Living This Creative Life

I have two favorite quotes. The first one is by Emile Zola, "If you asked me what I came into this world to do, I would tell you that I came to live out loud". I don't know who the second one is by, but it goes like this, "If you're not living on the edge then you might as well jump". Both of these sentiments sum up my personal philosophy of this experience we call life on earth. Enjoy!

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Block 64 in the Machine Quilting Challenge


Hi All,
Wow, what a couple of weeks it's been. I've gathered up and sent nearly 200 quilts to my publisher and all but finished my new book. I've got about 40 pages left then it's nothing but the editing! Yeah! And, I got a job! Yeah again!
I'm now working for Rocky Mountain Sewing in Westminster (yes,Westminster - for those of you who know where I live, yes it's a 30-40 minute commute). I'm working just 3-4 days each week so I'll have plenty of time to play! Yeah, Yeah again!
Enough news - on with the new stitch out. The next several blocks will all feature the "gentle curve". I tell my machine quilting students that it is the most valuable stitch design they will ever learn and I aint' kiddin around. Begin by dividing your block into quarters. Then divide each quarter block into quarters. Do all of this dividing with a Hera marker. Beginning in any one of the quarter blocks, set your needle down in the middle where the two lines intersect. Stitch a gentle curve that ends about 1/2-3/4" away from the edge then stitch a straight line out and away from the marked line about 1/2" then form a point as you stitch back down to the center line. Now, stitch back up and out the same length that you did on the other side and turn and stitch back in to the center line thus making the triangle or arrow head. Stitch another gentle curve till you reach the center of the block again. This is 1/4 of the design. Repeat all of the previous steps three more times along the remaining three marked lines. Knot off then move on to one of the other blocks.
Once all four sections are complete, stitch a wavy line along the two lines you drew first that mark out the four smaller blocks then stitch along the diagonal.
Hope you enjoy this new design - it's great for blocks pieced out of lots of squares or half square triangles.
See you later this week,
Heather

1 comment:

me said...

Well, big pats on the back and big hugs are in order! YAY for you! Wow, what a job that must have been, getting all of those quilts packed up and sent off, working on finishing the book, AND getting a new job! I am so happy for you!
On a side note, I meant to tell you that a couple of very traditional quilters/teachers from the store I worked in back in Ontario have fallen IN LOVE with your fabric embellishing book and are HOOKED! They are trying to inspire others to see where they can take their work, beyond just the piecing. It's so cool that they picked YOUR book- when I found out, I told them that it is, of course, the definitive book on fabric embellishing...
Today's stitch out is really nice- my wavy lines are not so good on the machine, I didn't know they were important- I will practice. If I ever get a machine. lol