Free Motion Quilting Challenge

Darlene at QuiltShopGal is hosting a monthly Free-Motion Quilting Challenge and each month she has some amazing tutor help us and motivate us to try something new....

This months guest has been Cindy Needham, someone I have been following and admiring and even bought her stencils  and training manuals about a year ago... and just never had the nerve to try it out so the opportunity was perfect....

I went for Option 1 of the challenge.... I like that this is not a competition but there is a deadline to get a a finish... perfect for me...

WARNING... lots of process pictures...

So... I started with a napkin and a cotton/linen shirt that doesn't fit me ....

(I have kept those pretty shell buttons!)

Firstly I used the square stencil to mark guidelines on the napkin....

 ... and traced one of Cindy's medalions from her manual for the centre...

Once that was done I placed my first bit of wadding behind the napkin... I used a puffy polyester so I could get it 'trapunto' style.... this I sewed on with some dissolving thread ....

... and carefully cut around the edge at the back....

... and placed it on the linen (ex shirt) and more polyester wadding...  carefully ditch stitch within the curved blue piece on the napkin...

.. then it was playtime... outlines first ...

... then adding detail ....

... and starting on the border ....

.. and adding more detail....

... finally after quite a few hours of stitching.... this is the back.... I love pictures of backs of quilting...

... last night was stitching at Marions and the first night of Chooky's cyber party ... so I sewed the binding on my new cushion and had a bit of snacks...

.. there was a yummy cheese platter....

... and lemon meringue tart... double yummy!

.. and this morning I have a new cushion cover....

... my favourite envelope back....

... and add the stuffing and there is a new cushion in the house....

Thanks Darlene and Cindy.... I loved doing this challenge 

If you are wanting to play with Free Motion Quilting do join us... anytime and remember it's not a competition... we all support and encourage one another

Righto, Gotta Go... I'm off HERE to see what the other gals have sewn this month

This and That.....

These Nature's Journey blocks just squeezed into this months deadline....

This is a Stitch-A-Long being hosted by Chooky.... and there are heaps of lovely blocks to see....

I've also been working on In My Garden stitcheries

This is a Stitch-A-Long hosted by De on Facebook....

... and I have been practicing my quilting... this is for Free Motion hosted by QuiltShopGal

.. and this is my flowering cactus... hosted by me....

... and getting ready for a cyber party hosted by Chooky's  - sign ups HERE ... are you joining in? ...

I'll pop in and out between child minding, house hunting, open house etc ....

Righto, Gotto Go.... planning to do

Great news......

You will be amazed at my cleverness today..... ok not my cleverness but I am very proud

Please meet Beau ... our newest grandson born yesterday ....

8lbs 14 oz so not a lightie....  all well and born after lunch and home by dinner....

Righto, Gotto Go.....  isn't he GORGEOUS???? 

Butterfly.... my butterfly....

... wait for me .. don't fly away....

On this post HERE I showed my first few butterflies made using Chantelle's tutorial HERE

Well, I did get a bit carried away cleaning up some of the scraps I had...

I think they look lovely flying on the quilt...

I'm not too sure what I will do with them .. but for the meantime they have to pretend they are still in cocoons....

... as this is happening to our house.....

... and if it sell we will need to find a new home!... staying in this area 

This little "I is for Icecream" alphabet bear has been completed.... 

(Michelle's pattern set)

Righto, Gotto Go.. what ideas to do with a bunch of flutterby's?

It's the 24th.....

.. which means we get to open our little swap parcels...

this is what had arrived earlier this week... my pincushion swap parcel from Susan

I've always admired Susan's lovely work and attention to detail so I was a little bit excited

... oh my gosh....

isn't it amazing....

.... look at all the detail.. fussy cut hexies and cross stitched seams...

... wait.. there's more...

... there is another side to it!!

my lovely pincushion arrived with a couple of Anni Downs labels and the cutest card made with hexies..

Thank you so much Susan... I love my newest pincushion.

I didn't catch an early enough post this week so my partners's hasn't arrived yet.... I am so sorry ... so if you were expecting one in Susan's pincushion swap and it hasn't arrived you can blame me....

... but this is part of it....

Righto, Gotto Go .....Sunday is here to be enjoyed ... Hubz is in the garden and my machine is calling out to me...

Done.....

Here is the finished quilt that Chookyblue made ....

... and sent to me to quilt and bind....

... ready to be posted off to Jewells ...

• will make someone happy who lost so much in the Dugong floods

I got an interesting parcel in the post this week???
I wondered if someone thought I was changing hobbies?

This is what is inside... my swap pressie with came from Susan

 ..... no opening yet.....

...but I'm a bit excited...
.. it's quite heavy and doesn't rattle!..

In my evenings I have stitched a little mouse.... it's for a gift so I hope (secret) isn't frightened of mice

Last year I made up some wine totes to give as gifts (shown on this post HERE and there is a link to the free tutorial)  - last week I found some perfect fabric to make up a new supply later this year..... isn't is so fun?

Autumn has arrived properly now... we had a long summer but now leaves are changing colours and there is lots falling... beautiful blue skies, warm days and cool evenings.... I do love autumn

G is for Garden

Righto, Gotto Go.... my garden needs some watering too.... need to keep the grass nice and green