Free Motion Quilting - a new way of marking

There appears to be some changes with blogger! I have a  new page to work my way around....Oh well, I will try my best.

This months Sew Cal Gal work is set by a male quilter -Don Linn, he has a really easy and quick way of marking an intricate pattern or for marking an already basted quilt top, I usually use cheap kitchen paper and sew through the paper. This new way is to mark some netting and then use that as the base template to mark with either chalk - I fail to see the point of any of the wash out/ fade or iron out markers. I use chalk - almost always and it rubs off if I change my mind- which I do often!

This is a piece of brown silk and I used Don's pattern. The thread is Wonderfil- a pale pink variegated cotton.

yellow chalk line ready to quilt

Hmmm, a little boring with only one line round the whole design, maybe it needs jazzing up a little with a second line.
Of course a great improvement - see below.

I noticed that one of the other participants had done some lovely fill patterns around hers in a grid style pattern, maybe soon..
This is a good way to work, no paper pattern to remove and it can be as big or as little and the design can be repeated many times and will be still the same. Placement is easy as the net is see through and can be marked with seam or reference points for easy placement.
I have been madly working - at work, pleased to have a day off to sew today, doing curved seams has almost done my head in but I"m almost done, might just applique the next border on for my own sanity!!! The problem with drawing the pattern from scratch is that it has to be perfect and the only person to blame if its not is myself- not a pattern company.

Priorities and the year 12 formal

Should I start a new quilt with the ideas bouncing around in my head? or finish the pieces already started?
A whole 2 days almost to quilt, so must get moving.
Shame I am a bit tired from work, oh well, the only bonus of getting no time for a drink on a busy shift is that you don't need to go to the toilet- there is no time for that!
Lots of time saving going on...now off to sew

Such decisions, there is a theme again for this years QQ exhibition- 9 Patch, I have some ideas and have started sort of, but not quite sure so here is a sneak preview of a discarded block - above.
The lovely Jane Sassaman fabric left is calling, just sitting waiting for a wonderful qult to be made with it.



The hanging parcel is quite happy, the colours are running a bit which is lovely to see, we have had some rain- bad for laundry but good for art work out in the elements!

hanging with the beans

formal shoes at the ready

The year 12 formal is this weekend, what a prerformance! shoes, dress, hair, makeup, pre formal do and post formal function, shame the formal itself takes up so much valuable time! When I was a girl, my mother made the dress and a neighbour drove me with his son to save petrol, no limousine there. no pre or post  functions either. maybe its a sign of age. mine

Dad, Mums gone mad!

OK yes , I have a little. what a lovely daughter I have.

bundles made and ready to hang

I have made some (3) bundles of stuff, paper, fabric etc 1.to hang in a tree, 2. to put into the ground and 3. give to a friend to hang at the Botanic Gardens as part of her Artist in Residence. Not quite sure if I have done it right and they are a bit thin as my muse has left the building...just trying to get by and create in a non creative phase of my life.

Perhaps my sewing machine will be more friendly if I can get past the loads of wet laundry to it.

ready to bury in the ground

hanging amongst the beans- sideways..

with a little bundle at the bottom, ready for the gardens

in the ocean at Wooyung beach

We went camping, the beach was fantastic- I did swim in the ocean - so free and warm. Shame we didn't have our boogie board. The rip was a bit strong though.
We got a bit swamped by lots of rain and came home a day early....the farmers market at Mullumbimby was great, bought some yummy food, good coffee and cheese. Just using the lime satay marinade for dinner tonight (chicken). My daughter knows not to take any free cookies at these markets!
Went to a lovely and inspiring weaving exhibition at Brunswick heads, the large pieces were fantastic- way to big to fit in the car, a whole large leaf woven into itself- as tall as I am.