Exchanges and gifts

These were a gift given yesterday to a special friend for her Birthday - I can reveal it completed now.

She recently moved to her new house and this beautiful colour is throughout her house.  The fabric - with perfect lines to quit on, just yelled out that this was for her :)

As I usually put my trademark Ladybug on the quilts..and had forgotten to quilt it on these ones...I painted on the ladybug instead with fabric paints.

 It was fun to quilt this one.

Showing the back and its Ladybug.
I wrote the 'greeting ' on the lines of the quilt and didn't need to put a label on it :)

I still have quite a bit of this fabric too :)

This was all sewn on my DSM.

Just off the Frame,

Completed this yesterday actually!

I felt a bit more comfortable with this ...when I got to the end of it!

The first 3 top blocks...that you cant see.. I did a different filler design before I settled with the McTavishing within the circle. 

v

I found it ery difficult to do the side borders as it was worked.. 'backwards ' for me... and I couldn't remember what I had done at the top ...need to make notes as I go I think.

The small swirls in the sashing were a little unsteady - that got easier toward the last bit too. 

However.....

When I unrolled the quilt - I had this tension issue to deal with - so I am frogging this...in the circles across the top blocks... 

I will have to resew these sections with the machine on the table now and get back to my frame later with another quilt..

I had such issues with the tension till I figured out how to get it right, bringing the machine to the end of the table, and fastening it with Velcro firmly to the frame so it wouldnt move when I did my test bits by moving my hands.  I have not been very successful using a small hand mirror  to see under the quilt as I sew.  

Still working that one out.

Will do some frogging over the weekend as I cant see it well enough at night.....

so Back to the DWR for a bit.

DWR

Progress

More pinned for tomorrow

Thinking I may need to cut out more fabric pieces.  I had planned this quilt to be 7 circles in length and 6 circles wide. but I have the rows laid down for 9 by maybe 7.  I will check as I go along.

I am finding it easier to do now that I have at last got it in my head how  I am actually   getting this all put together.

1.0am and I am off to bed...

On the Frame, DWR,

Took me all day yesterday to get this much done on the frame....

getting used to stopping where the throat plate of the machine ends is taking some planning.

I am working to get at least one row of blocks done and the side borders

Plus, while sewing, the machine came unplugged at the back  - and I lost all my settings...so thats where I need to start today...sort out the settings and the tension.

Fortunatley I have discovered how to sit in front of the machine at the end of the frame to do this..plus I 'anchor' the machine with one of my side tensions so that I can actually test sew on some fabric...with my hands ...as I am used to...as its difficult to see under the frame with a small hand mirror and I don't have enough fabric on the quilt to test on

I am using Aurafil 50 in the top and Invisafil in the bobbin.

Needle I am currently using is an embroidery needle 75

I also have this heap for sewing the melons together for my DWR.

May need to get some of this done before I get lost at the frame again.

I do have some of the pieces worked out on the design board...and sew and watch through the window to see the birds fly in to get a drink from the bird bath.

DWR.,

Moving between the Fame and my DWR

This is what you call an organized mess.
 So there is some progress here...

I have completed one melon...only 96 to go...!

Slow going but just as well I love a challenge :)

I have all the arcs sewn - but have yet to put all the corner pieces on.  Am ( trying to) doing these 10 at a time and trying to get those arcs completed as I go.

May play on the frame in between times today :)

FMQ and playing,

On the frame today

I did draw the feather on freehand first, but didn't take too much notice of it..

My todays piece..... I had problems with thread and tension.

Took me ages to get this done..lots of sorting lots of concentration ... and quite a few words !

DH took the machine off the frame - and I sorted it...till it got back on the frame...and I found out I could have sorted it by getting the machine up to one end of the frame, and sitting with it there.. :)

I changed the top thread to a Glide, which was kindly lent me to try and it worked a treat...Autifill in the bobbin..

Things you learn!

So now I need to sort my Sewing room and get some more DWR bits completed.. and more PPP tomorrow...as I hstill have space on my PPP piece to do a bit more...dont want to take it off till all the space is sewn...THEN I can put a quilt on there...

Whoo hoo

On the Frame!, FMQ and playing

YES!!  

10pm at night...and FMQ

Just completed this section on the frame.

I am happy at last.  

Feel as though I am getting somewhere and feeling more comfortable.

I have my hum-purr :)'

NO BSR and all is good.  I may even get there !

I feel I may even be close to putting an actual quilt on the frame.

More PPP and play time tomorrow.

On the Frame!,

On the frame again today...

I tried something different and have been way more comfortable.

I attached my foot pedal,,, and undid the BSR,  Yes its a bit different, but it worked.  

I am not a fan of the BSR!

 Blue thread at the top is with the BSR... the rest I have done with the foot pedal and NOT the BSR.

The squares are 1".. I used the Frixion pen for the grids... and ironed it off carefully after I had completed what I wanted to sew. (while still on the frame)

I dont think I will use the Frixion pen to sew my main quilting, but for practice ..they are great, ( and I really love them)  but I am unsure of how they will behave after time.

Still a long way to go...but it feels easier.

 

A little awkward under the frame as I have my machines foot peddle on a large plastic container...

 

At present I am sitting on a kitchen stool.

Not the best,  but at least I can see what is being sewn and its more as I am used to.

I may take the height adjustments off the frame so I can stand comfortably without getting a crick in my neck.

Also may take off the lower bar, that the top goes on and just float the top and batting...

That way I can sit to sew... 

On the Frame!

I am trying.. and watching a heap of videos.... 

all hours of the night...when I can't sleep  

Ahhh

Taken from the back of the frame... side bit on the right is my test bit to check my stitching..

Had to put darker thread on as I couldnt see what I was sewing properly...very difficult when one is sitting sideways at the machine on a kitchen stool... or standing and trying to be about 8" shorter..

 

Up close - warts and all ....Ewwww

Back to my DWR I think... seems easier than this!

DWR., Design Wall,

Began my DWR ... again

THis time using my Go Cutter...which I love!

I put this up on my design wall to see how it was looking..

 Didnt really like all the bits that were not really blue...

So I unpicked them ..see below

what a mess I made...

 

Then put them up on the board again - before I did any more...

Now I am not sure if I should have just left them in and if I should do them again.

at least I now have worked our how to get most of it together... with huge thanks to Joanne,  from Manitoba in Canada,  tutorial found HERE which was SUCH a help for me...

thank you Joanne :)

Now if anyone has any suggestions as to...

should I keep just the blue - 

or should I go back to how I started... ??

 

I have certainly got lots of spare pieces 

 

I am weary of thinking about it at presentso will go sit and watch some TV - for a change ..