The Free Motion Quilting Project: 60. Secure Appliques to a Quilt Background

The Free Motion Quilting Project: 60. Secure Appliques to a Quilt Background: So we've turned the edges of our large applique pieces and it's time to connect them together and secure them to the quilt backgroun...

Giveaway!

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http://627handworks.com/2013/09/sunday-funday-giveaway-4/

!Insights From SewCalGal: A Good Day Is A Day Spent Quilting

!Insights From SewCalGal: A Good Day Is A Day Spent Quilting:

 I hope you have  wonderful day and find time to enjoy and create. While SewCalGal is copyright protected, if you like the clipart this ...

New Year 2013

             I am glad everyone made it through to another year of quilting, fabric hunting or whatever your addiction may be! I have several  but quilting is by far the most addicting! I do love it since it does let me get my creative juices flowing! I have several resolutions, hoping I can make myself proud by the end of the year...
1.    Be the best example I can be to my husband, kids, grand kids and for those around me!
2.    Finish the grandmother quilt...
3.    Don't be afraid to try new techniques...
4.   Get a new sewing machine...
5.    Enter a quilt into a show this year.... 
6.   Meet deadlines....
7.    Don't forget to take care of myself too...
8.    Have fun!

For now I think that is enough! I may add to it, take some away or adjust wherever I need to. The most important thing is to write things down to get a clearer vision and don't be afraid! Try those new free motion designs. Join a monthly quilting challenge! Play all day at least once every other week! Or every week! Focus on what makes you happy or will make you happy! More family time? More me time? More spiritual time? Do what you can do, want to do and give yourself a break! That's what I am going to do! 

This is my dad, Evans H. Craig! He was called Pete! I still call him Daddy! He past away in Jan. 2010. He has always believed in me and made me want to do better! This year, 2013, I am going to make him proud! I miss him... I love him.....

AND... these are 3 of my Grand kids that will be living with us so I have lots of parenting to look forward to!   I am so happy to have them with me! Nita, Brianna and Rudy!

And my youngest grand son Damian, of course! His daddy, my son Willy, brings him over to visit! So I have so much to look forward to in 2013! 

Damian Completed!

I have been working on the grandmother quilt. This is the last face added to it after my youngest grandson came into the picture in April! This is the pattern. I then traced it onto freezer paper and used that to cut up. It's pretty easy using this method because you can iron the freezer paper right onto your fabric. Just cut it out adding the 1/4" for overlapping where necessary!

This is after I had the base fabric for his face. Then I added the darker areas for shadows in varying degrees. I use my hand dyed fabric for the skin. Only the blanket, shorts and hair are commercial fabric. In all the other faces I used only hand dyed fabric.  See the freezer paper face to the left?

I also did the face in paint to see what it would look like, however, it did not match the other faces done in fabric. But I wanted to show it to you... It was fun!  I have since added hair!

Here is Damian's face completed next to Rudy, who is done in fabric only. So it works out well, I think! I am very happy with Damian's face. I don't think you can tell that Damian is colored a little bit with colored pencils! I heat set the color!

I have been searching for a new machine to upgrade the techniques I am using in my art quilts! I was looking at a Janome 6300 and went to test drive it Thursday, Nov 8th after my guild meeting! I did go and I test drove it and it was wonderful! BUT....... I happened to look over my shoulder and saw the Horizon! There were two kinds! The 7700, which they were not carrying anymore, and the 12,000  which is the new Horizon replacing the 7700! I didn't even bother with the 12,00 because it's price was $3000! But the Horizon 7700 was his last one and it was a floor model. I should have walked by it but I did not! I sat down and tested it! All the functions were really the same, straight stitching, free motion and zigzag! But then I wanted to do free motion zigzag which my Viking 715 does not do well at all. The dealer changed the foot for me to the clear round one, set the machine up for me and said "go for it!" I followed the meandered pattern someone else had done with the zigzag to see if it could take the turns and tight spaces around what I do with hair, faces, around eyes and noses!  IT WAS MAGNIFICENT!  I held my breath and whispered....  I'll take it! 

Look what I won at my Quilt Guild Meeting tonight!