TILDA THREAD

[Terry K.]

Yipee.... I have been working on my FEAR OF MACHINE QUILTING...

I am machine quilting my GS baby quilt... so far just following the lines on the panel I have but next I will be doing some curved quilting. I am thinking of doing a meander around two of the motifs just to get some practice in.

I will finish by making a fence (piano- style) for the borders. I am thinking of free motion quilting a simple motif. So far it has not been as hard as I thought it would be....

I am doing all on my domestic machine.

I am also drafting designs for another quilt using Mary Marsuta book and ideas for FOOL PROOF MACHINE QUILTING. I have cut out my contact paper to make my motifs for my blocks. The way I am going I just might get two baby quilts done this month.

[Patti P.]

Oh me too Lady Rags! I'm finally getting 2 quilts machine quilted and overcoming my frustration with it too. Now I have aspirations of practicing until I'm a good machine quilter and that's a long way off but at least I quit breaking needles every 2nd inch. It's so wonderful when the learning curve finally bends my way.

[Patti P.]

Sewed 30 flying geese for a tree skirt using EB pattern and directions... Had a blast...

I taught my neighbor how to do the same and the stinker out sewed me and made 48 ... all the ones needed for the tree skirt... I bet the brat has her tree skirt finished be for me... SHE IS SUCH a competitive soul...

I came home and wrote up the directions and cutting measurements. I have to teach this class to my quilting group this Wednesday.... I am a nervous wreck... I hate speaking in front of a group.

[Terry K.]

All the bargello blocks are sewn. . .just need to press them before arranging the blocks on the wall. That feels so good! Had a piece of wool that was a skirt at one time. I ripped it apart and cut the fabric scarf size. I used my serger to flatlock the ends and fringed the hems. I used a decorative stitch as a finish for the sides. One scarf is finished. . .just have to finish the other one. Both will be gifts. . .one for my daughter and the other for a party where you need to bring a gift in the $10 range.

[Terry K.]

Nice idea... I have a bunch of wool I had been hanging onto to make a coat... I think I will make it into a ( baby) wrap instead and use the left overs to make scarfs...

Thanks for the idea

[Frances L.]

I have slowly been working on my wonky houses for the exchange on Friday. They should be done on time.

[Frances L.]

I printed out my Dec. BOM, taped the pattern together and made my overlay. Now tomorrow I will be doing the freezer templates. Pick the fabrics and maybe even cut them out.

Also finished one more of my Dear Jane blocks.

[Frances L.]

Yesterday I got two small quilts for our guild's Quilts for Heroes project quilted. Next week, we will be taking 25 of these little red, white and blue quilts to a ceremony in Corpus Christi at one of the colleges which will be honoring returning soldiers, and giving each of the soldiers a quilt. They're about 48" by 64", so didn't take long to machine quilt.

Pat in Rockport, TX

[Frances L.]

Well, I was able to get some organizing done in the sewing room, and work on the orca quilt. Thanks to dcrine's idea of the laser level, I was able to put a straight border on and square it up. Yesterday I got all the orca's sewn down and now I need to get some fabric for white and another black border. This has been a kind of wing it project. The goal is to fit a twin bed and as it is right now, it just covers the mattress. So it is off to the fabric store. darn. :wink: Cheryl

[Terry K.]

Still have a bunch of pressing to do on the bargello blocks; but, I just couldn't wait to see what a row or so would look like. Yes, you know it, I stitched a few between yesterday and this morning. I sure like how it is turning out. Will try to post a picture tomorrow on my blog.

[Terry K.]

Helped DD pin her sheep quilt; she even had an opportunity to sew one row of stitch in the ditch before she returned home. I didn't make much progress on my bargello. . . I ended up ripping half of what I had sewn because I put the rows on in the wrong order. . .tomorrow will be better!

[Terry K.]

I am working on a UFO I had screwed up early in my quilting endeavors. I had bought a cute panel which I sandwiched between backing and batting. I did some simple quilting but then discovered the batting was killy wonker and I had 4 inches on one side and 7 inches on the other. DO NOT ask me how it happened as I really do not know. I had planned to do a flip and sew border on it but with the sides so uneven I did not know how to fix the problem.

After thinking about it for a year. I am layering a second batting over the killy wonker batting to even it all out. I am just going to baste them together then continue with the flip and sew border.


I think it will be cute I am making a fence to go around the panel of cows and farm animal. I think it will be really cute when I get done with it. I like the idea of salvaging a SCREWED UP project; I find it makes me get more creative.

I think the difference with the award winning quilt show quilters is they take chances and design their own work/ projects and do not reley so much on patterns and books written by someone else. I realy have been trying to get out of the box and streaching my quilting muscles.

[Terry K.]

Not sure why, but today was the first time I read this thread! I never understood what it was.

You all should start at the beginning and read some of your postings. It's really interesting to look back at what you were doing last spring and summer!

I'm lucky to have my 2 sewing areas right off my kitchen, so I always manage at least a few minutes either sewing, cutting or planning something. (I have my fabric and main machine in what is supposed to be the laundry room and do cutting, planning, pressing and machine embroidery in what's supposed to be the dining room).

Today, however, I have been on TQS website for 2 hours! I'll be working on the Christmas tree today and probably won't sew until the evening during tv. Nancy in BRRRRR western NY

[Terry K.]

The bargello rows are together!!! I got up early this morning and sewed the rows I incorrectly sewed yesterday. It is ready for the border. Once I get the borders on, I will take a picture to post on my blog. Won't happen probably until the end of the week. Terry

[Terry K.]

I had a great day yesterday. With laundry going (so I felt like I was doing housework) I sewed for several hours.

I found a block I liked in a magazine and have gone through my stash to find all the florals I have. I'm making a block from each and also from all my white-on-whites. I wasn't sure what I would do with them eventually.

After reading alot of posts here, I've decided to make them into Quilts for Valor. I've got maybe 30 blocks partly done, so it will probably make 2 quilts.

Now I feel REALLY good. Using up stash fabric and making a pretty quilt for a soldier. I read that there are many women and not enough quilts made in colors they'd like.

Today I can also sew several hours! The start of a great week!

Nancy in Brrr but warming western NY