Missing April's challenge

It should be obvious by now that I missed April's challenge, but I still have a chance to complete 12 challenges by the end of the year (with bonus ones not yet announced).

April's demo by Don Linn just wasn't all that interesting to me, as I already know several ways to mark a quilt including the one shown. Besides, April was a busy month from a "running" standpoint (a subject I haven't yet addressed in this blog).

I do hope to get time to sit down and try out Leah Day's May challenge before the month ends. :-)

Time Marches on

Ann Fahl's instructions were basically a review of supplies and techniques, and suggestions on practicing free motion ideas on paper and on fabric using all-over patterns. So I used a favorite which combined a couple of her ideas, swirls and flowers. This block also used 100-wt YLI silk thread, like the one for February's design.

Swirling flower vine

FMQ for February - only a month late

I didn't get my act together to do my free-motion quilting project for February during that month, but I DID succeed in sitting down and quilting that block before the one for March. Thanks to Diane Gaudynski for wonderful directions and an inspiring design. And even more for suggesting using silk thread. My block was quilted with a natural colored 100-wt YLI silk in the top, regular cotton in the bobbin, and it quilts like a dream!

Feathered plume a la Diane Gaudynski

Let's get started

At the start of 2012 I was crazy enough to "pledge" to follow up on a sewing premise, involving free-motion quilting (FMQ). I did my first FMQ, using my trusty Bernina 1530, on a small wall hanging submitted to a local quilt show (NY Quilts!) in May 2001. I have found FMQ to be a lot of fun, and continue to try it on quilts here and there.

I don't sit down at the machine often, and my skills can get rusty in between quilts, so I signed up for the FMQ challenge on Sew-Cal Gal's blog when I saw it pop up on some Facebook page I follow. I also figured I could get expert advice (each month has a talented, expert quilter guest) and maybe some unique filler ideas.

January's expert is Frances Moore (I can't say I'd heard of her before this) and she demo'd a leafy vine I've actually used before.  I am doing my designs on white muslin using green and red threads, thinking perhaps I'll combine all the squares with sashing and have a Christmas-y wall hanging when I'm done. I decided to do my "vine" as a wreath.

I hear next month's expert will be Diane Gaudynski, my absolute favorite FMQ mentor. Looking forward to trying out her feathers!