Tuesday 3 November 2015

Project 5:Building Blocks

Finally, I got back to my Building Blocks Quilt Along project. It has been months since I free-motioned one of those blocks. When I started again, I felt inadequately rusty at times and frustrated, but I kept at it all day one Saturday and some more in the evening. With each block, I've learned different patterns, skills, and techniques. Leah Day is so fun to watch too, so engaging. She encouraged not to lingered on our mistakes or imperfections. I'm not a perfectionist, but at times, I really wanted to rip off all those ugly imperfections. It was hard not to do it.


The Supreme Slider is a wonderful tool. It reduced the friction or drag under the fabric. Also, a good pair of Machingers helps you to control your movement.



 Sadly I have ripped my Supreme Slider twice in the last year and it breaks my heart. The rip is just behind the foot. As you see I've tapped the Supreme Slider to my sewing table. Even with a small project you can end-up ripping as you sew it up with your fabric. So be watchful if you've one.


 Block #6
The zigzags, wiggly lines, and echo shells were not difficult designs, but the swirls and circles were certainly harder. My lack of free-motion practice didn't help either.



  Block #7: More lines, stars, spirals, stippling with echoes, and of course the evil circles. I'm seeing a lot of defects. Can I rip it apart?


 Block #8: Those were easy for me as I'm accustomed to wiggly spiral, stippling, and straight lines. Again more practice with those circles, but I'm getting the hang of it.

The designs were drawn on the blocks before I free-motioned each one individually. The blocks have an extra inch at the edge of each block and eventually, it will be squared.

In total there are 12 block patterns, an 42 different free-motion designs. I'm almost there, so it time for me to quilt more.

UPDATE: November 10, 2015

Block # 9. After another full day working on my free-motioned quilting, I was all done.



 
 






Time to square the 42 blocks.









One of the many ways to connect the blocks together is using the Quilt-as-you-Go technique.


Here all my blocks are connected by their width and now needed to connect lengthwise.


I'm satisfied with the results, knowing there are mistakes and imperfections in my quilt. That's what makes it unique I guess.

Your can find this Building Blocks Quilt Pattern created by Leah Day at:
http://www.freemotionquilting.blogspot.ca/p/blog-page.html


 Quilter4Him

2 comments:

  1. Congratulations....I'm just starting to try free motion quilting as I've been doing it all by walking foot and straight lines. Your quilt looks beautiful and I hope to do one as nice one day!

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    Replies
    1. Thank you:) I used to hand-quilted all my project, but with so many great ideas, I needed to speed up my quilting, so I started to free-motion about seven years ago and started like you, with a walking foot or did mostly a stippling design. Eventually I got bored of that and a friend told me about Leah Day, that was about 5 years ago and I've learned alot from her. Most of my FM though are recent. You should give it a try:) It so much fun!

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