A week or so back I took the pledge and joined in with the Free Motion Quilting challenge 2012.
I have issues with quilting. I know how to quilt - I have been sewing for 20 years (cripes!) but I have always limited my quilting to outlining the main features in whatever design I am working on. What I don't know how to do is get started on a blank piece of fabric.
When I look at fabric I can pretty much envisage how I will use it. When I look at a piece of constructed fabric I have NO IDEA of where I would begin to quilt it. I don't know how to choose designs; I don't know what designs there are out there; I don't know what is right or wrong; I don't know how much quilting on a piece I should do. Just baffling! I have seen some fantastic, beautiful work done both on pre-programmed machines and free motion, and I want to be able to do that!! I feel that there is something missing from my work, and it is quilting!
I got a new sewing machine in 2011 with the intention of doing more FMQ, or in fact just doing SOME FMQ. But I just carried on with my foot firmly planted in the ditch. Boo!
So it was perfectly timed that I should find the FMQ Challenge, hosted by http://www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com/ The challenge consists of 12 monthly tutorials throughout 2012. Each month focuses on a different quilting design with instructions given and then off you go. Practice, practice, practice! I am a member of the Facebook group where I am finding lots of support and sharing of photos and ideas. There is some good work going on out there.
January's challenge is 'leaves'. I have done 1 pratice piece (details to come) and have incorporated it into a project which would otherwise have remained virtually unquilted, apart from the ditches! I have thoroughly enjoyed the start of this quilting year, and am very much looking forward to the next months challenges.
Yippeee!
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