Tuesday 29 September 2009

Baby quilts

Kevin's family is going through a baby boom (welcome to the family, Kailen!) so it is time I get some baby quilts made.

I have been really, really enjoying Leah Day's 365 Days of Free Motion Quilting Filler Designs - every day she adds a new filler free motion quilting design.  Check it out - it's really cool!

I have never learned how to hand quilt (although I finally know how to make a quilter's knot!  hurray!) and I often feel like my FMQ lets me down - I can do a couple of patterns, but it is definitely is my weakest area in quilting (as well as maybe general laziness when it comes to doing enough squaring).

I decided to start a "quilt as you go" project, to try out a bunch of these FQM patterns and to improve my skills.  I have cut out 32 blocks:




I have sewn around the orange center to stabilize, and I have started quilting!  It is lots of fun (although I have already run out of my selected thread... I'll have to pop into town tonight after work...)

Please keep in mind that I am not nearly, nearly as good as Leah at FQM...

I have tried Sea Oats:







The orange centres are just some old sheets that I got Kevin to dye, and the edges are some fantastic batiques that I bought while Kevin's parents were in town - it is my first time working with batiques, and I now understand why everyone raves about them!  The backing is some old, old fabric that Kevin's parents found in his grandparent's cabin in the mountains - so it really is a family quilt!

** Update: the name has been revised to Khilen, pronounced Kyle-en.  The pictures have proven that he is a very, very cute little boy!

3 comments:

  1. Hi isn't that a great blog , and what a good way to try out her patterns - I could be copying you with this one.

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  2. Wow, I love the fmq blog. Thanks for the heads up on that. One of the best fmq teachers out there is Sue Nickels. I have seen her work, have her book, and was blessed to have an opportunity to take a class with her this year. GREAT! Boy do I need to unlearn some bad habits. LOL I highly recommend her book for beginners, it's identical to takeing a class with her. but really, you are doing GREAT! And yes, it does eat up thread. One thing Sue teaches is to slow down. So different from the "getter done" attitude of other teachers. She doesn't long arm, but does all her work at her own home sewing machine. Another little trick is to grab a pencil and paper and doodle your designs. Something funky goes on and it establishes that hand eye coordination thingie. Before you know it, you'll be GREAT! Take care and thanks for sharing the fmq site.

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