I'm linking up with Lynne at Lily's Quilts for the small blog meet, welcome and thank you if you're visiting from there! It's a fun way to visit other blogs and I love getting comments, followers and making new friends :)
I've had a funny couple of days and have been trying to get some sewing done but the weather has been glorious so it's hard not to spend all my time in the garden with the kiddywinks!
I thought I'd finished one of my half quilts but the binding looked atrocious and I did it REALLY badly so I had to start again! Here is the sad rejected binding and me covered in bits of thread:
Someone actually pulled thread off my back the other day, I'm a total mess!!
I'm desperate to get them both finished so bug me until I do and check back soon to see if I'm done! (hope I don't regret saying that)
On to better things. I attempted some free motion quilting. To those who know what they're doing this probably looks appalling!! My stitch length is all over the place! I'm happy with my first go though and actually really enjoyed doing it. It was only a small attempt and I tried several different styles:
Perhaps not the best showcase but it's a start :)
If anyone had any tips or experience they'd like to share please leave me a comment!
I've had a funny couple of days and have been trying to get some sewing done but the weather has been glorious so it's hard not to spend all my time in the garden with the kiddywinks!
I thought I'd finished one of my half quilts but the binding looked atrocious and I did it REALLY badly so I had to start again! Here is the sad rejected binding and me covered in bits of thread:
Someone actually pulled thread off my back the other day, I'm a total mess!!
I'm desperate to get them both finished so bug me until I do and check back soon to see if I'm done! (hope I don't regret saying that)
On to better things. I attempted some free motion quilting. To those who know what they're doing this probably looks appalling!! My stitch length is all over the place! I'm happy with my first go though and actually really enjoyed doing it. It was only a small attempt and I tried several different styles:
some sort of pebbly thing...
hearts...
lines...
outlining the flowers (sort of)...
If anyone had any tips or experience they'd like to share please leave me a comment!
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I'm joining you from Lily's meetup, too :) Free motion quilting is a challenge - I look forward to seeing if anyone has any good tips for you! :)
hi! came over from small blog meet. I'm also having a heck of a time figuring out free motion quilting. it's not as easy as it looks!
LUCY! You are rocking the FMQ!!! This is awesome!!!! I don't think it looks appalling. Let's see advice, from a newbie herself so this is basically just what I've read elsewhere... um, practice 10 min a day, breathe while FMQing, hum/listen to music to get into a rhythm, lengthen your stitches at first and then when you get better you can reduce them, put a small book under your pedal so that you don't go to your highest speed, and if you want inspiration (and to cry a little bit) go here http://freemotionquilting.blogspot.com/ Honestly, I think it is just practice, each time I sit down it sucks and then five minutes later better, and five minutes more a bit better, and once I relax my shoulders and stop worrying it gets even better. xoxo
I think it looks amazing for your first attempt! I have not tried it yet. Well, I machine quilted one quilt with just lines going across. They were pretty wonky so maybe I could call it free motion? :) Hope you're having a great weekend with all of that great weather!
I've yet to try free motion, don't even have the right foot for my machine to do it, so to me this looks great and you are brave to put your first attempts out there!
I've not attempted free motion quilting yet - whenever I make something I start off with amazing plans but then I'm afraid of ruining it! Yours looks great to me for a first attempt :)
Hi Lucy! Thanks for stopping by my blog, and your kind comments! Happy to find and follow someone just starting out too! Jodi.x
Sorry you're having binding issues...no fun! I think your FMQ looks pretty good! Rebecca has given great advice. I think the biggest thing is to just practice! A lot!
I agree with Toni- Rebecca's advice is spot on! Practice, practice, practice! A little bit every day rather than a marathon once a week!
I came over from SBM and I'm now a new follower! Nice to meet you!
I want to try FMQ someday too! But first I need a new machine... I hope Santa brings me one this year. ;)
oh I can relate to first trying FMQ'ing. I have done two things with it now and it takes forever, I'm sure it get quicker with practise but who wants to practise when you just want to get on with it :-)
I'm new to free motion too, I have learnt (read it somewhere) to set the stitch size to zero or as small as you can.... It does make it easier.
It looks good - your tension looks to be good and I think your stitch length is pretty good and will become more consistent with practise (10 minutes a day, every day!) but don't forget to breathe! I find listening to music with a strong beat helps as I can think about that rather than what I'm doing - as soon as I start thinking about what I'm doing it all goes wrong! Oh, and try doodling the patterns when you're on the phone, etc. to build up that muscle memory...good luck, you're doing great!! You can do it!!!
Haha I'm always walking round with bits of thread hanging off me, even my husband and daughter pick up bits of thread :) My only advise with FMQ is practise, practise, practise I have a stack of 10" squares by my machine, layered up with wadding and whenever I have 10 mins I can just practise FMQ, the more you do the better you will get and it helps to have some squares ready for when you get the urge......I use an old sheet and cut it up with the wadding :)
Hey Way to go Lucy - more adventurous than me! We are both on a learning curve! I like the hearts best!
Hi Lucy,I finally had a few minutes! Love your blog :) Am now following.
I am new to FMQ also,just like everyone above says,practice,practice,practice!
Love all the different things you tried out with the fmq - must push myself a bit to experiment too :-)
Lucy it's looks great. I haven't tried this with Ella yet and Betsy is too old!(she might break a hip or some sewing machine equivalent!)
From someone who has never tried free motion quilting, I think it looks ten times better than my first attempts would ever look. Great job! If you hadn't said that you weren't experienced, I never would have known :)