UFO #3 (Quilted)

YIPPEE, I have my first quilt done for February. I'm bad, I don't name my quilts, short of this is for baby Corbin, so I'll call it Corbin's Quilt. This is the quilt for my husband's coworker that I mentioned in a previous post. Maybe by the time I hit my 100th post, I will figure out how not to get the crazy angles I manage to capture in all my pictures. Oh well, this blogging is creating numerous learning opportunities for me. Quilts for Babys: Easy as ABC by Ursula Reikes is the book this Attic Window pattern came from. I love Ursula's books because patterns are very easy and always go together without issues.

I spent last week watching my quilting DVDs for as many tips as I could possibly pick up. I decided to work on my Loop-D-Loop skills with this quilt. Patsy Thompson mentioned that you shouldn't make all the loops the same size. I really think that helped me. Instead of freaking out because my loops weren't the same size it was fun to make small loops and then giant loops. I let the "Spirit" move me. It seemed liked it made it a lot easier for me to vary the direction of the loops too.

Saturday I pulled out my box of unquilted tops - 25. Adding the 2 from Sunday that makes 27 (aren't you impressed with my 1st grade math?). I think I should have plenty of opportunities to practice this month.

Tonight was good.

1. I tried very hard not to be critical of myself. My quilting isn't perfect, but the quilt is done. Practice makes perfect. (26 more to go)
   
2. I tried to float the top, which I don't normally do. I had some bunching by the time I got to the bottom of the quilt. With that I learned that I do a better job when the top is attached to the appropriate roller on my frame. I'm never going to know how it will turn out unless I try.
   
3. I used 2 pieces of batting butted together for this quilt. I managed to clear 2 pieces out of my batting stash instead of creating more. I didn't have a lump in the middle and I think the amount of quilting I did will definitely keep all the batting in place.
4. I learned that Mindy Casperson (I Have a Long Arm and I'm Not Afraid to Use It) is a genius. In her DVD she talked about small spools of thread and how they need to come off the spool the way they are wound. Small spools aren't wound like the large cones. Makes sense, but I really didn't know that until she said it. Mindy recommended using a horizontal spool holder on the machine. Since I don't have one I improvised based on her recommendation. A chop stick duct taped to the machine with a binder clip to keep the thread on. Very McGyver don't you think? My dad would have a coronary if he saw this picture.

Duct tape really does have a million uses.

Machine Quilting and Instructional DVDs

I broke down and bought the Pajama Quilter Reloaded video in my quest for machine quilting help. Definitely worth the investment. I read Mary's blog and she mentioned the DVD and showed some of the designs from the video in her quilting. The pictures definitely caught my attention. I LOVE this DVD. Dawn Rameriz is a great teacher and definitely has me, the newbie who isn't very confident, confident that I can do it and will like it. I like the fact that the DVD provides techniques and then builds on them. It's not so much about here's how you machine quilt, but here's how you doodle and make your hands understand what your brain is telling them to do.

Also in my DVD collection is "I've Got a Long Arm (and I'm not Afraid to use it)" from Mindy Casperson. I got those videos after listening to her lecture at IMQA. This DVD is great because Mindy explains the mechanics of the machine and how to troubleshoot. Even though the machine might seem very complicated, there is a definitely check list of items to follow when troubleshooting.
I also bought Mindy's second DVD - Long Armed and Fabulous. I watched it but was pretty overwhelmed. I think I really need to grasp the basics before venturing into the arena of templates and rulers.

Yesterday I broke down and bought two DVDs from Patsy Thompson "Fast and Free - Volumes 1 & 2". Helen of the UK mentioned them and also provided pictures that caught my attention.

I have a Hinterberg quilt frame and a Nolting Hobby Quilter. Because I don't have a lot of spare time, I really haven't taken the time to bond with my frame and machine. When I do machine quilt something, I really do enjoy what I'm doing and the fact that I did the quilting and didn't pay someone to do it. Since I'm definitely a visual learner, I think the DVDs will be a wonderful source for help and ideas.

I am officially decreeing February Machine Quilting Month!!!