Free Motion Quilting

Winner of last week's Gee's Bend pattern giveaway was Gill W. of the U. K. She chose the Housetop 4 Block quilt. Congratulations, Gill.

Leave a comment at the end of today's post for another pattern giveaway. Check out my Craftsy site to see all 8 of the patterns. If you win, you can have whichever one you want. Contest is over tonight at midnight (February 18, 2015).

This week's winner is Beth A. of Washington (state). Congratulations, Beth!!

Housetop 4 Block quilt
This post has two parts: first my own improvisational quilting on a small version of a Gee's Bend quilt of my own making. The second is some samples for my upcoming classes.

My oldest daughter has an awesome friend named Meg. They have been buddies since graduate school. I gave Meg her own Medallion Variation quilt last year. She saw the quilt top at my house and was awestruck. I listened to the voices in my head and got it quilted and gave it to her. I was a little tricky in my gifting: I hung it in my kitchen with a BIG sign on it to "Take me home, Meg." I invited her to dinner with Audrey and husband.  It took Meg 15 minutes to get the message!

Meg and me in my kitchen with her Medallion Variation quilt
 I had a little sample from a previous class and I thought: Hmmmm. I think Meg might like another one of these Gee's Bend quilts. Maybe if I quilt it quickly and bind it even quicker, I can give it to her on her birthday (January). I did it and she was equally as excited as she was when I gave her the Medallion Variation.

Meg took pictures and sent them to me. Would you like to see them? Of course, you say.

Little quilt on Meg's table

 Without the oranges . . .

Don't you love those rich colors?

Did I tell you that Meg is an awesome person? A perfect friend for my oldest daughter Audrey.

Here she is again. Very simple free motion quilting
I bought a new book by Angela Walters, Shape by Shape. I teach BEGINNING free motion quilting for the Original Sewing and Quilt Expo and I'm getting ready for the Lakeland, Florida show March 5-7. I will be in the HandiQuilter Sweet 16 classroom and I decided to make a few new samples. I will recommend this book HIGHLY to my students. I don't copy and share her work; just suggest it and show my own poor versions of her ideas.



What's the matter, Debby? Aren't your old samples good enough? Of course, they are. But I have always been the sample QUEEN! I have 7 years of samples and I'm always thinking of something new. Can I show you what I did yesterday?

A few of Angela's ideas and one of my own
This fabric is light blue, but you would never know it!

Pebbles. I HATE pebbles. I have to tell the truth. Hello?
I hate pebbles, but my students always want to know how to make them. They are so labor intensive.

See the circle at the top left? That is my OWN, GO TO pattern. No name. Just comes off my hands when I get under a needle with the feed dogs down. I actually can get smooth curves and a semblance of order.
Now I can improvise. A little psycho in that bottom circle
I traced circles using (wait for it) - a CD ROM disc. Perfect circle to work with. The diameter is 4.75". Good enough for a lot of things.

OK. I'm tired. I shoveled snow for over an hour today and I think you've got to be weary looking at all these images.

Leave a message or comment to enter my giveaway for the Gee's Bend pattern.

Comments

  1. Your quilting is great! I wish I could be in one of those classes :) and I hope I win one of the great patterns! Thank you for the giveaway!
    Beth

    ReplyDelete
  2. Meg looks delightful. Seems like Meg's friend has a pretty cool mom, too. :)

    ReplyDelete
  3. Great quilting! Gee's Bend Housetop 4 Block Quilt is my favorite, too!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Must do some sample - yours are greAt!

    ReplyDelete
  5. I love the quilting in the circles.

    ReplyDelete
  6. Nice FMQ. Love the quilts. Do not enjoy pebbles either. Mjontebeau@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  7. I need to up my game in FMQ. Samples. Love the circle motifs.
    I have the GeesBend book and saw the show in KC, MO. Love the patterns

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great quilting patterns. I haven't gotten to that stage of quilting, yet, but, you sure make it look easy. Not a fan of pebbles either, mine look more like circles gone wild.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Great ideas, here - thank you for sharing. :-)

    ReplyDelete
  10. Not sure if i will ever learn to FMQ ,but i try i try.Trying to take direction from someone who said clock wise and i am a lefty and want to go counter clockwise is very trying.Thanks for the giveaways.As usual you work is awesome.

    ReplyDelete
  11. What a great idea to use a CD circle and just have fun with creative play while practicing. What a fun little whole cloth that would make. I don't like pebbles either - to do them or how they look.

    ReplyDelete
  12. Working hard on fmq, but don't know that I'll ever "get it"! Thanks for the chance. robinshelor@earthlink.net

    ReplyDelete
  13. I can stipple and do easy things like loops, etc. I will definitely be trying the circles. I love your blog. Thanks for the opportunity to win the pattern.

