Wow, so many of you took the time to leave me comments of helpful links and tips and lots of encouragement on my machine quilting. THANK YOU to all of you for your kind words and help, and encouragement!
Today while the twins napped I got my rear in gear and got back out my duck quilt - the "Quilt for Kids" kit and just dove back into it. ;) and I actually had some fun! :P
The only thing missing was having some music going.. but being as I do not have a radio in the house or one of those ipod thingys that are so popular... I just had to hum to myself and make my own music... la..de..da...
I was really feeling into my groove... and then the phone rang. It was my husband calling while out for his very late in the day lunch... as in it's 2:30 and he was just leaving the plant to go pick up a bite to eat.
when I told him that I was gonna have to go upstairs and wake up the babies in about 10 minutes so I could leave and go pick up Nora - he offered to go get her and bring her home for me! ;) Wasn't that sweet!?
Not only did it mean that I wouldn't have to disturb the twins and wake them up - It also meant that I could continue "movin and a groovin" on my free motion quilting ;)
Weeee!
I have such an EVEN GREATER APPRECIATION for machine quilters now!!!
The little white slippery surface thingy (Supreme Slider) I helped Santa buy me does a great job making up the difference.
Something else that I used today for the first time were these gloves!!!
I had misplaced them, after receiving them from Santa for Christmas... but after Elaine asked, "Are you using quilting gloves? - a must! I LOVE Machingers." I searched until I found them - and what do you know!? The brand I ordered from Santa also from Leah Day's website, are Machingers! Just like Elaine recommended. ;)
And using them today DID make a WORLD of a DIFFERENCE!!! Can you tell from my photo how every fingertip is rubbery?? They are great!
And what about those tails?? I helped Santa pick out something else for me too that I used for the first time today. They're called Cheater Needles made by Clover. Have you ever used one? Click here to see Leah Day demonstrate how they are used.
You have no idea how hard it was for me to get my camera to focus on this needle... it took longer to get one clear photo to share with you - than it did to bury all of the threads on both the front and back sides! :P
and because Leah mentioned that she used Pin Place to keep and store her Cheater needles, I helped Santa buy me one of those too :P Sorry, no photo but mine is suction cupped to the side of my machine so I can always find it. Click here to see what it looks like - and notice the special combo offer if you buy both the Cheater needles and pin place together.
So now that all of the diagional blues and yellows are fee motioned... and safety pins removed, and tails burried with my Cheater Needle.... all that is left to do are the large ducky blocks and borders.
Any suggestions?
oh and there's one more thing/notion that I helped Santa buy for me that I didn't get a photo of - but will share a link to. These "Little Genie Magic Bobbin Washers" I have no idea how they work, but if Leah Day says, "This completely eliminates backlash and bird's nests on the back of your quilt!"
and she has to use them... then I figured I did too. I added one to my bobbin case before I ever began on my quilting and my back side's stitches look as great as the front! ;)
Happy Weekend & Love from Texas!
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What a wonderful job you are doing....and yes, a cabinet would be great (I need one tooo, woul make things so much easier)....great husband too...
ReplyDeleteYour quilting looks FANTASTIC! Nice job! (and what a hubby)
ReplyDeleteI'm not a professional quilter like you, Bonnie, but could you leave the duck blocks alone? They look so cool a little more puffy than the yellow and blue squares. Also, you need to use your laptop and go to pandora.com They have build-your-own radio stations, and it comes right through your computer. Check it out!
ReplyDeletesome days the universe aligns perfectly for quilting. glad you had such a good and productive day.
ReplyDeleteOh gosh I wish Downy would have sent me that kit...I've got a ducky quilt motif I've been wanting to try!
ReplyDeleteI love the cheater needles...use them often. Your blog post today was fantastic for many new quilters! Love it...and your quilting looks fantastic! Kudos!!
hey Bonnie, you could try circles...start in the center and circle around all the way out of the block.
ReplyDeleteGreat job quilting Bonnie! I love the cheater needles too. ;-) I haven't tried the bobbin thingys, but I usually don't have any problems with nests. I would put something simple in the duck blocks just to hold them together~ an umbrella? raindrops? water lines? a big squiggle? Have fun! :-)
ReplyDeleteBonnie -- you are doing great. When I read you post, you gave me the idea of posting how I made my own sewing machine table several years ago. I absolutely love my table and she is portable - perfect for kitchen tables.
ReplyDeleteKeep up the good work and welcome to the world of machine quilting.
Love the look it has. My machine sits on our old dining table so I don't have a flat surface either. It would be nice to have that one day. :c)
ReplyDeleteThanks for the tip, I just ordered some cheater needles, what a great idea.
ReplyDeleteI love the colors and texture on that quilt -- great job!
ReplyDelete8-))) the quilting and TEXTURE are scrumtious!!! So happy you found your groove! Don't you find it was easier than you first thought?
ReplyDeleteThe spray slippery 'stuff' that a person can spray on the surface of your quilting area is a dry silicone, which is made just for sewing/quilting. I've heard June Tailor sells it ???? Yes, my sewing table (Roberts) was as costly as a really good machine, but my work improved and increased %100. I have NEVER been sorry for that pricey expenditure!
Funny about your cute haircut - I just had mine cut that way, although mine is shorter.