I have been taking several online classes lately on machine quilting and I have been learning some new ideas for quilting these quilts that I make and that customers bring to me. I highly recommend these 2 classes that Craftsy.com are offering. The first one is Design It, Quilt It by Cindy Needham. She does beautiful quality heirloom style quilting. She specializes in wholecloth linen quilts and they are absolutely gorgeous. She does a great job in explaining and showing examples of the designing process that she uses and all the basics that you need to know to create beautiful works of art that really are simple once you break down all of the steps in the process. They are time consuming in order to get the beautiful results but not difficult.
The next class that I recommend is Machine Quilting Negative Spaces by Angela Walters. I haven't completed this class yet but I have learned a lot already and I am excited to try out her techniques on some of my quilts. Perhaps today will be the day that I can try some out before I get started on that customer quilt I have prepped. I can throw one of my finished tops on the longarm and practice, practice, practice.
Yesterday, I got started on a new addition to my daily routine. I took a 40 minute walk/run with Georgie over at Lake Wilhelm. I definitely need to get some exercise so I have decided that I need to do it in the morning before I get too involved in my quilting or I won't do it at all for the day. So once I get the blog post done each day, I plan on going outdoors to get some fresh air and exercise. If the weather is not co-operating then I will do some indoor workouts. This was spurred on by a 5 week fitness/getting active challenge that was posted online. So we can find wonderful groups to support and encourage us in nearly any activity we choose.
My thread was sitting on the doorstep when I got back from my walk. Eye candy. Once again this purchase was made online. The scary thing is you don't even have to leave your house to shop and spend ridiculous amounts of money. So with this one you need to exercise restraint.
I worked on several small items to try to get some more handwork ready. I put the binding on this dragonfly wall hanging. It is the second one like this that I did.
I like the lemon-lime green that runs through the background and so I used this colored wavy lined fabric for the binding to draw attention to this color. I like it, it adds an extra punch to the piece. Then I pulled out this little wallhanging that I have been reluctant to work on for ages as it is a piece that my mom started but didn't get done before she passed on.
She pieced the Christmas tree and had done some hand quilting on it and that is were it remained for at least 6 years. So I decided that I would add my own touch to it and finished quilting the border and stablizing around the tree. I plan on adding jewelry findings for ornaments and garlands as tree decorations. They will probably be a lot of my mom's jewelry pieces.
I thought that I would also show you where these things stay while they are waiting to have the hand work done.
I brought one of my many baskets upstairs to sit on the floor beside the couch to store these things aong with a little sewing kit, which my mom also made for me, so that when I am relaxing I can pull something out and work on it. I don't have to go run all over the place to gather up the tools and projects that I need, because once I sit down to relax the last thing I want to do is get back up and run around finding something to work on. This is also great to go to if I am heading out of the house and I want to tuck a small project in my bag to work on while waiting at Dr.s offices, etc. If there is nothing in the basket then I know I need to work on something quick. I will be prepping some applique blocks to put in there soon.
So today, walk, quilt, and do what ever else may present itself. I hope you have a great day and remember to take a break and go outside and enjoy the cooler temperatures and get a little exercise. Have fun.
1 comment:
You are so right about getting moving, It is defficult. I have managed to drop 9lbs. Just enough that my cloths are not as snug as they were. Now to get past that 10lb mark, and work on the next 10. Really would like to have time to walk, or ride my bike. U know that other things move to the top of the list.
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