Tree of Knowledge

January 25, 2012

General Info

Start Date	Jan 5, 2012
Finish Date	Jan 25, 2012
Status	Finished
Size	25.5″ x 28″
Pattern	My own design
What it’s for	Me
Batting	Matilda’s Own 100% cotton batting.

Quilt Top Notes/Techniques

My quilt was inspired by Frances Moore\’s tree quilt featured in the video for the January Free Motion Quilting Challenge. I wanted something to go into my office where I work as a knowledge analyst and this design came to mind. I foundation pieced the borders from my green (and some yellow and red) scraps.

Over time, I liked the quilt more and more. Eventually I entered it into the NSW Quilt Guild Under 35’s quilt show in September 2012.

Quilting Notes/Techniques

I used Gutterman 50wt cotton thread to do the heart leaf motif in the center with a size 70 needle. The appliques were also free motion quilted with 50wt, but a size 80 needle was needed to prevent skipped stitches. For the border I used Gutterman Sulky 30 wt cotton and a size 80 needle to do the spiral leaf motif. I blocked the quilt before binding, which significantly improved its flatness.

I’m still not 100% happy with my stitch length. It is too long and varied, especially on freehand designs. I need to work on speeding up and varying my machine speed while slowing down my hands. Also, I am not getting great tension on the back of the quilt. I’m having issues with excess loops of thread as well as occasional bird’s nests, even while using a Bobbin Genie.

Progress Pictures

The New Food Pyramid

January 16, 2012

General Info

Start Date	Jan 5, 2012
Finish Date	Jan 16, 2012
Status	Finished
Size	22″ x 27″
Pattern	The New Food Pyramid by Fun Thread Designs
What it’s for	Gift for my sister-in-law
Batting	Matilda’s Own 100% cotton batting.

Quilt Top Notes/Techniques

I saw this pattern and thought it was so cute (I got it when it was free, but it is totally worth the $5, very well written with a fusible applique tutorial). I’ve made cupcake themed stuff for my sister-in-law before, so I made this as a late Christmas gift. I used a buttonhole stitch with width and length of 1.5 to go around the appliques.

The pie fabric was a swap from Kay.

For the embellishing I should have put the rick rack on before going around with buttonhole stitch to help hold them down. The ends began to fray. I also should have waited until after quiting to put on the yo-yos. I added the candy cane to make it look less lop-sided because I didn’t centre the appliques properly.

Quilting Notes/Techniques

This was my first time FMQ on my new Janome MC6600P. It went pretty well. I used Gutterman 50wt cotton for the filigree quiting in the inside and YLI invisible thread with Gutterman in the bobbin. After I finished the quilt top, I read on CLK’s blog that when quilting an applique quilt, to go around the appliques with invisible thread after quilting the background. This way the left over “puff” goes behind the appliques. I tried it and it worked perfectly. When putting on the binding I needed to use a size 80 needle; the size 70 kept skipping stitches in thick areas.

Progress Pictures

Pear Purse

December 10, 2011

General Info

Start Date	Dec 10, 2011
Finish Date	Dec 10, 2011
Status	Finished
Size	8″
Pattern	Mod-O-Pear
What it’s for	Me
Batting	?

Quilt Top Notes/Techniques

I saw a tutorial for this adorable purse on the Craft Passion blog. I’ve never made a purse before (I did make some breast cancer bags for charity, but they weren’t very fun), but this looked fairly simple. I could only find a 100mm frame, not a 85mm like the pattern called for, so I blew up the pattern by 115% to make it bigger. It fit perfectly and it’s a good size. I used felt for the leaf and glued it and the cord stem on.

Progress Pictures

Silver Wreath

December 10, 2011

General Info

Start Date	Dec 10, 2011
Finish Date	Dec 10, 2011
Status	Finished
Size	15″
Pattern	My own design
What it’s for	Christmas decor
Batting	N/A

After our move I couldn’t find my snowman wreath (I’m sure it’s somewhere, I just didn’t want to dig). I had a wreath and bought some ribbon, plus used some left over ornaments. $5 + 10 minutes + glue = wreath.

Snow Star Table Setting

December 10, 2011

General Info

Start Date	Nov 25, 2011
Finish Date	Dec 10, 2011
Status	Finished
Size	15″ x 18″
Pattern	Handmade magazine
What it’s for	My Christmas table setting
Batting	Iron on pellon

Quilt Top Notes/Techniques

The placemat pattern that was in Handmade was using the left overs from a tablerunner featured in a previous issue. Some of the pieces did not make sense (sew a 4.5″ rectangle to a 5″ square, huh?). I rang the designer, Angela Bradbury of Sew Bright Quilts, and she promptly emailed me the entire pattern, free of charge! Awesome service!

