fiddling around with it.
  • I'll eventually buy the Janome foot but I did want to make sure that I would used the rulers first. This trial did help and I would use the rulers with the correct foot.
  • It's great though that I can stitch with the ruler and then use my FMQ abilities to follow the line. Another way would be to mark the lines with a FriXion pen when it's not on solid dark colours (because they can leave a ghost line).
  • I looked throughout my blog but only found one mention of quilting with rulers. I did take a virtual class through Silly Moon in March 2021 but things were so busy that I never blogged about it. I'll have to find my samples to see how I did!
  • I really enjoyed making this second Kawandi style quilt. 
  • I made sure that my top fabrics were slightly over the edges so that the backing fabric wouldn't show.
  • As I mentioned, the only time that I made a knot at the back of the piece was when it was  difficult to make the knot underneath the top fabric.
  • Using a busy backing helped with the knots but you can't see the stitches as well as on solid fabrics. 
  • Part of the joy of making Kawandi style quilts is being able to use random fabrics as you go. I'm hoping that organising the fabrics ahead of time won't take the fun out of it.
  • A solution to that would be to have a few small piles of fabric sorted by colour and then dipping into them as you go. Since the fabrics are applied from the outside to the centre, this would have to be taken into account. Hopefully it won't be too complicated.
  • BTW, the mosquito netting proved to be great but I'm now trying to figure out how to keep it dry when we get a storm. I did buy some plastic tablecloths lined with flannel but the wind made it useless, so I'll have to attach it somehow. I'll let you know how I do!😊
Related links
Linking parties
I'll be linking up to these fun linking parties. 2024 Table Scraps Challenge, Tips & Tutorials on the 22nd, Monday Musings, Design Wall Monday, Sew & Tell, Midweek Makers, Put your foot down, Needle & Thread Thursday, TGIFF, Off The Wall Friday, Finished (Or Not) Friday,

Free Motion Mavericks


Welcome to week 491 of Free Motion Mavericks. InLinks was down but it's back up. Sorry for the delay! Thanks for linking up this week. Here are the two projects from last week that included FMQ, ruler work or walking foot quilting. 

Gretchen of Gretchen's Little Corner has finished quilting "Blooms" another of her smaller quilts. I love the blocks with the hexies 😊! She mostly stitched-in-the-ditch and then inside the centre yellow hexie. What a pretty quilt! 

"Blooms" quilted by Gretchen

Baptist Fans for the borders of "Blooms"

Frédérique finished the first of her two Temperature quilts. This one is for her mother. I just love how she included the weather symbols and legend. She attached the legend with small Velcro dots so that it can be taken down to read the quilt.

Frédérique's unique Quilt Météo (Temperature Quilt) 

Frédérique used some of her pretty machine stitches for the various borders in her quilt. Not only is her quilt pretty but a great reminder of the weather in 2023. From those oranges and red, it looks like the Alps got very hot!

Temperature Quilt with fancy machine stitches

It's now your turn!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
Posted by at 1 comment:
Labels: , , , , ,

Thursday, July 18, 2024

R & R at Free Motion Mavericks

Hello and welcome 😊 The heat is giving us a short reprieve and I'm very grateful for that. I've done very little except a bit of slow stitching. I don't even have the energy to clean up my studio to keep going on the projects that I mentioned last week. When my body and spirit say stop - I've learned to listen!

Kawandi style quilting


Since the last Making Zen event, I've been doing some Kawandi style quilting. You may have seen my first piece which I finished while in Alaska. I've started a second larger piece and am trying to avoid the mistakes from the first. I think that it's going well.

Kawandi Style Quilting - second piece almost done

I just have the centre section to finish. I had other fabrics in mind but changed them since they read more like solids, which didn't really got with the rest. Of course the look changes a lot once it's stitched. 

Kawandi Style Quilting - my stitching tray

This is the tray that I keep my supplies on for stitching outside in the back yard. I've kept this project's supplies on the tray, even for stitching inside. It's great to have everything together. I also have a pouch that contains smaller pieces of fabric that I mostly use for hexies. Most of the fabric for this project came from there.

Mosquito proof swing


It's done and I love it! It has been raining on and off so I've spent some time cleaning up the swing. I going to get a plastic tablecloth from the dollar store to cover the seat so that it can stay dryer. There's not much to do about the humidity but at least it's as clean and dry as it can get right now. 

