Christmas HST runner

I finally finished this tablerunner....
I started this project in September when I tried out the Easy Triangle Tool and blogged here

Then in October I blogged about it here

In November I did the spirals from the FMQ Challenge and I blogged here

I put words in the lighter colored areas...
joyful...family...memories...love...celebrate...jolly...noel...angels...holly...

 

I used a variegated thread for all the quilting.  It was fun and easy!
I am linking with crazymomquilts for finish it up Friday.
Smiles and hugs....Caryl

projects, roses and a finish

 Here is a springy tablerunner with Eden charm squares I finished today...

 I blogged about it before in October....

 I changed the quilting with each square and some I followed the fabric design..

 I took a photo of my roses today..the name of the rose is Paradise Found...

 here is my batik rail fence quilt with center quilting started....

here is the same March FMQ Challenge sample with the paintstix I blogged about this week...

but now I used Smooch taffy on the heart...

and on the flower to the right of the heart I used twinkling H2Os fuzzy peach...

I was checking to see what I liked the best....

Actually I like to work with all three of these items!!

Smiles and hugs....Caryl

 



 

 



 

 

Paintstix Fun

I have had my Paintstix for a long time and never get around to playing with them... Today I read a blog with the title "Quilt, Then Paint".....~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ the blog is here........ Sue Kelly does the quilting first and then paints on the fabric. ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I decided today was the day to use the Paintstix and I had a quilted piece handy. I used my March FMQ Challenge sample with the flowers and spirals... This is so much fun and satisfies my need to paint and also work with fabric and quilting... Oh what fun to try new things!! Smiles and hugs....Caryl

November FMQ Challenge

The SewCalGal blog has Sara Vedeler this month for the tutorial. She has an excellent tutorial on the spiral. I practiced a little bit on paper and then did spirals in the border around my Roman Holiday HST tablerunner..... I wish I would have not used the red, green and white thread. It would have been better to use all of one color. It is really fun to do and I plan on using this sprial in more projects...................................... Go check out this tutorial. Smiles and hugs....Caryl

August FMQ Challenge

This month at the beginning of August was the tutorial by Wendy Sheppard. It seems like it should be easy to do but I had a hard time getting it. I like the design so I will practice more and use it in the future on quilts. This challenge is from SewCalGal and is a year long challenge. Smiles and hugs....Caryl

July FMQ Challenge

This month was the tutorial by Angela Walters at SewCalGal blog.... I haven't been machine quilting much over the past weeks and months... I should have done more paper practice....

but I just wanted to get to the quilting.... Angela's tutorial is so beautiful and I hope to make mine more like that... but I will need a lot more practice...

here is a tabletopper I put together with Eden charm squares... I am going to do all kinds of FMQ on it..... Be sure to check at the July 1 blog to see the tutorial... Smiles and hugs....Caryl

June FMQ Challenge

This month the tutorial is by Cindy Needham at SewCalGal's blog. I am having a lot of fun with this....just practicing and designing as I go...whatever comes to me next. This is my favorite type of quilting...just go with the flow!!! Smiles and hugs....Caryl

May FMQ Challenge

This month the tutorial is by Leah Day and the FMQ Challenge is at SewCalGal's blog... you can find this tutorial here

Yesterday was the first day this month I tried this month's designs... I used some strips leftover from the pink and zebra baby quilt.... with more practice I will be able to make the corners square on the railroad tracks.. I know all of this takes practice...practice...practice.... This is a fun challenge and I am enjoying seeing what everyone else is doing... very inspiring.... Smiles and hugs....Caryl

FIU rail fence

This rail fence quilt was started several years ago... I used KiwiBerry Bali Pops.... Last month I sewed the blocks together.... I came to a standstill on this because I haven't found the backing... I may have to piece fabrics for the back... I will machine quilt it with some of the quilting designs from the FMQ Challenge.... Today I decided to join up with Connie at Quilting by the River for Linky Party Tuesday.... Smiles and hugs....Caryl

April FMQ Challenge

This month's tutorial is by Don Linn. I had some difficulties with this! Lesson learned.....the end product is only as good as the tracing of the design! I didn't have a hoop large enough....didn't pull the tulle tight enough in the hoop....AND I used an old air erasable fabric marking pen!! I put the tracing very lightly on my fabric.....so when I started quilting the lines were disappearing....I had to stop and take out some stitches and remark and then stitch again.....not a good situation. Anyway....this is my entry and I learned a lot from this. If I do this again I will get the products I need so the result will be better. Go to Sew Cal Gal blog and check out the tutorial and see what everyone has done....some gorgeous stuff by others in the challenge. Smiles and hugs....Caryl

March FMQ Challenge

This month's tutorial is by Ann Fahl... Such fun....loop and twist, stars, hearts, spirals and flowers.... this is really a lot of fun to do....

go check out SewCalGal and see what everyone is doing in the FMQ Challenge!! Smiles and hugs....Caryl

February FMQ Challenge

Hands over my face and hoping nobody looks too closely!!!.... This is my first attempt at the FMQ that I did at the beginning of this month.... I was not even going to photo it and was definitely not going to show it!!... BUT since it is the ONLY practice sample I did...(it has been a very different kind of month!!)... I definitely wanted to share my attempts for this month!! Smiles and hugs....Caryl

another finish

Last night with my Tuesday night quilt group... I finished another project in January... the Be Attitudes Be Warm mini quilt by Nancy Halvorsen... I added some heart-shaped leaves I learned from the FMQ challenge... It feels so good to have this done.... Smiles and hugs....Caryl

January FMQ Challenge and TNT Thursday

This is my entry in the SewCalGal 2012 FMQ Challenge. I have enjoyed this design and will keep practicing but decided to submit my sample today. My previous quilting style was rambling....so it was difficult at first to focus on just doing one design.

I got brave and decided to do more than practice...just put it on a "real project". I have this UFO since 2007 (it is on my FIU list and I have blogged about it before) and it has been on the wall with push pins waiting to be finished!

I am also linking to Melissa's TNT Thursday as this is a new design to add to my quilts. I added the heart-shaped leaf design to the light blue border. If anyone is thinking about doing free motion quilting...my advice is to "JUST DO IT"!! Practicing 15 minutes every day helps a lot! AND it is really fun! Smiles and hugs....Caryl

FMQ practice

This is the second practice FMQ leaf design that I did...BUT I really need a lot more practice before I submit it to the challenge. I need to discipline myself to do the design and not let the stitching go any way I feel like going!!

This one I did on Thursday after I first heard about the FMQ challenge and grabbed some fabric!! I discovered how fun this heart leaf is to do and decided to commit to doing the practice and following the challenge for this year. It should be a lot of fun. Smiles and hugs....Caryl

FMQ Challenge

I have decided to join SewCalGal in the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge. My style is just a rambling all over the place quilting style and I want to learn some new things. By taking the pledge I hope this gives me the push to practice more and add new quilting designs to my quilts!! Smiles and hugs....Caryl