This week's experiment has been bindweed leaves, with a slightly exaggerated curl just to make life more interesting and to help fill in the space. I didn't think I had done a particularly neat job because I kept changing the direction the leaves were pointing, and wasn't sure whether they should be large or small, so over the whole panel the design is inconsistent. I like the colour of the thread though - the variegated blue shows up well against the yellow and tones in well with colours of the pieced strip on the left.
The Jubilee Rose wall hanging is now finished and has already been delivered to its new owner. I kept the binding narrow, in a plain mid brown reminiscent of light wood, to keep the emphasis on the rose.
So here goes for week 13...
Firstly, many thanks to Marly, Alison, Pat, Gwyned and Linda for linking up last week - a great collection of projects.
If you love free motion quilting, whether you are a beginner just taking the plunge, or you have reached the stage where you can do ostrich feathers with your eyes shut and still achieve perfect symmetry, then please link up.
Remember, FMQ is FMQ, whether your machine was made last week, or it is older than your granny.
Here are the very easy and slightly elastic rules:-
1. Link up with any recent post, ideally from the last week but within the last month, which features a free motion quilting project, whether it is a work in progress or a finish.
2. Link back to this post in your own post and/or grab the linky button for your blog's sidebar.
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3. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and say hello in the comments box.
4. The link up will remain open for four days, from midnight to midnight GMT for the long weekend, Friday to Monday.
So far bloggers from USA, England, Wales, Australia, Canada, Germany and Holland have taken part. The first participant from each new country will get a special mention the following week!
Linking up with Sarah's blog Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday
and M-R Charbonneau's blog Quilt Matters for TGIFF
This week's free motion quilting has been a meandering background to the Jubilee Rose that I have been working on. It is going to be a wall hanging, so I only have the binding left to do.
I felt a bit out of practice after being on holiday. Look closely and you will see where I had to do a bit of unpicking. I had too dark a thread in the bobbin, and it was showing through - not a problem on patterned fabrics, but definitely not a good idea on ivory white. Also, getting into the corners between the stems and leaves was a bit of a squeeze, especially because the leaves are slightly raised with an extra layer of wadding - the method I use is shown here.
So here goes for week 12...
Firstly, many thanks to Gina, Carole, Gwyned, Diana, and Cynthia for linking up last week - a great collection of projects.
If you love free motion quilting, whether you are a beginner just taking the plunge, or you have reached the stage where you can do ostrich feathers with your eyes shut and still achieve perfect symmetry, then please link up.
Remember, FMQ is FMQ, whether your machine was made last week, or it is older than your granny.
Here are the very easy and slightly elastic rules:-
1. Link up with any recent post, ideally from the last week but within the last month, which features a free motion quilting project, whether it is a work in progress or a finish.
2. Link back to this post in your own post and/or grab the linky button for your blog's sidebar.
.
3. Visit as many of the other participants as possible and say hello in the comments box.
4. The link up will remain open for four days, from midnight to midnight GMT for the long weekend, Friday to Monday.
So far bloggers from USA, England, Wales, Australia, Canada, Germany and Holland have taken part. The first participant from each new country will get a special mention the following week!
Welcome to two new followers today, Matsa and Marly - thank you for joining!
Linking up today with Kelly's blog My Quilt Infatuation for Needle and Thread Thursday
and Sarah's blog Confessions of a Fabric Addict for Whoop Whoop Friday
At the moment I am doing an appliqué using the Jubilee Rose pattern. While we were away on holiday in Poland I did the blanket stitching around the appliqué, and now we are home again I am adding detail with the sewing machine. A few lines in dark green are enough for the veins on the leaves, and can be done without slavishly following the pattern.
The detail in the flower itself is a different matter. I have had to follow the pattern exactly, and have done four lines of stitching side by side so that they show up sufficiently against the red.
If I get my skates on I should have it finished by the end of the week, but knowing me...
Welcome to Lisa J., the latest follower - thank you for joining!
Linking up today with Connie's blog Freemotion by the River for Linky Tuesday
This is the rose panel on the Queen's Diamond Jubilee Quilt. The pattern for this rose is the first pattern which is available in the online shop at Lizzie Lenard Sewing Designs
It was this time last year that I was busy drawing the patterns for the appliqué panels for the quilt. This rose, to represent England, was the first one that I drew and the first one to be sewn.
In March I took a quick trip up the motorway to Gloucester to visit Oakshott Fabrics and chose the colours for the quilt. I had in mind a rich, deep red for this rose, and I found just the shade I wanted.
The flower is one large piece, with the petals outlined in machine stitching. For this I found that the best colour for the contrasting thread was a rich shade of peach - no other colour worked quite as well.
I would love to see this rose worked in different colours - deep red for romantics or English patriots, pretty in pink for a girl, yellow for a Texan, or perhaps white in memory of a loved one.
A large double bed sized quilt with nine roses in different colours would look great. Who wants to beat me to it?
Welcome to Julie, the latest follower. Thank you for joining!
