Working Backwards

For this project, I've been working backwards. Most of the time we start with the piecing and then figure out a quilting pattern that will bring out the best of it. This time, I started with the quilting and tried to come up with a piecing pattern that would set it off.

I've been working on a Valentine's Day post card project. I wanted to use lots of different threads and stitches to create a quilted panel which would then be cut up and stitched to post cards. So the goal of the piecing was to create a good backdrop for the quilting patterns. Creating a little 'crazy quilt' to fit on my 4 foot Art Quilter frame which would then be cut up into the post cards was much quicker than doing the cards one by one at the sewing machine.

Once the 'crazy patchwork; panel was on the frame, I began quilting playing with lots of different threads and line designs. I was free to treat all the various sections of the top differently because I'm going to cut them up in the end for lots of different post cards. I'll show some of the completed post cards tomorrow. I'll also post a little tutorial for machine appliquéd hearts on the Art Quilter frame.

Moscow in March

JUKI Central Europe has invited Emily and I to give a machine quilting Seminar at a Handi-craft Show in Moscow! We're shipping our 4 and 6 foot Art Quilter frames to go with the JUKI TL98-P and JUKI Exceed 600 sewing machines. So tonight we are watching the snow here in England and thinking about the snow in Moscow. Yesterday, I met Emily in London to apply for our Russian Visas. Everything went smoothly and our Visas are coming soon.We are so excited to be going to Moscow!

The Craft & Hobby Formula Show is set for the beginning of March. This year's main event will be Patchwork. We'll make sure there is some machine quilting too!

If the shoe fits

It's just been too busy to blog. I've been wanting to get a post up about Jan McNally. Jan's a textile artist we met at the Festival of Quilts in Birmingham last August. Jan has come up with a unique and quirky method for creating her projects and she wanted to see if our JUKI/Art Quilter combination could handle it.

Jan pulls fibres through bubble wrap and irons it for an initial seal. Then she pops it under her sewing machine and uses a 'Big Foot' presser foot to sew down the fibres. Jan has been doing this sitting down at the sewing machine but it was taking a long time and giving her a pain in the neck. So Jan stopped by for a visit last weekend to give it a try and see if our frame could make the process quicker and easier.

This 'Big Foot' comes in a variety of models to fit most sewing machines. Jan had a high shank and a low shank version with her. The high shank Big Foot fit just fine on my JUKI TL-98-P.

I was really excited to see how this was going to turn out! We put a 100/16 Topstitch needle in the sewing machine and popped on this high shank 'Big Foot' onto my JUKI. The shape of the foot helped to hold down the fibres so they didn't get caught in the foot. Amazingly, the sewing machine was able to glide over this bubble wrap base with the fibres all pushed through it.This was really cool!

We picked some pretty thread from the Rainbows range of Superior Threads and drew loops and swirls and leaves. Jan was delighted at how easy it was to guide the machine and how quickly she was able to cover the ground. So Jan went home the proud owner of a new 4 foot Art Quilter. I'm thrilled to see our Art Quilter put to such good use! I will keep you posted about Jan's future projects. Meanwhile, Jan let me keep the practice piece. I love it! And I'll be bringing it to our stand in Houston so anyone who visits can see it in person. We'll be at Booth 726-728 - right in the middle of the Hall on one of the center isles. I'll post a map soon.

The Week After

It's been a week since the Machine Quilters Retreat and I am only just posting! Today I'll give a basic overview and go into more detail in later posts. It was lovely to be able to escape from ordinary life for a weekend. The girls were a real pleasure! Trudi from quilting prolifically was our guest quilter for the weekend.

The Chaplin House converted barn was transformed with many of Trudi's quilts. There were examples of Trudi's very first efforts right down through to her current projects. So we were able to track her progress. We were all inspired!Some girls brought sewing machines and we helped to get them threaded and tensioned properly. Trudi demonstrated the best way to clean and oil a JUKI. She even showed us a secret trap door - a great way to get out the gunk!

We had a couple of New English Quilter frames set up so we could practice various machine quilting line designs and see new designs demonstrated. Emma wanted to learn feathers and made a fantastic start! One of the best things about this part was seeing how different people execute the same line designs differently.

Some girls brought tops and we brainstormed together about possible quilting patterns and auditioned various threads. This is a gorgeous top which Joan made, called storm at sea.

We ended with a 'threaducation' talk where everyone got to touch and compare a variety of machine quilting threads and learn about how best to use them. It was a real bonus to see how these threads played out in Trudi's many quilts!

I left inspired by everyone and looking forward to the next Machine Quilters Retreat in April. The food was so good that I've asked for the same again. With any luck we might be able to take our coffee and tea breaks on the deck overlooking the back garden. Roll on Spring!