Free Motion Fiasco

Ten panels are now completed, and this is one of my favourite fabrics of the fat quarters that I have quilted this week.  It goes really well with the panels I did last week.  Pretty and delicate, and especially important when doing free motion quilting, I can see where I have already been.  

It wasn't so easy with this darker floral piece.  I have learnt that with a pattern I need to quilt in daylight rather than using artificial light.  I have an anglepoise lamp shining down from the windowsill just above me when I am treadling, so I can quilt paler, less busy fabrics in the evenings. 

This blue material was a complete pig to work with, even in natural light.  You can barely see the quilting on the right side because it blends in so well.  Hence the close-up.

This is the back of the blue panel.

The first nine panels turned out fine.  I waited until the tenth panel to make a complete and utter dog's dinner of it.  Some seriously bad and nasty rumpling had been going on underneath.  All carrying on from yesterday's botch job biscuits, I suppose.  It's because I have been using brushed cotton for the backing and it doesn't glide so easily.  I am determined to be blasé and not grumpy about it.  I intend to cut the panel into four smaller pieces, and these rumples fall where I shall be cutting.  I'll fudge the quilting into passable shape when I do the cutting.

This post is being linked to Leah Day's free motion quilting blog so you can follow the links and see what wonderful work is being done by some jolly clever quilters.




Special thanks to Mary Ellen, Laura Jean and Marianne for being so sweet about the dodgy looking biscuits.  I will have another go sooner rather than later.

Welcome to the latest follower, Sheree Isola.  Thank you for joining!