The Good, The Bad and The Ugly

I've been FMQ on my practice pad.  We are doing "wiggles".  I think this is going to take some practice.  When I started out today I could tell right away something didn't feel right.  I forgot to put on the Supreme Slider.  It sure makes a difference on the smoothness of my curves.  I need to practice stopping and starting and staying in my U shaped area between my hands.  I'm going along so well and then the next thing I know I'm going too fast and my hands are in the wrong place and my arms are stretched out--causing not as much control, so not as smooth curves and even shapes.  As they say:  practice, practice, and practice some more.  If I'm not willing to put in the time, I'm never going to be happy with the results.

I got my practice quilt pieced today.  I used some of my "vintage" fabric. 

My 1.5 inch strips are 2.5, because they were already cut and left over from a long time ago.  They are little monkeys.  I thought I might need some smiling faces looking at me while I FMQ.  How can you resist a smile like that?  I didn't want to cut an inch off them, so I'll just have wider strips to quilt.

I used just plain yellow on the back.  It is the same fabric as the 3 inch strips on the front.  I used an 80/20 Hobbs batting.  I use spray adhesive on my quilts with good results.  I don't use alot.  I use enough to anchor it and then pin.  My knees don't kneel at all anymore, so I usually use the bed for the anchoring process.  I then take the quilt to the dining room table and pin it.  I use my cutting mat to protect my table. 

 The biggest quilt I've ever made was 60" x 60".  It is still waiting to be quilted.  It is a Kim Diehl appliqued quilt and took me a long time to do.  I hope I can figure out how to quilt it someday and do a good job.   I think my pinwheel and jelly roll quilts will be larger than that by the time I do borders on them.  I'm slowly stretching my boundaries. 

When I was working I felt like I wanted to make mostly smaller things, so at least I could finish something.  I think baby quilts are my favorite to make.

It rained 1.3 Thursday night, so yesterday we made a trip to Pierre for farm supplies and groceries.  We ate lunch with Michelle, so she could see Rocco and vice versa.  We took lunch to her apartment.  She had to work 2-10, so it was a quick stop to see her.   The Walmart in Pierre is one of the few in South Dakota that still sells fabric.  I picked out some flannel for baby blankets.

                          

I thought these were so pretty--soft colors.  One nephew is having a boy in November and a nephew on my side is having a girl in December.  I'm not sure what I'm doing with them yet.  I had planned to make receiving blankets, but when I saw the 9 patches or 4 patches I thought this might be good practice fabric for FMQ.  

I better get off the computer and get back to my quilting.  Have a great week-end.  Hugs.............