Joining Mrs P on the Favorite Things Friday wagon, here's my post about my favorite things...
My favorite part of the process of making a quilt, apart from the designing, of course, is quilting it... Ever since I discovered Free Motion Quilting, I have never looked back again... I enjoy every moment of putting the entire quilt into the machine and working on it... I strain muscles (I was diagnosed with chikungunya last year and my extreme joints still hurt), I ignore my hubby (but never kiddo, he's priority # 1), I get up at unearthly hours afater spending a few in bed thinking about how I can quilt the top I just finished!
I enjoy every moment of it... Here's my FIRST QUILT that I quilted on my old machine (my grandmother's machine - the Durby)
It was just straight line quilting, that was all my old machine could do! Then came by dear Bernette... I agree she's not the best machine available... But I love her and she has worked like a gem... I am happy with my choice...
The first time I tried FMQ, I made a mistake. A mistake of starting with something huge and overwhelming...
I was making this quilt for my mother... She wanted to use itn the floor of the living room and did not mind it being heavy... The thrifty 'up'cycle gal in me thought it was a wonderful opportunity to use up once of my old curtains (those thick, murky, HEAVY things that can keep away light completely!) as BATTING!!! Wow, It was an effort just to pull the 48" x 72" quilt through the machine and by the time I was done I was not only exhausted, but I HATED FMQ!
Then I had another inning with straight line quilting and as my confidence grew I decided to try FMQ once again... This time, I took care to choose a small project...
I was happy, both with the result and the effort... And then began my love affair with FMQ... A lot more projects follwed, most of them, I'm really proud of...
I really love the process of making a deliberate effort to be random when you do FMQ... Elizabeth has been an inspiration to me and I'd very much like my quilting to be half as good as her. I'll keep on trying to improve what is my favorite part of making a quilt!!!
I *think* FMQ is going to be one of my favorites too. I'm pass the terrified stage and learning to enjoy trying new designs. It's definitely growing on me.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing your FMQ journey, and showing all of those beautiful quilts. :-)
Sorry, I originally posted this comment on the wrong blog--but now I have to go back and look at your apple quilt. :-)
I'm a concept, cutting and quilt top girl myself. They're the bits I love doing.
ReplyDeleteThanks for sharing your beautiful creations for Favourite Things Friday Shruti. I LOVE the apple quilt. Arent we lucky to have a passion for a hobby we love?
P.S. One of these days I'm going to get more confident with FM. Maybe then the quilting part will be my Favourite thing.
You are doing so well with the FMQ! Love your apple quilt. I wish I could say I really like the quilting part, but I'm not there yet. I like making the quilt top; the quilting not so much. But I am hoping that will change with practice...lots of it!
ReplyDeleteVery innovative to make a floor quilt out of blackout drapes-- I bet it's holding up well. I love the FMQ with the elephants, too.
ReplyDeleteI am too scared of FMQ at the moment. i have done it before but need to do a lot of practice first before I start again. I prefer the design, cutting and piecing the quilt top, rather than the quilting part, just like Mrs P and P. Thank you for sharing your lovely quilts.
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How lovely! I can't FMQ. I can barely sew, but I'm working on it...slowly.
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