Where are the blogs?

[Terry K.]

I posted about what I worked on at the retreat I attended. There are lots of photos. Come visit. I love comments too!
http://terryknott.blogspot.com/2015/11/retreat-update-no-finishes-but-progress.html

[Geneva C.]

Terry,

It's interesting to see your varied projects and how far along you are on each of them. I applaud your sense of "different". All your projects look different from each other. How do you decide which to work on? A happy problem I suspect.

Hope all is well with you and I look forward to seeing your progress on all your projects.

geneva

[Terry K.]

Geneva, You posed a great question! When I go to a retreat, I try to pack projects that don't require "thinking or cutting" because I get too distracted with all the cool ideas that I am seeing and of course trying too! Also, I generally make a mistake so I cut before I leave home!! I bring a handwork project--once, we were without power for about half a day. I was thankful that I had brought an applique project. I snuggled up in bed with my "Beam and Read" light and appliqued away.

I bring a plan of what to do with the retreat squares. I bring a top to pin as I can use the tables either early in the morning or late at night and have a project ready to quilt. I have spent the entire retreat quilting a project. Now, my quilting machine is too heavy to transport so I don't bring projects that I can't sew on my featherweight. I often bring blocks to set in a top as there are people who will offer their thoughts on a setting. I bring simple piecing projects and I piece several blocks at home so that I know it is all going to work!!

I usually have a project that I'm working on that uses scraps so I bring that. Sometimes, I bring projects that I'm sewing for the granddaughters. I try to think about what I want to accomplish at retreat a couple months in advance and then I prepare a little each week so that when it is time to pack, my projects are at the ready.

I like most types of quilting. This means I will start a variety of projects just to try something whether it is a technique, a pattern, a batting, a thread. . .well, you get the picture. The variety is what keeps the projects interesting!!!

[Terry K.]

I finished "Positively." You can read about it here:



Please come visit! I'd love it if you would leave a comment!

[Geneva C.]

Love that quilt Terry. Isn't it nice to have a finished quilt?

Geneva

[Nancy R.]

I'm working away on my sister's quilt and now have all of the feathered hearts finished. If you want to see how I'm doing, check out my blog post here.

Enjoy!

[Geneva C.]

Nancy... all I can say is "Exquisite". Your work is awe inspiring! Thank you for sharing.

And, glad you had a Happy Thanksgiving!

geneva

[Terry K.]

Yes, FINISHED is WONDERFUL! -Thanks Geneva!

[Terry K.]

I had a bout with fear; BUT, I'm determined to successfully embroider some words on a second wall hanging!
Come visit I love comments!
http://terryknott.blogspot.com/2015/12/fear-back-to-words-project.html

[Marianne G.]

I had a bout with fear; BUT, I'm determined to successfully embroider some words on a second wall hanging!
Come visit I love comments!
http://terryknott.blogspot.com/2015/12/fear-back-to-words-project.html

I know exactly what you mean, Terry! I've been embroidering for 20 years and I still get a knot in my stomach when the machine starts the embroidery on a finished project. I love your wall hanging btw; you'll enjoy having that around in years to come. When it comes to quilting I'm less intimidated because I have successfully unpicked many times whereas whenever I have tried unpicking embroideries I have always had to come up with creative solutions due to the amount of stitching. I'm about finished testing 3 designs I want to put on a summer skirt and have enough fabric for something to go wrong so will get the going asap.
Marianne

[Geneva C.]

Terry, I'm with you on the fear thing with using the machine to embroider. I sit there and pray the thread won't break, the fabric is stabilized enough, that the design will catch up to itself.... argh!

However, your piece came out beautiful! Congratulations!

geneva

[Terry K.]

Marianne and Geneva, I'm with both of you!!! Yes, picking out embroidery generally results in a "creative" secondary solution! I use to worry about thread breakage; but, I've had that happen enough times that I have had plenty of practice in backing up the stitching design to before the break! :cheer: I just need to keep practicing!!! Thank you for reading my post!!

[Terry K.]

Nancy - love the heart quilting!
Barb

[Terry K.]

I'm getting closer to finishing the second package wall hanging! You can read about here.

[Marianne G.]

Terry, just read your posting. Couldn't tell the difference in the font until you pointed it out but I would have done exactly the same as you because even though it is not going to hang in your home you still know that it was not the right font and that would have bothered me no end.

I was really interested to see that you are using a ruler with the normal quilting foot on your machine. I've read a lot about the rulers and have been tempted but seeing I haven't got a machine that provides a native foot I have stay away from the investment. Aren't you afraid that your foot accidentally glides under the ruler and you hit it with the needle? I know I'm a huge worry-wart when it comes to my machines but on the other hand I'm also up for a challenge if it is safe to take. I look forward to reading more about your trials with the rulers and how you get on. I've used my small 6" cutting ruler for years to do straight stitch WFQ but that is so much more controlled and the walking foot more beefy that the FMQ foot.

Thanks for sharing
Marianne