Here is my first attempt.
Bit hard to see...but believe me I'm a bit all over the place.
I used blue Rasant thread thinking that I would use that on my practice quilt. While this worked on the lighter material it is not going to work on the darker squares of my 'practice quilt' (bit of pre-planning would have been useful here) so I will probably switch to a cream thread. My batting is Soft and Bright, a needle punched Polyester batting made by Warm and Natural. Can't believe I am using Polyester...nice feel, clings to the fabric and is very light. No problem at all with FMQ. Stitching on it is easy with no tension issues. My first attempt was not bad except I could not get my lines straight and also found it difficult to judge the spaces in between.
Second attempt did not go much better...how on earth do you keep those lines straight? The more I concentrated, the worst it got. There goes my new found confidence.
I then started experimenting with a small ruler, i.e. holding it against my darning foot and using it as a guide to stitch against. That works brilliantly however was not very practical with all the changes in direction. I then got distracted and tried this to stitch-in-the-ditch of the strips of that sample. Now that works a treat and gives a really straight line. Something to remember next time I struggle with stitching-in-the-ditch (I am just about over stitching-in-the-ditch with the walking foot).
Third attempt
Getting better...My changes in direction are less rounded and that looks already much better. Must admit I don't find this design easy at all. For this sample I divided my block into four sections of about 2 inches and drew horizontal lines across to use as a guide in stitching...that definitely made it easier. Maybe I should have drawn myself little boxes to stay within...or maybe I should just keep the shapes smaller.
Anyway, next attempt will be on the practice quilt...have to remember that this quilt will be for trying out new designs and that they will all be a bit wobbly. Like the texture of this design and can see that this would be great for use in sashings. Was a bit unsure though whether to interlock the design or just stitch it row by row.
More stitching-in-the-ditch coming up for me...my table runner is basted and ready to go...
Until next time
Karin
Your circuit board quilting really looks wonderful.
ReplyDeleteThank you Pat
DeleteLooking good, I nerver thought of using a ruler as a guide, I might want to give it a go, thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteYes, saw that once in one of the videos that a long-arm quilter had posted...worked well for this little sample but I wondered how that would go with a bigger crunched up quilt. Mind you, if I used my little square ruler (4 inches) and went slowly and deliberately along the ditch that should actually work. Will have to experiment a bit more with this.
ReplyDeleteHa ha - I feel the same way about trying to keep a straight line. The more you try to make it straight the wonkier it gets. I think it looks really good though.
ReplyDeleteThanks for the encouragement...it is a bit peculiar because if I have a line to follow I can follow that reasonably well but without it even the stitches look wobbly. As always though, having a lot of fun trying.
Deletelooks real nice.
ReplyDeleteThanks for visiting and leaving a comment. Always appreciated
ReplyDeleteYou are beating yourself up to much. I think it looks great There is no way me as humans can make a perfectly straight line every time without the aid of a ruler. But as long as every thing is evenly spaced, which i think you did, It still comes out nice. YOu did an awesome job. Get that little devil off your shoulder who told you you didn't! :)
ReplyDeleteYes, you are right...suffer from a good dose of the old perfectionism. Very hard to overcome and driving me around the bend at times. Working on it though and am getting better (ha,ha...).
DeleteBeautiful fabric choices and soon to be pro with circuit board!
ReplyDeleteNot sure about the pro but certainly getting better and a bit more confident in moving away from the same old, same old and trying something new.
ReplyDelete