Better Late Than Never: February 2012 FMQ Challenge Completed, Feathers With Diane Gaudynski

Embroidery Disaster Saved by Free-Motion Quilting!

Remember the 2012 Free-Motion Quilting Challenge hosted by SewCalGal?  Each month last year, a different free-motion quilting expert provided an online tutorial with a practice exercise.  We were supposed to complete all twelve by the end of the year, but I didn't even find out about the challenge until June I only managed to complete seven by year's end.  Although I was brand-new to free-motion quilting at the beginning of this challenge, I found that setting aside a couple of hours once a month to practice quilting motifs has made a HUGE difference -- like the difference between drawing with a pen in my hand versus trying to draw with a pen clasped between my toes.  Well, SewCalGal recently announced a "second chance" for those of us who did not meet the goal in 2012, and I now have until October 31st to finish the remaining challenges. 



So, back in April I spent something crazy like 6 hours embroidering this enormous Jacobean bird design, only to have it shrink up and pucker when I attempted to press the finished piece from the back side?  (I have a theory about that, by the way -- I had layered a piece of unwashed muslin beneath the silk shantung prior to embroidering for extra stability, then trimmed away the excess when the embroidery was complete.  I think the muslin backing shrank when I ironed it).  

Ruined Embroidery Project, Ripe for FMQ Practice

I decided to use this ruined embroidery project for FMQ practice, to see whether I could quilt out those ugly puckers and ripples between the embroidered areas.  I spent several hours yesterday and today working on Diane Gaudynski's February 2012 feather tutorial, and I could not be more thrilled with the results.  I have admired Diane's machine quilting, and the machine quilting of her students, for years, and I own both of her wonderful books.  Still, I've not felt up to the challenge of trying to quilt feathers until now.  This is the first time for me just sitting down at the machine and quilting feathers over and over again.  They're far from perfect up close, but much better than I ever thought I would be able to do.  And, thanks to the FMQ challenge, I now know that my quilting skills WILL get better and better, the more I practice.  If I can do this, ANYONE can learn!

 

So yes, I was able to quilt out all of the puckers in this embroidery design, and what's more, I managed to quilt some passable feathers and lumpy-but-acceptable pebble background quilting.  I have long struggled with both of those designs and have been practice-doodling feathers on my iPad for months.  Wahoo!

 

 

Can you believe this is the exact same project as the ugly wrinkled mess in the previous photo?  I almost threw this away!  Now I like it so much that I have to come up with something to do with it.  The finished piece is 16" x 20."  Any ideas?  I suppose I could just square the edges, bind it, and call it a "mini wall quilt." 

 

I'm Quilting Feathers! 

I attempted several different feather styles, but even though the traditional, backtracked feathers are supposed to be the most difficult to quilt, those were the easiest for me -- probably because that's the way I've been doodling them.  However, I was NOT doodling the stem correctly, so all of my stems are a bit wonky.

 

My fabric is a glitter-flecked silk shantung layered with Hobbs Tuscany Silk batting and muslin backing.  I used #100 silk thread in the needle and 60/2 Mettler cotton embroidery thread in the bobbin, with a size 60 Microtex needle, tension reduced to 1.50, and BSR stitch length set to 1.5.

 

It even looks cool from the back, see?

 

Back View

 

So now that's one more down, and only four more to go.





Versace Must Be a Quilter, Or The Coolest Handbags That I Did NOT Buy

At Versace, Stilettos + Free-Motion Quilting + Naked = Sexy!

Hello, Dahlings!  Have you missed me?  Here I was counting down the days until school ended, thinking summer would bring some relaxation our way, but so far the first week of the kids' summer vacation has been pretty hectic.  The boys have had Vacation Bible School every morning this week, plus we had a new member orientation dinner at church last night, a couple of discouraging estimates for improving our wreck of a back yard, and a fender-bender for Bernie yesterday morning (not his fault).  I've also been busy working on a project for a design client, and we're about to drive Lars to an audition for a summer teen production of Godspell.  But I won't bore you with the details of any of that right now.  Today, we're going to talk about Shopping, Fashion, Couture Handbags, and Free-Motion Quilting. 

