Block #87 in the Machine Quilting Challenge

Good Morning Again,

Since the last block was so similar to the previous block, I thought I'd throw in another one.

In the past two weeks, I've completed my first article for Quilting Arts and moved. My new space is twice as big as the previous one. It's funky and fabulous and I love it.

I hope to finally use my new machine this week and stitch out some more new designs. Hopefully this one will tide you over in the meantime.

The design features largish paisley shapes with swirls inside. Begin by stitching a paisley shape (teardrop) near the middle of the block. Mine are about two inches long and 1 1/2" at their widest. Once the paisley is complete, stitch a line up the middle that ends in a swirl then double back down and out of the paisley. Stitch another paisley as close as possible to the first one but positioned in a different direction then stitch a swirl in it's center. Continue making paisleys with swirls, changing up the position and size of each so that they all nestle into each other and leave little or no negative space.

Hope you enjoy doing this one. It's very pretty!

Till next time,
Heather

Block #86 in the Machine Quilting Challenge

Hi Gang,
I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday. Mine was just right. Both daughters and one of their delightful friends. Great food and company and perfect gifts; art and music!

I've been meaning to get this design to you for a couple of weeks! Since I put up the last design that is very similar to it.
It is done the same way as the previous block but instead of stitching in continuous, wavy rows, it is stitched in arcs and straight rows.

Begin by stitching the up and down, in and out rectangular shapes in a small arc that begins along one edge of the block. Then continue making rows above and below the original arc. Next, stitch a second arc that curves in a different direction from the first one. Continue stitching rows above and below the new arc. Keep stitching rows of arcs then fill in any space between the rows of arcs with straight rows of the rectangles.

As I said, it's really similar to the last block only it has a different kind of rhythm and I think it is more interesting.

Till next time,
Heather

Block #85 in the Machine Quilting Challenge

Good Evening,
Boy, it's been a busy couple of weeks - sorry to say that when the proverbial s**t hits the fan, this blog of mine is usually the first to suffer!
But, an end is in sight. I've been busy packing to move and am now done with it all except for what we need to use for the next few days. The movers arrive bright and early Wednesday morning and we move to a flat in an old mansion downtown that is about twice the size of where we are now and just 12 blocks from where my hubby works and 10 blocks from where my daughter lives! I'm so excited. A new studio space that is almost twice as big with three walls of wrap around windows and a west facing view!

I've finished my first article for Quilting Arts and am working hard on a my first design CD that I plan to have complete for Road to California next month. I managed to sneak in a few minutes of quilting before I packed up the last of my studio this morning, so here's a new design.

I call it Tracks, cause it looks like the tracks made by tires or hiking boots. It's really easy to do and makes a nice interesting filler or background.

Here's how you do it. It is a series of ups and downs and back and forths all about 3/8" to 1/2" in size. They are stitched in rows with one or two big waves in them and the rows are stitched right next to each other. Beginning on the left side edge, near the middle, stitch a 1/2" straight, horizontal line. Turn and stitch up 1/2" forming a 45 degree corner. Stitch over 1/2" forming a second corner then stitch back down forming yet another 45 degree corner. Continue stitching these open ended squares/rectangles forming a line that moves from the left side of the block to the right side of the block with at least one curvy undulation in it. Once you reach the opposite side, stitch another row either on top of or under the first row, keeping subsequent rows about 1/8" t0 1/4" apart and following the undulation or wave of the original row.

Hope you enjoy this stitch -out. I'll talk to you again on Thursday or Friday from the new house!

Till next time,
Heather

Block #84 in the Machine Quilting Challenge

Good Morning All,

Great news.......I've been asked (and I've accepted!) to write an article on machine quilting for each of the six issues of Quilting Arts Magazine for the year 2011! I will present it as a learning challenge just as I have done here on my blog. I'm so excited!

Here is another new motif, designed for wide, outer borders. It features multiple designs including, a five petal flower with a swirled center, stems, leaves and veins as well as tall grasses and background filigree. If any of these motif elements are new to you, doodle it out first. I used three different thread colors. To show you two different ideas, on the right hand side of the strip I quilted the flowers farther apart and on the left side, they are closer together and overlap some.

Load your machine with the thread you want to use for the flowers and beginning at one end of the rectangle, stitch across the bottom about 1 1/2" with a wavy line then stitch up to about the half way point to form a stem, again with a wavy line. Stitch a small swirl, about the size of a nickle then stitch back out again and form your first petal. Continue making petals until you have circled the center of the flower then stitch back down the stem. Stitch over along the bottom edge about 2" then stitch up to form the second stem, then second flower and so on. Continue stitching flowers until the border section is filled, trying to keep them all an equal distance apart.

Load up your machine with a thread color for the long grasses and leaves. Beginning at one end of the strip, start stitching the long grasses. Stitch a long wavy line up about 2" then stitch back down again forming a long, sharp point and keeping the distance along the base of the grass blade no wider than 1/4", stitch back up again, either longer or shorter than the first blade and form the second blade. Keep forming long blades of grass of various heights from as tall as the flowers to as shot as 1". When you reach a stem, travel up it and form a leaf on one side of it then a leaf on the other side of it and travel back down it again. Keep forming grasses and leaves until the border section is filled.

Load your machine with the thread color for the flower accents and filigree. Travel along the bottom of the strip with a wavy line until you reach the first stem. Travel up the stem to the leaves and stitch a long, wavy vein in each of the leaves. Stitch up to the flower and stitch a curvy vein in each of the petals. Stitch out of the petals and fill in the area above the flower with thin, curling, filigrees. Stitch back down and between two petals of the flower, back down the stem and over to the next flower and do it all again. Strive to fill any background space with a filigree so that all of the space in the rectangle is equally filled with stitching.

