Tuesday, January 25, 2011

My free motion quilting journey……

Warning : Long post…

After doing my hand quilting classes, which really requires time and patience… I had decided that I would definitely prefer machine quilting, since it would be faster and get me quicker results. But we human beings, don’t learn from our life experiences, that anything fast may end in furious results too.

Well this was an episode wherein I forgot that lesson of life, and along with my free motion foot plunged into my free motion quilting journey, not expecting what was going to come in the process.

I had that much sense as to start with a small project like some coasters.  All motivated and charged, I downloaded some simple templates, transferred them onto my fabric, sandwiched my batting and backing and started off…….

To my disappointment , all my stitches were going haywire and moreover, the quilting stitches were not even seen.  It looked more like an applique stitch…. very minute.  I understood that there was some problem with the speed of my foot presser and my hand movement in moving my sandwich.  I tried and tried but to no avail.

Frustrated, I called up my dear friend Nima, ( We call each other, during our ups and downs in our crafty process).   I told her about the challenges I was facing with my free motion. 

In fact there was a time when I felt like running away from my machine, I also felt hand quilting is much better since everything is in our control. Here everything is controlled by the machine. Though at the back of my mind I knew its only a matter of practice, I was so…. obsessed with getting quicker results. 

Then later during the day, Nima  called me up with some great information about quilting and forwarded me this site and this blog  which was of great help. Next day I started with all new found knowledge and motivation. This time I din’t  give up since I also realized  that everything fast also needs patience and perseverance.

I hope I din’t bore you all with my quilting journey and long post. Before I end I would like to show you all  the result of my trial and tribulations…..

And after seeing this I am  sure you would also agree that these can’t be made into coasters. So please suggest what can I finish out of these.

DSCN5990 DSCN5991

DSCN5992 DSCN5993 

The above are my first few trials…. and below is the one wherein I felt that I am improving so I can manage to show you the back of the sandwich too.

This is the front.

DSCN5994

This is the back.  Haven’t I progressed a bit??

DSCN5996

There is still a long….. way to go till I even become half as good as many great quilters out there.  But I would certainly not give up.  I would also like to thank all those expert quilters who comes up with great tutorials and discussions.

With all hopes that I come up with better free motion finishes, let me take your leave.

Do send in your comments and advices, please………

4 comments:

  1. wow...preeta. the last one really shows it...i'm sure you are going to master it soon

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  2. congrats preetha,your last piece is a perfect example of the saying "perseverance will pay off in the end" ..
    in one of ur comments in my blog u had asked about the gold metallic thread i had used for outline stitch.. it is nothing but the usual one that is available wound on wooden spools..you may find it in almost all craft shops..this one will not fray and is much easier to work with, than the hand embroidery met: threads like that of DMC.
    thanx preetha, for inviting me home.. sure,we will make it one day..:):)

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  3. Way to go Preeta! the last one is really nice !

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  4. Hiya Preeta, with freemotion quilting you just have to practice, nobody starts out able to do it straight away, its a skill that you just have to develope. Dont be hard on your self, make up several practice pieces and play around, give yourself permission to be rubbish in the beginning and enjoy your improvements. Patsy Thompson videos are really helpful. Dont give up you have already improved.

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