    ReplyDelete
  14. The Gee's Bend sample quilt makes a vibrant table topper, Debby. Such a blessing for all when Meg entered your life through Audrey's. I have used pebbles as an alternative to stippling or echo-quilting in small spaces to "pop" the main motif designs. They worked well without overwhelming the project. I like the circle motifs. This gives me an idea for quilting the squares in a current project. Thanks for sharing! (janeherbst at roadrunner dot com)

    ReplyDelete
  15. I've taken your class in Tinley Park. I'm still practicing. In class we had a stitch regulator and I didn't do too bad. I do not have one on my machine and my hands and feet do not work well together. It seems I rarely get them co-ordinated, but I keep trying.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Congrats Gill. This book looks like fun. I love your patterns. especially Cheaper by the Dozen.

    ReplyDelete
  17. Just received a Sweet Sixteen Handiquilter for Christmas and trying to get the hang of it. Lots of good ideas and will have to try!!!! Thanks

    ReplyDelete
  18. Thanks for sharing your lovely quilting & thanks for the chance to win.

    ReplyDelete
  19. My FMQ definitely needs work but yours is beautiful. I always love to see what you're up to. Thanks for sharing.
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  20. My FMQ definitely needs work but yours is beautiful. I always love to see what you're up to. Thanks for sharing.
    Linda

    ReplyDelete
  21. OK - so I really do need to get in there, put those feed dogs down and practice practice practice!!! Thanks for sharing your circle tip ;) and thanks for the chance to win. It's always fun to visit here to see what you've got going :)
    Debby E
    samtaylorcjsmimi (at) yahoo (dot) com

    ReplyDelete
  22. I love your FMQ designs. I keep telling myself to practice them and I will get better but there is always some sewing to do. So I will just admire yours. Love the gee's bend mat you made too.

    ReplyDelete
  23. I am in awe of anyone who can FMQ. I can't, which is why I bought a Statler. Gill is a lucky girl. She was a winner on my blog giveaway a while back.

    ReplyDelete
  24. Good ideas! Thanks for the giveaway, I love Gee's Bend quilts!

    ReplyDelete
  25. I love the idea of quilting in circles, such a nice manageable size for a design. I also like the simple but effective quilting in table mat. Thanks for some great ideas.

    ReplyDelete
  26. Love the free motion quilting ideas. Always need quilting ideas. I have two table runners that need to be finished.

    ReplyDelete
  27. AWESOME SAUCE!!!!!
    I just bought a Bernina with a BSR (I $$$ Broke $$$ now) and would love to learn from you...your style ROCKS! ♥

    ReplyDelete
  28. I would love to try one of the Gee's Bend pattterns. I remember seeing them at the deYoung in SF. Your versions are fun!

    Caryn
    caspharm@yahoo.com

    ReplyDelete
  29. Thanks for the tips on practice quilting, and on the Angela Walters Book. My favourite of your Gee's Bend patterns is "Housetop 4 block". Thank you for the chance to win.

    ReplyDelete
  30. Looking at your quilting makes me want to get off the computer and go practice free motion quilting. Would love any of the Gee's bend patterns.

    ReplyDelete
  31. Lovely quilting patterns. Thanks for inspiration

    ReplyDelete
  32. Love taking your classes in Kansas City. Love your patterns and tips and tutorials on line...Thanks for the contest.

    ReplyDelete
  33. Wish I could take a class. Your work looks great. drhodes9@cox.net

    ReplyDelete
  34. Nancy: rangerer@sbcglobal.netFebruary 18, 2015 at 9:55 PM

    Your Gee's Bend patterns are great.

    ReplyDelete
  35. Love your patterns and I will have to look for the Shape by Shape book. This book looks like what I need to improve my quilting. Thanks barb betcrawford@verizon.net

    ReplyDelete
  36. Great patterns! I adore Angela Walters!! I have taken a class from her at a show, all her classes on Craftsy and all her books (the books live on my longarm)!! She is so talented and so humble about it!!!

    ReplyDelete
  37. I'll have to look for this book. A lot of her patterns will work on a domestic machine too. I wish you were closer to SC - I met you years ago when you traveled to upstate SC for trunk show/workshop. Very enjoyable and informative.
    Becky
    bmgilliam@bellsouth.net

    ReplyDelete
  38. Aren't you a little cutie ! I saw a Gee's Bend exhibit at QuiltCon....

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Thanks for stopping by Debby Kratovil Quilts! If you had a question and don't get an answer from me, please feel free to email me at: kratovil@his.com