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Saturday, May 30, 2015

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

32 comments:

  1. your quilting is absolutely beautiful! I'd love to have a cushion like that.

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  2. absolutely amazing Fiona!!! it's so gorgeous.
    all your careful preparation definitely pays off with the end product.

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  3. Tis absolutely gorgeous, such a natural talent!

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  4. Looks great Fiona and what a great use of the napkin. Love the design of Cindy's that you chose.

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  5. Dear Fiona,
    wonderful quilting, it looks to beautiful. Very nice cusion a real eyecatcher, so special.
    Greetings,
    Sylvia

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  6. Your work just gets better and better and better. Wow, wonderful quilting

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  7. I just love this Fiona, well done, it's just beautiful

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  8. Wow Fiona that is sooo beautiful....going to learn FMQ one day....that cheese plate looks pretty good too!

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  9. OMG amazing..............great cheese platter..............

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  10. Beautiful! You are so talented at fmq

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  11. Fiona, your quilting has come so far, this is just amazing what you are doing now. I live for the day when i can do some free motion tuition. Your work is just fabulous well done, keep it up, you have the right passion.

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  12. Fiona, your quilting si so wonderful.
    Love it.
    Greetings Grit

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  13. E bellissimo,idea stupenda e quiltatura perfetta.Mi biace tanto :)

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  14. Sooo, that's how you quilt so gorgeously??? I will have to try this! L

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  15. That is just beautiful Fiona!!

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  16. For some reason blogger wouldn't let me comment yesterday......love your new cushion, that's a great way of using pretty fabric! Your cactus is lovely too, for some reason mine isn't flowering yet.

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  17. OMG that cushions is just stunning it will look wonderful in your new house. Cheese and cake - yummmmmm

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  18. Hi Fiona ,wow you are amazing my friend this cushion is the prettiest cushion I have ever seen your FMQ is amazing,well done my friend xx

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  19. Creative and beautiful pillow! I may be looking at ex-shirts differently! Mmmmmm...the cheese platter looks delicious!

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  20. Oh, This is rather extra beautiful, Fiona! Looks perfect! Great skill to manage this :-)

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  21. Absolutely amazing ! Love your cushion .

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  22. This is brilliant, Fiona. Loved seeing the process and how you used the designs.
    Your quilting is stunning.

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  23. BEAUTIFUL pillow! I love your quilting and great feathers :)
    Greetings from Poland
    Kamila

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  24. I love your work - it's amasing

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  25. I love your work - it's amasing

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  26. This comment has been removed by the author.

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  27. It is so fun looking at your challenges each month! You are coming up with just gorgeous designs :) I love all the progress shots and explanation- this is vicarious fmq-ing at it's best ;)

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Thanks for coming by.... If you have time I would love to hear from you and I do love a chat so I reply whenever I can ... if you don't hear back from me you may be a no reply, anonymous..... or blogger isn't sending my your comment by email.....