Carpenter Star, FMQ,

The end is in sight!

Last night I finally completed the quilting on the borders.

Only the binding to go now...so I have a decision to make for the binding  fabric.....and then the hand sewing

Not something I love.

The last borders I did were the small dark blue ones.. I was going to add something to the one between the dark blue and the green, as there are many puckers...but decided to stop and hope they are better when the quilt is washed. 

 I also thought - enough is enough!

One of my two trademark ladybugs

And the second, which took me quite a while to find.  I did think I had a third, but must have decided that was enough!

SO - now for the binding ...pheww!

Oh ... and the quilt measured 105" by 88" I thought it was King size, but maybe not quite!

Carpenter Star, FMQ,

Moving along.

Slowly but surly I am getting there.

This is my third corner, and am getting a little more comfortable with this design!

However... I do scribble, with my purple vanishing pen,  registration marks as

I go along... just to guide me on my way.

I do still watch the Curling Amish Feathers on YouTube from Jamie Wallen and I am still picking up hints along the way

So not far to go and then the binding - Ha!

Oh and I am learning how to do video too... may take a while but I am trying :) Not good at talking through them though.. so they may be accompanied by some classical music...if I can work that out too..

Did it before... but you know what they say..... if you don't use it - you lose it!

Hopefully it will get done by this weekend.... the quilting at least.

Carpenter Star, FMQ,

Onto the last wide border,..

I have been watching Jamie Wallen's YouTube video. as I decided to do the Curling Amish feathers for this wide border... Hoping the curves allow for the wonkiness.

I drew the design spines as per Jamies tute..in chalk.. and decided I needed to practice this before i started...as some of the feathers seemed to be sewn 'backward' to me anyway ..

Rough Drawing first..

Corner on the right was the first - then I changed tread to variegated and did the second one.  

Didn't quite get the upside down/back to front ones..

Drew with purple vanishing pencil where I thought I should have gone!

Finished up with these two corners.  The top smaller one was ther first..

Now I think I have the confidence to start the border on the quilt.  

Thanks to Jamie's video of course :)
Had to stretch the feathers a bit much on the last bit..need to watch more of the video to see haow Jamie did the 'stretch feathers :)

Carpenter Star, Designs,

Slowly slowly ..

Other things need to get done too unfortunately :)

This is what I am up to currently..

There are two lots of borders like these at the top and the bottom of the quilt.  I still have the middle border to do, and the other set at the bottom of the quilt..

As you can see - its has been badly pinned together ..by me.. and the only thing I can work out is to put circles or some sort of curves in to take up the slack

This is red the first outer border... and there are a few boo-boos when I started it.. However... it stays..remember its an Amish quilt...

and I need to get this finished!

The only thing I can think of doing in the row with just the row of feathers... is to put circle in the borders of that row... It will take time and I may do this when other borders are completed.

The one inch Dark blue borders may need something too... but its getting a bit too heavily quilted I think... if I do that!

Now unfortunately I have some housework to do...Not a choice I like much :(

Designs, Carpenter Star,

More of the same ole same ole...  

with some workings.

Thanks to Photoshop and Carla Barrets  lessons.. I have got as far as straightening the picture - sort of and after many layers...I have got this far...

and the day is almost gone!!

Still not sure what I am going to do!

Wanting to put some piano keys somewhere...

It needs something plain I think.

This is actually a quilt for one of my Grandsons.. for his 18th Birthday - which has been and gone :(

I told him he had to have feathers, as I was feather deprived... This one should take him through till after he is married ..lol

Carpenters Star

Daylight photo of the quilt on the floor so far.

It really is a big quilt.

Trying to work out the borders now.

Revisiting my QW classes from Carla Barrett.

After looking at this picture on the floor - I realize what other things I might have done :)  

however..... I'm happy with it 

Carpenter Star, Designs, FMQ,

After Midnight.. and time to stop for the day .

Here is what I am up to now..
Not taken with good lighting, but just wished to post what I am up to..

I will take some more distinct photos in the morning.

I am now up to the borders... and have my thinking cap on..

All feathers are freehand.. didn't mark them at all..
At least they are easier now, after a bit of a prolonged absence from all things quilted..

I had to complete the triangles by tonight , otherwise the purple lines would have disappeared.

So - things are progressing slowly.

Carpenter Star, Designs,

At my desk today

Do you like my table on the right ?

Boxes can always come in handy...

As I had broken  my design tool.. the large pavlova dish... I found a pizza cooking tin to replace the plate.. 

and this is how the design started out

Now to the triangles.

Carpenter Star, Designs,

Today's achievements

I am also calling this my wonky quilt...and maybe its even an Amish Quilt... as nothing is meant to be perfect.

When I took this photo below,,, I noticed I have a line of feathers in the wrong direction!.. now I cant bear to think of frogging it as the quilting stitch is fairly small.... however... maybe .. maybe not!

I was trying to keep some of the same things repeating in these blocks.. just hoping I havnt over done this

The lines surrounding the block are not equal enough... and as its after midnight here.. I think I am done for the night. ....I need sleep!

I have almost completed the 4 corner blocks... Next are the large triangles.. then the large borders..

Carpenter Star, FMQ,

Another update

I have now worked out and sewn, the design on the next small block

As you may guess - the plate is still in use. 

I am actually liking how the design is working...it surprised me to too, how the part circle continues in the small block.

So three more of the small blocks to do..

Then to work out how to do the outer white patches...... continue with the same theme or do something a bit different

Probably something similar..different feathers.

Off to get us some food and then to do some more :)

Carpenter Star, Projects,

Time for a progress report

Have just completed the four blocks shown below..

As you may be able to see - I have been trying out my new Jamie Wallen 

Ruler from Quilters Apothecary .

I must admit to having problems at first... and kept going back to freehand ... the freehand didn't really look good, and finally after a light bulb moment ... I changed the open toe quilting foot...  to my darning foot.. and.. Voila .. had so much better control with Jamie's ruler.

It ONLY took me till the last of the four block were nearly completed.

 I think I mastered it! 

All the feathers were FMQ

 This was the third block last night.. using a blue water erasable marker.

I also used the purple vanishing eraser pen...and then lastly some blue chalk.

Mostly done freehand on the drawn lines

And the 'tool' I used for the half circles...

 I dropped the plate last night but salvaged enough to draw the last circle.  

My DH has taped up the edges of two of the pieces..in case I need it again :)

Some of the planning... which I didnt use ..

More to follow soon.