Leah starts her class Free Motion Quilting a Sampler with the basics of FMQ and stippling. Oh, says Megan to herself, I see I need to slow down and concentrate on some basics. So I have set aside my unrealistic expectations and am spending some time doing drills. I'm practising stopping before I move my hands, and stopping and starting as evenly as I can. I'm a happy learner again - I can manage concentrating on just two things.
Leah also shows you how to create some other basic shapes so that you can move on to stippling with some confidence. I'm going to move onto these shapes this week and try and get them locked into my muscle memory (new concept for me but I'm liking it!). My revised DIY learn-to-FMQ programme now involves focusing on the goal of stippling a baby quilt. I looked in my stash for some bright fabric so that the quilting won't be in the spotlight. I think this will do the trick :-)
And finally, this week's happy mail. A letter from my nephew (8) and a bookmark he made for me using Nana's sewing machine. I love so many things about my bookmark - that it has different fabric on the front and back, that he has hand stitched the turned in ends, and most of all, that he has labelled it - you know - just in case :-)
Let me be the first to say 'great job'. Drills are a good idea. Stippling is hard for me, so I do the square stipple. I find it easier.
ReplyDeleteHappy week end!
Glad that class is helping you. It looked a good buy! Unfortunately my internet is just too slow for craftsy classes but I have ordered my darning foot - a first step in the FMQ leap!!
ReplyDeleteYour craftsy lesson looks good - I am still very much a straight line quilter. Love your bookmark too.
ReplyDeleteI am so glad you were able to find encouragement from a Craftsy class! Your efforts look great to me! You are a fast leaner!
ReplyDeleteA hand written letter and a bookmark ... Lucky.
ReplyDeleteOh, and good quilting skills too.
You seem to be going v. well! I guess the scary thing will be trying it out on something you love, so I think the trial run on the baby quilt is an excellent idea. Linda
ReplyDeleteWow. It seems Leah Day and I should get acquainted. Looking good. I need to put done the Bloody Cross Stitch that Is Taking too Much Time
ReplyDeleteSo glad your FFMQ week ending on a good note and I love that bookmark :)
ReplyDeletei think leah's class may have helped me more than than the live class I took at my local shop. I worked my way into fmq just like you did - starting with stippling a baby quilt. two, actually. then moving on to bigger ones. now I just need to go back and practice some new moves. I tried winging it on a very important quilt last week and ruined it! practice really does help, darn it. your practice stitching is looking wonderful! keep up the good work. you'll be a pro before you know it.
ReplyDeleteps - I still don't stop to move my hands when stippling. it's so annoying! but I've gotten much better at just moving one hand at a time, so it works for me. practice and muscle memory win!
Kudos to you for not giving up! I actually think that stippling is pretty challenging. Have you tried practicing by following a quilting design? It could be the images on a piece of fabric or you could draw something on a piece of scrap fabric to practice. Short lines work best as it's easier to make them look good than longer lines. Either way, practice will get you where you want to be!
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