Swing heaven 😊

The view from the swing

I purchased some cute little solar lights on sale and placed them inside the swing. They only had a few hours of sunlight to charge yesterday but they still worked, at least for a little while. It was very pretty! Unfortunately the camera on my phone doesn't do darkness,

The milk can backed with flowers

What I learned
  • For the Kawandi style quilting, this time I was much more careful about my edges. The bottom fabric is not supposed to show from the top and I did that!
  • Getting the centre part done is still not easy but pins and planning helps.
  • To finish off the Mosquito proofing, I added half of a panel and stitched it by hand to one of the edges. For this half-panel, I stitched it top side up (where you hang the curtain) and then pulled a ribbon through it and attached it to the other side of the opening. I then stitched another ribbon where it can be closed. To get in and out, I only lift up the netting. No need to tie it up every time.
  • I'm enjoying pool siting 😁!
  • I've been reading a bit but mostly listening to audio books. I've discovered Audible's Great Courses lecture series (and many are free with the membership). I'm learning about the Industrial Revolution, and Daily Life in the Ancient World among others. It's the best part about going to school - listening to a good lecturer without the homework! Of course I realise that without taking notes and doing homework that I won't retain a lot, but it's entertaining and I'm actually surprised by how much I retain.
  • I am taking the Practicing Mindfulness course and doing the practice. So far so good. 
  • I'm hoping that my sewing mojo will return, but until then, I'm enjoying the R&R.
Related links
Linking parties

Free Motion Mavericks


Welcome to week 490 of Free Motion Mavericks! Everyone else seems to have had a productive week! Thanks for linking up. Here are the projects from last week that included FMQ, ruler work or walking foot quilting. 

Gretchen is still at it - quilting up her smaller quilts on her domestic machine! These two Ladybug quilts are so cute! The yellow-red ladybug quilt wanted to be quilted with cross-hatching. It worked out really well. You can see the quilting more clearly from the back in the next picture. The second Tulabugs quilt was quilted in an "X" design. You can read how Gretchen did this on her post. 

Front of Gretchen's Ladybug and Tulabugs quilt

The back of the ladybug quilts - check out Gretchen's quilting!

Preeti of Sew Preeti Quilts has a new quilt, Shanvi, in Annie's Perfect Precut Quilts. It's it lovely in the Island Batik fabrics? You can see the publication in the picture below. Congrats Preeti!
Preeti's Shanvi quilt in Annie's Perfect Precut Quilts 

Donnalee of DonnaleeQ made this cute runner for a beginner quilting class. I'm sure that the students will be thrilled with their new skills and runners!

Donnalee's cute runner

Gail of Quilting Gail participated in the Luminous Layers QAL with Sandra of mmm quilts. Gail made two quilts! Gail used FMQ as well as her Rocket ruler for the straight lines. Aren't they lovely, and so different from each other!

Gail's Luminous Layers QAL

The second of Gail's Luminous Layers QAL

It's now your turn!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
Posted by at 4 comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Thursday, July 11, 2024

Mosquito proofing on Free Motion Mavericks

Hi and welcome! I've been so busy getting ready for our Outdoor Exhibition that I haven't done much else. Although I would love to play in the garden, it's been hot and humid, and now raining. I may as well do a little bit of stitching between reading books.

Mosquito proofing my swing


I bought netting curtains at Ikea and created this cover for my swing. It's one of my favourite places in the garden and has an excellent view of my birdfeeder. This was a first attempt and only needs a few adjustments to be mosquito proof. I'll use another curtain to close up the opening and try it out once it stops raining, 

Mosquito proofing my swing

2024 Table Scraps Challenge


Today I looked up the July colour (aqua) and theme (Butterfly) for the 2024 Table Scraps Challenge. I dug out the blue bin and found many aqua and teal scraps. Between other blue scraps and a block that I didn't use for one of the Project Quilting, I've got a pieced top. Looking at it now, that hourglass block might be used to make a butterfly. What do you think?

Aqua and blue scrappy block

Journal making and Panel wall hanging


The other two projects I have for July are for hubby. He requested a journal like I made a few months ago. Apparently it's difficult to find journals that have no lines in them. He uses a few a year for work, so I'll start with one and see how he likes it.

