Thursday, September 10, 2026

Playing and I Quilted This!

Bonjour and welcome 😃 I spent most of the day outside playing with hexies - that was nice 😍 I'm writing this ahead of time since I'll be in Toronto for my semi-annual eye exam. I used to be able to stitch in the car but not anymore. That means that not much will get done quilting wise, so I may as well prepare this post before I go.

Playing with FMQ Designs

As you saw last week, I finally started quilting Square Dance, a baby quilt. Since then I've been FMQ one block per day. I'm so excited - it's pure play. Of course I said that I would keep it simple but you know me...a chance to practice and play with FMQ. I just can't help it. 😁

Since the first block I FMQ just had straight lines, I wanted to add some curves into the next one.

Straight lines with "C" curves

The next one, on the turquoise background was FMQ with Lori Kennedy's Swirling Stars. I drew the design on the fabric with a white chalk pen.

Swirling Stars

The maroon block has a pickle ball fabric in the middle, so I practiced drawing on paper and then on the fabric, pickle ball pallets and balls. The rest was FMQ with squiggly lines.

FMQ pickle ball pallets and squiggly lines

Summer Hexies Sew Along

As well as playing with FMQ, I also spent time doing EPP (English Paper Piecing), the wreath for the Summer Hexies Sew Along.

This is what I have done so far.

Hexie Wreath so far

Another double flower

I now have 10 single hexie flowers and 4 double hexie flowers. Now I need to make one double hexie flower and 8 single hexie flowers and the leaves. It's coming along nicely 😊

Focus & Flow Course

I'm taking the Focus and Flow course offered by Fibre Arts Take Two. The course is taught by Karen Olson. It's a mindful eco-art program. Our first project was a teabag paper journal. I used inks for a few of the pages and then used a branch from my yard to put into the spine. The book is tied with sari yarn.

Teabag paper journal

It was a windy day - the pages wanted to dance

If you're wondering. teabag paper is a translucent paper that feels a lot like tissue paper. It's very durable and takes paint quite well. Apparently if you want to work with Japanese papers, this is an inexpensive way to get used to them.

What I learned

I made the teabag paper journal a while back and have finally returned to the course. I've missed making books so it's great to be back into it. This is definitely from an arts perspective.
Playing with hexies outside for most of the day was very relaxing. I'm motivated to finish the wreath since it's more than half done.
Choosing fabric that plays well with the initial fabrics I bought has been fun. A little variety is a very good thing!
FMQ the Square Dance quilt has been fun, from figuring out the designs to practicing them and then drawing them on the fabric. As I've said before, it's a good thing that I'm pretty good at following lines 😀

I Quilted This!

Welcome to the I Quilted This! linking party that celebrates quilting on a domestic machine or custom quilting on a long-arm. Feel free to link up and share any recent project, even if you're not quilting it!

Here are the posts that included FMQ, ruler work and walking foot quilting last week. Thanks for linking up 😊 and consider grabbing the button.

Kat of Scrapbox Quilts made another lovely Lil Bear Hug quilt. This one is yellow and purple - the August and September colours.

Kat's yellow and purple Lil Bear Hug quilt

Terry from On Going Projects has been quilting her Butterfly collage project. Here's a peak.

Terry is FMQ her Butterfly collage project.

Diann at Little Penguin Quilts has finished her lovely Patchwork Hearts quilt. She quilted-as-you-go. If you're curious, read about the process on her post!