I still ended up cutting my pieces down and using slightly smaller vertical borders, due to a fabric shortage, but they still turned out nice.

Quilting Notes/Techniques

The coasters I made using left over fabric and my square in a square ruler. I used my new Janome MC660P to embroider each family member’s name on one, so that they know where to sit and which drink is theirs. I used Gutterman metallic thread with a 90 topstitch needle with a 50wt cotton Gutterman thread in the bobbin. I still had some issues with the thread tangling on the back, so I got some 100 metallic needles to try when I quilted them and they worked much better. I only did straight line quilting – not FMQ.

Progress Pictures

Christmas Tree Ornaments

November 14, 2011

General Info

Start Date	Nov 14, 2011
Finish Date	Nov 14, 2011
Status	Finished
Size	4″
Pattern	Online Quilt Magazine 2010 November(?) issue
What it’s for	Annual family Christmas ornaments
Batting	N/A

Quilt Top Notes/Techniques

So easy and cute!

The pattern has you sew the circles together and turn them right side out. I was lazy and just zig zagged them together and pinked the edges. I used a CD-R for a circle template. I made six in 45 minutes.

Progress Pictures

Cross Stitch Ornaments

November 9, 2011

General Info

Start Date	Jul 30, 2011
Finish Date	Nov 9, 2011
Status	Finished
Size	3″
Pattern	Kits
What it’s for	Sent to various family members for Christmas 2011.
Batting	N/A

Quilt Top Notes/Techniques

First pic: Found $2 Jaylynn Christmas cross stitches at Spotlight. I wanted something that I could carry to do in the car while we moved. Never actually did them in the car, but they were nice portable projects.

Second pic: Stitching Garden cross stitch kit.

Progress Pictures

Penguin Ornament

November 9, 2011

General Info

Start Date	Oct 23, 2011
Finish Date	Nov 9, 2011
Status	Finished
Size	4.75″ x 5.25″
Pattern	Kit
What it’s for	Gift for Nanny Betty
Batting	Iron on pellon

Quilt Top Notes/Techniques

$1.50 cross stitch kit. Originally said “North” but there are no penguins at the north pole, so I changed it to “South”.

I noticed after I took the picture that I used the wrong shade of yellow on half his sign. *not wearing glasses*

Quilting Notes/Techniques

Progress Pictures

Grandma’s Roses

November 8, 2011

General Info

Start Date	Sep 10, 2011
Finish Date	Nov 8, 2011
Status	Finished
Size	Lap
Pattern	Austen and Lace by Anne Nadge
What it’s for	In memory of my Grandma Lois
Batting	Matilda’s Own cotton/poly batting

Shows

My quilt won first prize for a new quilter at the Braidwood Quilt Event 2011

Quilt Top Notes/Techniques

I wanted to make this quilt for my Grandma Lois for Christmas 2011. I had already purchased a fat quarter set and lace for it. Unfortunately, she passed away in June. I decided to finish the quilt to take to my Aunt Pam at home in California after I visit my Grandma’s grave to show her.

Finishing this quilt was a major challenge. I have never had so many things go wrong on one quilt. The fabric I ordered for the back didn’t show up as soon as I thought, so I needed to buy some locally. I bought a pre-cut remnant, but it was two inches too short. I went back and bought more. While cleaning my bobbin case, I dropped a screw from the needle plate down into the machine. After I got it back, I ran out out of thread and ended up buying the right colour, but wrong weight. After finishing the quilting, I was 10″ short on binding. Fortunately, the quilt shop had more. I managed to get it done a day earlier than I had planned and have sent it off to the quilt show.

Quilting Notes/Techniques

Quilted with roses and leaves in the diamonds. The rose border was quilted around the print in pink variegated thread.

I used Matilda’s Own cotton/poly batting for the first time. While it quilted very similarly to 100% cotton, there was definitely more bearding present. I’m not sure if I would use it again, but it is $5 cheaper per meter.

Progress Pictures

Shell Cross Stitch

October 23, 2011

General Info

Start Date	Sep 17, 2011
Finish Date	Oct 23, 2011
Status	Finished
Size	3″
Pattern	Stitch Garden kit
What it’s for	Gift for Mom for Christmas 2011
Batting	N/A

Quilt Top Notes/Techniques

Used larger size squares for background fabric (Aida 14?), which made design not look as nice.