Sunday, September 30, 2012

Free Motion Quilting Challenge

I almost forgot to post my September block for the Free Motion Quilting Challenge. This was the hardest design for me so far. I know it shouldn't be, but I find it so difficult to quilt on a line... not at all "free" motion. It's feels much easier for me to make up a design as I go, instead of trying to quilt on a line.
I tried out the Golden Threads Quilting Paper to make the pattern this month. It is just like tissue paper and easy to trace your pattern through. Then I just pinned the traced pattern to the block and quilted on the lines.
The challenging part of using this product was removing it. It wasn't a terrible task, but did leave lots of tiny bits of paper in the quilting crevices that I tried to remove with tweezers.
So here's the finished block.
Not bad if you stand 10 or 12 feet away without your glasses on. 
Up close...it's dismal!
Oh well. One of the benefits of this challenge is learning what you like to quilt and want to do more of, and discovering what you'll likely never do again!

8 comments:

Janet O. said...

Ah, so you did your own version, hooking the feathers. Very clever! I find it challenging to follow the lines, but the more I do it the easier it gets. I have to slow way down.
I don't know if I want to try that paper. Looks tedious to remove. : )

Sheila said...

That looks like a very difficult pattern, Kathy. I think you did good!! I struggle with straight lines, wavy lines, meandering lines, and loop de loops.

Mary said...

I have used tissue paper and I find the same issue when Paper-piecing. It will wash out, right? Free-Motion isn't supposed to make more work is it?

Helen in the UK said...

Congrats to you on having a go with this rather tricky design. I couldn't be doing with removing all those paper pieces - would drive me mad!! I don't do well following lines either - would rather eyeball it after putting in a couple of chalk (easy to brush off) guidelines :)

Anonymous said...

Glad you tried something new even if t didn't work out for you. At least nw you knw.

Ellen said...

It is true that you don't know whether you will like something until you try it. Overall, I think you did a pretty good job. I agree that it would be tedious to pick away at the paper.

Rebecca Grace said...

I like how you adapted the design with hooked feathers! I agree about the PITA of ripping away the paper afterwards, which is why I traced the design directly onto my fabric with a light box. Still, you're being too hard on yourself -- your design is gorgeous! If your thread was tone on tone instead of contrast, it would look absolutely perfect. Keep in mind, just because this design isn't your style, doesn't mean that someday you might not want to follow a more contemporary marked design line. You have the skill to do it. :-)

Terri said...

I'll bet you like it better after it is washed. Next time you quilt through paper try removing the paper with a thumbnail on one side of the stitching and a tear away motion with the other hand. Works for paper piecing.
Hugs