Project #2: Finishing a Pillow

I was super lucky and was able to take Elizabeth Hartman's Free Motion Quilting class at Modern Domestic. If you have never taken a class there, and you are a local, you should!  Our class was a nice small size, and I felt like I had lots of time to ask lots of questions and get help when I needed it. Elizabeth is a wonderful instructor and I wholeheartedly recommend her class!

My pillow!

We spent the first day cutting our fabric and learning how to practice quilting with a walking foot. On our second day we practiced quilting on a second quilt sandwich with our free motion, or darning foot.  

This was supposed to be wonkier lines.
I learned I have to start really wonky for them to stay wonky as I go.

I had ordered a free motion foot and a walking foot years ago, knowing that someday I would want to use them to quilt something I had finished. I was pretty nervous to put them on my machine, but after the first class I came home and hooked up the walking foot. It was awesome! And after the second class, I came home and hooked up my free motion foot, and it was awesome too!

Pebble quilting!!!  Oh I was super excited to learn this one.

I finished up my pillow at home, and took it to our quilt guild meeting for show and tell. Yay! I had something to show! Not a quilt yet, but I'll get there.

Stippling.  The hardest for me!  I held my breath the whole time I did this square.
It turned out much better than I thought it would.

The fun part of this is I did most of it with little ones (literally) tugging on my sleeves...and pants. So if I can quilt like that, imagine what will happen if I have a little time to myself.

Leafy vines! I wanted to try stars on vines, but the ones I did looked like sad wierd triangles.

I am super happy I was able to take this class. I know I will be able to keep practicing the techniques and improve with time. What is your favorite quilting (or other!) class you have ever taken?  


Today I am Grateful for:
1. Sewing!  Quilting!  It makes me happy.
2. PMQG.
3. Learning new things.
4. Living so near PDX.  So many amazing ladies belong to my quilt guild!  I am lucky!

A Little Happy Zombie and a Pincushion Swap at PMQG

We had another great meeting last Thursday night at Portland Modern Quilt Guild. The Happy Zombie, Monica Solorio- Snow, talked about her Holiday Happy line of fabric (so cute- must get gnomes), getting started in the fabric designing business, and behind the fabric industry scenes information. Did you know she designed those cute little "Claus Gnomas" in all the colors of the line? Lecien only released the red, and I am going to write to them that I would love to see the other colors released too!  I can just imagine a bunch of gnoma claus' on my couch. I love Monica, she is so funny, down-to-earth, and just lovely to listen to.  She makes me laugh!


We also had a pincushion swap! We put our handmade creations in a plain paper bag, put them all on a table, and then choose one. I made this one, which Katie chose.

That's a Munki-Munki chicken in the middle!

The little dish is from Pier 1.
And little pom poms!  I have a happy place in my heart for pom poms.
I am a  true child of the 70's.

And I got this one, which Amber made!  It couldn't be more perfect for me- aliens, a little Flea Market Fancy (I only have one fat quarter of this fabric line and continue to drool over the bits I see online), and I think she told me she dyed the pieces on the back.  Amazing!

I love those aliens!  Munki Munki again!  The Flea Market Fancy is on the right.
I think the piece above the aliens is dyed too!

And it looks completely different on the back- these are the pieces I believe she dyed.

I am always so happy to go the PMQG meetings.  It's so nice to be around so many lovely women who love fabric and sewing as much as I do!