Hope you enjoy this new design,
Till next time,
Heather

Block #83 in the Machine Quilting Challenge

Good Morning All,

Here is a new border design. It features a large,complex leaf with sprigs of small leaves in between. I stitched it in three different thread colors, dark green for the leaf and vine, blue green for the veins in the large leaves and light violet for the small sprigs of leaves. You might want to doodle this one out before you jump into the stitching.

Start with a piece of fabric that is 7 1/2" wide by 14 1/2" long (you will trim it to 7" x14" when the stitching is done). Begin on one end of the rectangle, with the bulk of the rectangle behind the machine. You will be pulling the fabric toward your lap as you stitch.

Start by making a short stem, about 1" long then veer over to the right and stitch a wavy line that angles up and stops about 1" from the edge (this is the center vein of the leaf) next, stitch an a wavy line down then out and away from the center vein then angle it back down toward the stem. Do the same on the opposite side of the vein to form the other side of the leaf. Remember to make all of these stitching lines wavy. Stitch back down the center vein to the stem then stitch up another 1" - 1 1/2" and form a leaf on the opposite side. Continue making large leaves, one on the left then one on the right etc. until the rectangle is full. My leaves are about 5" long and 3 1/2" wide and I was able to fit three full leaves on each side of the stem.

Change threads to a different color for the veins of the leaves. Begin at the same spot you did before and stitch up the vein with a wavy line that is slightly different from the first stem line. Stitch into the first leaf and echo up the center vein, keeping the stitch line about 1/8" away. Then stitch out to form the first angled vein then stitch back to the center again, again keeping the lines about 1/8" apart. Continue stitching angled, wavy lined veins on the first side of the leaf then once you reach the top, do the same on the opposite side of the leaf. Complete all of the leaves in this manner, traveling from leaf to leaf over the stem.

Change your thread color one more time for the small sprigs of leaves. Again, begin at the bottom of the rectangle and pull it towards you as you stitch. You will be filling in the negative space with these sprigs. Because I like to use contrasting shapes, I used small seed shaped leaves on the small springs. They are rounded and work well with the more pointy large leaves but you could shape yours however you like.

Stitch up the stem until you reach a large area of negative space then stitch out and away from the stem, forming a long stem. Stitch a small leaf at the end then double back adding leaves on the sides of the stem as you go. Mine are teardrop or seed shaped and vary in size from a pumpkin seed down to a sunflower seed. Keep traveling up the stem adding more sprigs as you go until you have filled in the negative space adequately ( no more the 1/2" - 1" of open space with no quilting).

Hope you enjoy this new design. I can't wait to use it in a quilt myself!

Till next time,
Heather

More "Quilt & Color" designs

Good Morning and Happy Thanksgiving to You All,

I'm not much of a holiday girl anymore. The kids are grown, I'm not close to me extended family but my good friends are so it's usually just my small family getting together.

This year it's just me and Tom, my oldest Jaz and a couple of stray friends that she's bringing with her (she mixes with a lot of very different types of people and her friends are always fun and interesting). I'm making a nice but simple dinner so that means I've got the whole morning to spend in my studio!

So, I thought I'd take some time to show the "quilt and color" technique step by step using the new triptych I'm working on. the photos above show the three major steps in the technique.

In the first photo, using a fine mechanical pencil, I have drawn the circles, the dividing line, the word and it's surrounding borders and the sections in the background around the circles. I then stitched them all using 40 wt. black thread.

In the second photo, I have added all of the fine detail stitching, making it up as I go. Turning circles into flowers, adding loads of texture and fun shapes still using the 40 wt. black cotton thread.

The last photo shows the final result, all colored in using Pro Markers, Fabrico markers and Tsukinenko Ink. After the ink has dried, (less than an hour) I go back in and thicken up any lines where any colors may have bled (this not only covers the bleeding, but adds interest too). To do this I use the same black thread and various widths of satin stitch.

This is so fun! I will soon be carrying the Fabrico markers and Tsukinenko inks on my web site for those of you who would like to try out the technique and can't find the products. I'm teaching it early next year at Great American Quilt Factory too and will be publishing a printable CD pattern on the technique filled with loads of designs.

Have a lovely day,

Till next time,
Heather

The Cover Quilt for my new Color Book - AT LAST!

Good Morning All,

My apologies for being away for so long. Isn't it amazing how the days fly by? I've been so busy that Thanksgiving just snuck up on me. I'll have to do my shopping today after work!

Here, finally, is the quilt that I will use on the cover of my upcoming color book. I'm very pleased with the results. It was worth doing it over.I love the lines and shapes but especially the color.

It began with a piece of white cloth. I marked the long vertical lines as well as the circles but that's all.

Then I layered it with two layers of silk batting and a colorful backing fabric. I stitched around the marked circles and the long, wavy lines. Then I went back in to each circle adding all of the detail free style (no marking), just stitching whatever came to mind. All of this was done with a 40 wt. black cotton thread.

Then I stitched a different design, in a different color, in each of the background sections using a thinner, 50 weight thread.

Then I colored each of the circles using Promarkers and Fabrico Markers. I tried to make them as colorful as possible using a mixture of pure hues, slight tints and slight shades. Then I colored in the background areas. Each was done in a color slightly lighter than the thread used in that section. For this I used the Promarkers and Tsukinenko Inks.

One of the things that can happen with this technique is the ink or markers can bleed into an adjoining area. When this happens, I simply thicken up the stitch lines using various widths of satin stitch and viola, problem fixed!

I love, love, love doing this technique. My two favorite things; free style machine quilting and coloring - it's a little like being a kid again!

Have a glorious Thanksgiving!

Till next time,
Heather