Here's Rumba!

Yeah, Rumba, like the dance!

All saturated batiks, orange, red a touch of purple. (I need bright colors this time of year!)

I used a multi-colored YLI thread for the FMQ. (Not paid for this but, I never have any issues with this thread. I can depend on it, very little lint, no shredding or breakage!)

I started with a stylized leaf, randomly tossed, then did a meander to fill in.

She measures 38" by 50".

I am very happy with her! I am going to do another of these "square in square" quilts. Fun, fast and I love the color play. I just need to pick my fabrics. I like a simple piecing design like this since it shows off the fabric and color, and allows me a lot of room to free motion quilt.

A quilter's confession #1

I save fabric because I have a fear I am going to ruin it if I cut into it.

Whew! Glad I got that out! I have always loved and feared fresh new art and craft supplies! Nothing scarier than a sharp pencil and a blank piece of paper.

Yes, I purchase beautiful fabrics, fondle them, fold them, 

and leave them on my shelf.

I cut some up today, was a bit scary, but the quilt top came together nicely.

These were a variety of batiks in orange, red and fuchsia. Bright, warm, sunny on a grey winter day. Next up, quilting!

Scrap finish #2 Tidal Pool

I finished this quilt today. Here is "Tidal Pool":

 Front

59" x 59"

Back

The second quilt made from scraps from Sargasso (the first one was Neap Tide).  I cut these scraps into 2 1/2" strips in a variety of lengths, pieced them end-to-end with a white square between. Then sewed the strips together in the "jelly roll race" method.

I free motion quilted large spiral orbs, inspired by Frances Moore's spiral quilting here.

This quilt makes me think of an underwater environment, and the orbs remind me of sea creatures floating on the currents. I filled in with curlicues.
I started quilting it with my polyester thread, but the Baby Lock doesn't like it, so I picked all those stitches out and went with a beige-pink Affinity variegated thread. Then I had a problem with skipping stitches. I changed needles until it stopped. Then finished up!

Not much going on.....

I have been "unsewing" some quilting I do not like, so nothing new to post. 


I did however just read this awesome interview. I feel the same way, too much fabric paralyzes me. I feel I must use my scraps to "earn" my new fabrics. After reading this, NO MORE!!!


But that is a happy exclamation!

Work in Process

I have been just playing in my studio. My guild had a scrap exchange and inspired by our speaker, I am making "crazy quilt" blocks out of these scraps.

This will be a long term project. It is nice to have a project to just sew and not have to think too hard about. I made a crazy quilt several years ago. It is always a good way to use scraps, and makes an interesting quilt.

I am also piecing a king-sized quilt for my husband and me (resolution #5). I am using Kaffe Fassett and Brandon Mably fabrics from my stash. This quilt is going together very fast! These bright red/orange/purple fabrics have intimidated me, but I am jumping in and loving the way they all work together. These patterns seem to have a "gypsy" feel to them, I am thinking of call it " My Gypsy Dream".

The patterned white fabric is a beautiful Laura Gunn fabric, also from my stash.

We have been quite busy as my precious mother-in-law is in the hospital. Sewing is taking a back seat to her! But she seems to be doing better, and always asks what I am making.

Working on resolutions 1 and 6

Here is a new completion that helps with those resolutions (as mentioned here):

It is a scrappy quilt, I just started sewing from my scrap bin and when I changed my mind, I went with it!

It measures 70" by 63". Free-motion quilted using Affinity 50 wt cotton thread.
I used a low-loft polyester batting as a trial. I do not like it but had been asked about using poly batting so I needed to use it so I had a comparison to cotton and wool. 


I think it is bright and happy, full of fun fabrics!

Free motion challenge-January

sewcalgal posted the January installment of the 2012 Free Motion Challenge.

This month the teacher is Frances Moore and she posted a wonderful leaf stitch.

She demonstrated it first as by drawing then by stitching.

I drew it out. And all week long I have drawn it as mu doodles at work!

That repetition helps muscle memory so when I sat down to stitch, I was pleasantly surprised! 

I stitched first on a scrap of batik quilt sandwich.

Then again on a muslin sandwich.

I used YLI 40wt. thread in the top and Connecting Threads 50 wt cotton in my bobbin. 
I like this design. It meanders around in any direction and I can see using this all over a quilt very easily! This one is going into my personal stitch library.
This is such a great learning experience! I am so looking forward to each month!