I'll make a fun journal cover with napkins and gifted Japanese paper

Making a wall hanging from the "Healing Waters" panel

What I learned
  • I really over-did it getting all of my pieces ready for the outdoor show. I am now resting!
  • I've read a few books since I finished my outdoor pieces - that's my favourite way to rest. 
  • I'm taking it easy this week and don't plan on getting much done, except possibly the aqua scrappy challenge piece, since that's pure play 😁
  • Next week I'll be house sitting our friends' pool 😎. I plan on bringing books and hand-stitching projects with me! They have a mosquito proof patio so it's going to be awesome!
  • I published a post on Tuesday about the artists and their pieces in the "Impermanence - Éphémère" Outdoor Exhibition. I hope that you'll take a look at their work.
Related links
Linking parties
Great news! My mosquito proofing was features on Put your foot down. Thanks Denise 😊

Free Motion Mavericks


Welcome to week 489 of Free Motion Mavericks. You don't need to be FMQ to link up! Here are the projects from last week that included FMQ, ruler work or walking foot quilting. 

Gail from Quilting Gail adapted the Sly Fox pattern to make this cute Forest Friends quilt. Doesn't he shine in those Island Batik fabrics? This was made for her guild's Baby Quilt Challenge. Gail did a lot of FMQ and used the Silly Moon “Rocket” for the straight lines and outline quilting. Check out her post to see more details of the FMQ.

Gail's Forest Friends Quilt

Gretchen from Gretchen's Little Corner is still quilting up a storm on her domestic machine. These two beauties, Summer Garden, are going to the local cancer centre. Gretchen quilted-in-the-ditch. I'm sure that they will make someone smile!

Gretchen's Summer Garden quilts

It's now your turn.

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
Posted by at 4 comments:
Labels: , , , ,

Tuesday, July 09, 2024

Visit the “Impermanence / Éphémère” Outdoor Exhibit

Hi and welcome! We had our vernissage of the  “Impermanence / Éphémère” Outdoor Exhibition at the Arbor Gallery in Vankleek Hill last Friday afternoon. The weather cooperated, the mosquitos had a good snack, the company was lovely and the art was very cool 😎! If you live in the area, it's worth going out for a ride to visit. 

“Impermanence / Éphémère” Outdoor Exhibit


Seeing textile art among the trees is pretty amazing. It was like going on a treasure hunt. Instead of "X" marking the spot, there were little signs around each art piece. I'm just going to give you a little taste of what's out there. I wouldn't want to spoil your fun if you get to visit!

Anne Warburton's "Birches" is made with pool noodles, sari silk, ribbon, acrylic paint, birch bard, player piano paper, Tyvek, organza and glue.

Birches by Anne Warburton

Olive Jones' "Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Us" is a mix media piece that includes felting, beads and found objects, on a metal garden stand and blue stoneware pot filled with soil.

Olive Jones' Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Us

Here are close-ups of her work.
Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Us
by Olive Jones

Details of 
Earth, Water, Fire, Air, and Us



















Lise Perras' "Dream Catcher Mobile" is made of welded metal, recycled t-shirt, beads, feathers, porcupine quills
"Dream Catcher Mobile" by Lise Perras

Lise Perras and "Dream Catcher Mobile"





















Janet Tullock's "The Cosmic Chase: Orion Aims for the Seven Sisters" is made on a nylon sailcloth with spray paint, grommets and strip lighting.

"The Cosmic Chase: Orion Aims for the Seven Sisters" by Janet Tullock

Krystyna Sadej's "Wind Chines, a sculptured installation" made of a hula hoop, metal and aluminum cans, beads and can keys

"Wind Chines, a sculptured installation"
by Krystyna Sadej

Krystyna Sadej






















Caroline Forcier Holloway's Hopeful for the Planet includes mixed media weaving made of jute, tea-dyed cheesecloth, and found branches, set inside an antique window frame.

Caroline Forcier Holloway


by Caroline Forcier Holloway






















Andrée G. Faubert's (me) three seasonal fence art pieces: "Raining Pink Petals", "Squirrel!" and "Essence of Leaves". These all have a water-resistant background fabric with hand-dyed cotton, commercial cotton and upholstery scraps, tule, and half-shells of nuts.
"Essence of Leaves" features Connie ten Bruggenkate's hand-dyed and printed cotton.


Viewing the art at the vernissage with Lise Perras, Olive Jones, and Andrea Belcham, Artistic Director of the Arbor Gallery.

Lise, Olive and Andrea at the Impermanence vernissage

Impermanence - Éphémère Outdoor Exhibit

Related links
Linking parties
I've linked up to the following linking parties: Free Motion Mavericks, Off The Wall Friday, Put your foot down, Patchwork & Quilts, 


Posted by at 5 comments:
Labels: , ,

Thursday, July 04, 2024

Outdoor Fibre Art Exhibit “Impermanence / Éphémère”

Hi and welcome! It's been hot and sunny here - perfect for installing our Outdoor Fibre Art Exhibit “Impermanence / Éphémère”. Let's hope that our pieces are not too impermanent and able to withstand the summer weather and wildlife 😊.