Sneaky Peaky from Versace -- Keep Reading!

A few weeks ago I spent several hours going through the entire South Park Mall, looking at every single handbag in just about every store, and (to the despair of many a defeated salesperson) I could not find a single bag that fit what I wanted for the summer.  I didn't want the hassle of having to switch handbags depending on my outfit and my plans for the day; that doesn't work for me.  I typically don't even know what I'm wearing until 5 minutes before I leave the house, and I'm lucky to make it out the door with shoes on my feet!  So I wanted a handbag that was neutral or at least versatile, but not boring; something that straddled the fence between casual and dressier days, something that didn't have anyone's logo plastered all over it, and something fun and unique that I would not see tons of other women carrying around this summer.  I wanted it to be big enough for my wallet, checkbook, keys, and clunky sunglasses case, but not so big that I could overload it to the point of throwing my back out.  Now, is this too much to ask of a handbag? 



Floral Python Bag from Jimmy Choo, $4,695

Apparently, yes it is.  After coming up empty handed at the mall, I spent a couple more hours searching online, and EUREKA!  I found several fabulous -- but not-so-affordable-- options, and I did not buy any of them.  Instead, I'm going to share them with you so we can enjoy them together.  Everything is connected to everything else where art, design, and fashion converge, so please indulge me even if you're not a handbag person.

This bag is my absolute favorite.  It's the Biker Multi Floral Python from Jimmy Choo, yours for just $4,695...  The floral print superimposed on natural python has a fun, fresh, contemporary feel -- I'm getting a very Parisian vibe here.  I wear a lot of solid clothing rather than prints, so this would actually work with more of my wardrobe than you'd expect.  Here's a closeup:



Fun Luxe from Jimmy Choo

As you've probably noticed, python is a Big Deal Trend right now, and every line seems to be using some of it.  Not just in fashion, either -- interior designer Mary McDonald has a gorgeous python print linen fabric in her collection for F. Schumacher & Co.:
 


F. Schumacher Park Avenue Python in Greige, 100% Linen, $196 per yard

It's a heavier-weight linen fabric, suitable for draperies, light upholstery, or wall applications...  And it would also be the perfect weight for a casual summer handbag.

After the Jimmy Choo, my second-favorite python bags are these lovelies from Gucci:


Gucci Multi Python Tote, $3,500



Multi Python Tote on Model -- Why Are These Bags So BIG?!



Gucci Jackie Malachite Green Python, $3,800 -- Pantone's Color of the Year



Gucci Jackie Warm Sand Python, $5,990 -- Love the Tassels

That last one is the most practical, from a "neutral color" perspective, anyway, and I love those big tassels.  They remind me of drapery tassels.

Just in case you're thinking that these are outrageously expensive handbags, let's look at a REALLY expensive handbag next:


Gucci Soft Stirrup Bag in Crocodile, $29,900

Crocodile Bag with Model -- These Bags Are All TOO BIG!

Umm, that bag costs more than my first car...  Granted, this is a rather large bag, and it's a gorgeous neutral that would work with just about anything, but I do like being married, so I think I'll pass.

What's with this supersized handbag thing, anyway?  Is it a purse, or a giant diaper bag? 

If you're looking for something smaller than a bowling bag, check out this lovely from Fendi:

Fendi Embroidered Leather Baguette, $2,450

Don't you just love the embroidery on the Fendi Embroidered Leather Baguette?  The size is much more sensible, and you know I love ANY color, as long as it's red...  This bag really got me thinking.  If Fendi can embroider on leather, why can't I?  Just google "how to embroider leather" and a whole slew of tutorials and videos will pop up.  The possibilities are endless!

