Wednesday, December 31, 2025

A Finish and the First I Quilted This! linking party

Hi and welcome!😀 I hope that you spent a lovely holiday season. Today I have an OMG finish to share as well as some news.

2026 is approaching (or here by the time you read this!) and there will be a few changes coming to the Quilting & Learning blog, The first one is our weekly linking party. Free Motion Mavericks is now the I Quilted This! linking party. It remains the same but with a lovely new button created by Katelynne. Make sure you check it out and link up below!

Christmas Panel Quilt Finish!

Christmas panel quilt - a wall hanging?

I've been working on this Christmas panel quilt since January 2025. I'm so happy that it's done and gifted to my lovely DIL.

Christmas panel quilt - a throw?

Here are just a few FMQ details to share with you.

I really loved this small Christmas tree

Small Christmas tree FMQ

FMQ holly and swirls in the yellow bands.

FMQ holly in the narrow yellow bands

It's New Year's Eve and I just finished binding the quilt. We are heading out for a late supper so I'm going to keep it short tonight. I wanted to post today since this was my December One Monthly Goal (OMG). I did it with a few hours to spare 😁.

What I learned

I'm going to stop promising to make quilted or textile art quilts for everyone. But that's only from now on, since I still have a few more to make.
There were some minor issues with tension when I was FMQ - until I switched to Bottom Line thread in the bobbin and some lighter polyester thread on the top. I would much rather quilt with cotton but you have to work with what ~~you have~~ your machine wants!
I'm happy to say that using the walking foot with cotton thread worked very nicely.
I was very nervous about using red thread in the yellow bands. I usually use matching thread, but if it's just going to blend in, what's the point? As well, I couldn't see well enough to use yellow thread on the yellow fabric.
The red FMQ is far from perfect but if not examined too closely, it's all good.😀
I have the Cowboy panel quilt next to do. I 'll try to use my walking foot as much as possible. When I can't, I'll use the lighter thread.

I Quilted This!

Button made by Katelynne

Welcome to the I Quilted This! linking party. I'll be featuring the projects from last week's last FM Mavericks party that included FMQ, ruler work or walking foot quilting. Thank you everyone who linked up. Please grab the button

Preeti of Sew Preeti Quilts had her lovely Veronica quilt published in a Norwegian magazine 😀 You'll want to read her post for more details.

Veronica quilt by Preeti

Details of the quilting of Veronica by Preeti

Gretchen of Gretchen's Little Corner poster her 2025 End of Year Review. I'm featuring one of her cute quilts that she quilted in May - Peter Rabbit.

Peter Rabbit, made and quilted by Gretchen in 2025

Frédérique of Quilting Patchwork Appliqué posted her Best of 2025 and some of her goals for 2026. You'll want to read her post! Here is a little pretty fabric card that she made for her mother.