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 :)

Design Wall, Home,

some things that have distracted me - in a good way.

I thought this picture below was rather special :)

 I never thought my DH would use my quilting rulers...he was looking for a straight edge long enough ... and I said - my rulers were very accurate! 

He did doubt me..ha!! 

I am pleased to say that all went well and the cut outs in the design board were in perfect place.

The power plug and the gas bayonet were in perfect position :)

Of course he is also very clever too!!

I am really so lucky to have such a supportive husband.. 

I have been working hard to have this space cleared.. and the cupboards tidy...and there is another design wall on the wall at the end of the space... which was also re-positioned

.

Of course some things have again to be shifted fro one place to another :)

BUT this (below ) is what will fit i this space!

 My Bernina 820 ,Nessie,will be perfect there... and what another huge learning curve I will have now...or at least when its delivered.

I was hoping to get the Carpenters Star completed before it arrived, but can still work on it and THEN move to the frame.
As iIwas going from one thing to another.. I found a small quilt sandwich - that called me to play...so I had a few minutes of time to do this:-

Thats it from me.. tomorrow is another day..

and back to trying to get the house work done and some food cooked 

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.

FMQ, Projects

An exercise in concentration.

I was fascinated when I found this fabric, and thought it would be good to quilt the design.

So in between thinking :) I have nearly finished this:-

Nearly there

This was my practice piece.

A true exercise for my wandering concentration!

Now back to work out what to do with it ...

and what to put on the blank spaces in my Carpenters star.

Projects, Carpenters Star

Now completed quilting all the rectangle pieces of the Carpenters Star

Next step is to work out what to put on the blank cream pieces..

Not to mention all those borders!

Thinking :)

Projects

In the studio today.

Sorting tidying,changing, and deleting some things.. 

Exciting times!

Note the empty .. well soon will be ..space to the right.

Still got a way to go ...

Another bulletin soon :)

Projects

Look what came in the mail today!

I had ordered this from Sherry Rogers-Harrison... and have been eagerly waiting for it.

Really impressed with it..

....And itching to start

Cant wait to work on this..But

Already working on this.. and having problems already..

I cut out all the small corner pieces..and its for  King sized quilt.. The small pieces were wrong!  so I had to go out and get more fabric.  .. so I need to re cut all of those little corner pieces ...and finish cutting all the rest... and sewing some samples so I know what I am doing.

Thanks to Joanne for here help with her informative photos on her blog...

Also working on Bonnie Hunters Mystery quilt..as some of that  was wrong too.. 

so more fabric added to stash :(

No photos of that as yet..still working out things..  yes I know - how could I go wrong with that..

Not to mention the quilting of the Carpenters star!

I think I need to give up on sleep...plus I have something else to work out too and need to rearrange the studio.. so see you all when I can.

Carpenters Star, FMQ

Current project - Carpenters star

This was meant to be a Christmas present to one of my Grandsons..

also combined with his 18th Birthday... so I am busy with it now.

Its way overdue!

Putting it all together

Beginning the ditching 

This was last year before we moved! in June 2013

This is showing - of a sort - the different designs I am doing for the rectangles.  

I am drawing the spines in 

Now in the new house

Center Star .. one design for the  8 points design

There are  2 design for these pieces, and unfortunately I havnt missed the picture with the second design

How I draw the designs on...
I first sketch them out to see how they go, and then just draw the stems and FMQ the feathers.
Bit shaky at times ,

Then when those are completed I will work out what to put in the cream squares..
Then the different borders.

Apologies for this post - I had several interruptions ... visitors etc..

Happy New Year for 2014

To All My Family and Friends around the World

Have a wonderful Happy,  Healthy and Safe New Year...

May all your dreams come true

Joan

My Quilts, FMQ

THE DREAMTIME

All Free Motion Quilted on my Domestic Sewing Machine.
2013

Now I can post what I have done.this year.  I was held up a bit as we moved house halfway throught the year and things were to say the least very unsettled.

This was made as a gift for a special Family overseas for Christmas....hence the Aboriginal design

Sewn with Black silk YLI thread on top and fine line neutral coloured thread on the backing.

Be warned - Lots of photos, as there are a multitude of different fillers.. plus my multi-coloured thread quilted Australian wildlife, and some applique of more Wildlife.

Oh and 2 of my trademark Ladybugs.

There are a lot of photos... and I hope its not all too much after such a time with nothing from me at all :)

 Straight ruler work above in places

 Dianeshiko

McTavishing

One ladybug above..

Yes I did get some feathers of a sort in here

Some curved ruler work above

 Mother and child here

Same Ladybug..

Somewhere among the above lot, there is a second ladybug, a snake wrapped round an applique piece.. and a lizard quilted in the middle in the black...but I couldn't find them myself when I put these up.

And some of the mug rugs that were also gifts.

I am now working on another quilt..but I will put those pictures up in a few days.

Those will be a work in progress.

Its so good to be back!!