“Impermanence / Éphémère”


The vernissage for the exhibit is Friday (tomorrow, July 5th) at the Arbor Gallery in Vankleek Hill, east of Ottawa. I'll be sharing photos of the vernissage and other participants' art work in the next post. 

I finished all of my tasks (see last post) on Monday July 1st , around 6 p.m. and went to Vankleek Hill the next day to install the work. I had some great help from Garnet and it only took a little over an hour. 

The four Prayer Flags and me

Here is "In The Sky, an Outdoor Hanging Sculpture". I'm hoping to have a second part to it - maybe next year!

"In The Sky, an Outdoor Hanging Sculpture"

The three seasonal garden fence art pieces look great against the white of the back rustic door. We have "Raining Pink Petals" at the top (Spring), "Squirrel!" (Summer) in the middle and then "Essence of Leaves" (Fall) at the bottom. 

Three seasonal garden fence art 

This is what the art pieces look like at the back of the building.

Back of the Arbor Gallery

Here are close-up photos of each garden fence art pieces.

"Raining Pink Petals"

"Squirrel!" 

"Essence of Leaves" 

I've created a separate page for my work at the Arbour Gallery. On the back of my business card, I'll have the QR code linking to that page. 

“Impermanence / Éphémère” poster

What I learned
  • I'm so happy that I created that to-do list and included them on my last two posts. It really helped keep me on track. 
  • I did forget to add - Stitch nut shells to the "Squirrel!" piece. I almost forgot but as I was looking at my finished pieces, it came to me....thank goodness. I added a half shell by the squirrel. I had to enlarge a tiny hole on one side to stitch it down but it looks good! 😊
  • The "Squirrel!" piece was my last one and it only took a couple of days. It's a good thing that I had the little squirrel hoop piece to guide me (see previous post).
  • I'm not sure if I was tired and therefor more whimsical (less serious) but I ended up appliquéing all kinds of fun details to "Squirrel!" There is a bunny (of course), lots of butterflies and colourful birds.
  • I was so relieved after hanging the pieces that I spent all of the next day reading and trying to fill up an almost empty fridge!)I should have been writing this post - but I needed the time off!
  • I'm really looking forward to seeing if and how the pieces will change during the summer. At home I haven't had any critters play or try to eat my pieces. I guess we'll see how well behaved these guys are!
Related links
Linking parties

I'm linking up "Squirrel" as my July Favorite Finish with Quilting JetGirl.

Free Motion Mavericks


Welcome to week 488 of Free Motion Mavericks! We've had quite the party going on last week! Thanks so much for linking up your projects. 😍 Here are the projects from last week that included FMQ, ruler work or walking foot quilting. 

Quilting Gail went to Quilt Canada in Edmonton last week. If you haven't seen her video, I suggest that you take a look. Wow - what amazing quilts! Thanks so much for sharing! 

Here is a quilt that Gail finished in June as part of the Prism Blog Hop.

Prisms by Gail

Gail quilted this one using the Silly Moon Charming & Rocket quilting rulers. 

Details of the quilting on Prisms by Gail

Gretchen of Gretchen's Little Corner makes lovely quilts but doesn't like to quilt them. However, she's quilting her smaller quilts this summer and hoping that she'll get in the grove to quilt a larger one. Good luck Gretchen!

These are Christmas placemats that she finished in January, ready for next Christmas. 

Gretchen's Christmas placemats

Here's my favourite placemat, made from extra hexies from a Tula Pink project. I just love that fabric...and of course the hexies!

Gretchen's hexie placemat

Last week Frédérique of Quilting Patchwork Appliqué finished her 2023 SAHRR baby quilt. It is so colourful and cute! A Perfect baby quilt.

Frédérique's finished 2023 SAHRR baby quilt.

Details of Frédérique's quilting

Denise also participated in the Prisms Blog Hop with her latest quilt, Tiptoe Through The Pines. What gorgeous fabric and colours!

Denise's Tiptoe Through The Pines.

Denise quilted diagonal lines throughout the center with feathers on the inside border.

Denise FMQ Tiptoe Through The Pines.

It's now your turn!

You are invited to the Inlinkz link party!

Click here to enter
Posted by at 10 comments:
Labels: , , , , ,
Subscribe to: Posts (Atom)