 

Meanwhile, last but certainly not least, the folks at Versace have obviously been snooping around at the quilt shows:

 

Versace Vanitas Soft Quilted Tote, $2,295

 

It looks like someone has been practicing free-motion quilting designs on the Vanitas Soft Quilted Tote, doesn't it?  Chanel has been doing quilted leather forever (along with scores of imitators), but I've never seen THIS kind of quilting on a handbag before!  Hmmm...  I don't think I know anyone who does free-motion quilting on leather.  It would have to be really lightweight, smooth glove leather, NOT the upholstery stuff, and I'd need to work out the right needle and stitch length to get good definition for the quilting designs without perforating the leather...  I've never felt the urge to sew a handbag before, but this would be a really fun idea to play with.

Versace's Inspiration: Free-Motion Quilt Doodling by Rebecca

 

Oryany Whitney Bag, $325

So, what did I end up with after all that?  Sadly, I had to settle.  I bought this Oryany (I've never heard of them before, either) Whitney Colorblock handbag online from Nieman Marcus.  I don't love it, but I haven't seen anyone else with it, it works with just about any color, and it was inexpensive enough that I didn't HAVE to love it.  It's way too big, for one thing, a little less structured than I would prefer, and I'm annoyed by and had hoped to avoid the ubiquitous brass-plated hardware fad.  The best thing about this bag is the fun lining fabric:

It's not as exciting as the Versace or the Jimmy Choo, but the much lower price point doesn't cut into my fabric shopping budget!





Applique By Machine and By Hand: The Verdict!



Hand Applique at Left, Invisible Machine Applique at Right

I was so excited about taking Harriet Hargrave's Invisible Machine Applique class at the North Carolina Quilt Symposium last weekend.  I have owned Harriet's Heirloom Machine Quilting and her Mastering Machine Applique books for about 10 years, and although I relied on her machine quilting book extensively with my first few quilts, I had never attempted machine applique until this class.  Since I had just started my very first hand applique project this year, I thought it would be great to try Harriet's methods for achieving similar results by machine to see which construction method I preferred.

 

Bernina 750 QE Packed in a Tutto 1XL Machine On Wheels Bag

I lugged my Bernina 750 QE to class in a spiffy red Tutto trolley case purchased 'specially for this occasion.  I was very happy with how well my machine fit in this case and how easy it was to transport this way -- but then, when I walked into the classroom and saw the itty bitty, TV-tray-sized "tables" that were each supposed to accommodate TWO students and TWO machines, I found myself wishing I had brought a smaller machine! 

 

For those of you who are also 750 owners, I can tell you that Harriet recommended using Stitch #3, the Vari Overlock stitch, instead of the Narrow Blind Hem stitch built into the machine's quilting menu, because there are fewer straight stitches between the V-shaped bites on the Vari Overlock stitch and she feels that Stitch #3 creates a much more attractive invisible applique.  She had me MIRROR IMAGE Stitch #3, reduce the length to 0.9, reduce the width to 0.4, and reduce the needle tension to 3.0 (with monofilament .004 nylon thread in the needle and 60/2 Mettler cotton embroidery thread in the bobbin -- no adjustments needed to bobbin tension).  After making those adjustments to the stitch, I also had to press that button on the leftmost side of the second row to put the needle back in center position, otherwise the stitch would form so close to the left toe of my #20C Open Applique presser foot that I couldn't see what I was doing.

Stitch #3, Length 0.9, Width 0.4, Catching 2 Threads of Applique Fabric

With those settings, I was able to get beautiful tension for machine applique and the left swing of the needle caught only two threads of the applique fabric.  With the Open Toe Applique foot and the super-bright LED lighting on my 750 'Nina machine, I had excellent visibility for this technique.  But, did I ENJOY it?

 

Well, compared to the hand applique that I've been working on lately, I have to say that I found machine applique to be incredibly stressful.  In order for the machine stitching to be invisible, you need that skinny little 60/8 needle to rub right against the folded applique fabric edge for the straight stitches, pivoting carefully around every curve, and the left swing "bite" part of the stitch is supposed to catch just two threads of the applique fabric and then land precisely against the fold on the background fabric.  I found myself holding my breath as I stitched, tensing my shoulders, and muttering curses under my breath every time the needle didn't land exactly where I wanted it to.  Hand applique is slower, but it's so much more relaxing and every single stitch goes exactly where I want it.  If a hand needle pokes through in the wrong spot, I just back it out and adjust it to where it needs to go.  It's easy to pull out a single hand stitch just by unthreading and rethreading the needle. The stitch length for this invisible machine applique is SO tiny that the stitches are like a string of knots, virtually impossible to remove. 

 

"Invisible" Machine Applique?  Well, Not On Batiks...



About those tiny stitches, though...  My applique shapes were all cut from densely-woven batik fabrics, which I thought would be fun and "painterly" for an applique exercise, and my background fabric was a "regular" cotton quilting print.  Even though I was using .004 monofilament nylon thread in a 60/8 needle, the smallest machine needle available, the needle holes are really obvious in the batik fabrics.  In the photo above, you can see every one of the needle holes on that line between the blue and pink hearts, even though the needle landed right where it was supposed to every time (on that little bit, at least!).  Where I was appliqueing the green batik stem and leaves to the "normal" weave of the background print, the stitches are much more invisible, but not so much with those batiks.  This photo was taken prior to cutting away the backing fabric and pulling out the freezer paper templates, which helps to turn that applique edge a little and helps to hide those straight stitches between "bites," and it's possible that the needle holes on the shapes themselves might close up and look less obvious after washing the finished quilt, but still -- I think I'll avoid batik fabrics next time I'm planning to do invisible machine applique. 

 



My Machine-Appliqued Tulip Block Sample from Harriet Hargrave's Class



I know this was a new method for me, and this was only my first try -- in unfamiliar surroundings, with distractions and pressure to finish so the class could move on, etc.  I'm sure it will get easier to machine applique with practice, and even running the sewing machine at a snail's pace is faster than stitching the applique pieces down by hand with a milliner's needle.  The verdict?  I think I might use machine applique for a project with large, simple applique shapes, for something I need to get done quickly for a gift, or something like that.  But I really like having a portable hand stitching project to carry around with me, and I love the way the little applique shapes puff up as I stitch them by hand.

 

Applique By Hand: Completed Jingle BOM Applique Block #2

I was able to finish up my Jingle Applique Block #2 (a Block-of-the-Month pattern designed by the faboo Erin Russek of One Piece At a Time) this morning, stitching the berries in place while I was watching Anders perform in his school talent show.  I couldn't have brought my sewing machine into the auditorium, that's for sure! 

 

See My Lumpy, Misshapen Berries?

I'm still trying to figure out how to deal with the smallest applique shapes, and I haven't mastered those sharp points without fraying.  My little padded berries, all made with the same 3/8" diameter circle templates, are ending up misshapen and unevenly sized by the time I stitch them down.  If I master the berry circles later on in this project, I might go back and redo the worst berries on the earliest blocks.  For now, however, I have one more applique block plus a pieced block that was just posted today before I am caught up...  As well as that big center applique medallion.  The applique stitch itself is easy, and although Erin's starch and press method for preparing the applique shapes for stitching takes some time up front, it's nice to not be obligated to cut the backing up so freezer paper can be removed after all the stitching is complete.  I love how the hand applique stitches just disappear into the applique fabric when the thread color is a good match.

 

 

I'm so glad I decided to give this project a try!  Next, I think I'll prep the applique shapes for the 3rd applique block so that's ready to tote around.  As for the next pieced block -- maybe that would be a good first project for Judy the Featherweight?

 

There are only FIVE days of school left before summer vacation, including Field Day, final exams in math and Chinese for both boys, and a science project that Lars and a partner are finishing up this weekend.  I have some Room Parent duties (such as creating an end-of-year Signup Genius for next week's party) to wrap up and I'm in the early stages of a client's nursery project as well.  Perfect timing, really.

 

Have a wonderful weekend!