Long Arm Certification Class

On Saturday I completed a long arm certification class to be able to use a shop's long arm machines to quilt my quilts in the future, and checked a goal off for the year.  I had a ton of fun!!!!  I got a rating of two thumbs up and was told that I am a natural at long arm quilting!  After we went over the basics of the machine I had the whole afternoon to play, and boy oh boy did I play!  I learned what worked for me, what did not.  I learned I can do straight lines with a machine even when I can not draw a straight line to save my life.  I can not wait to go back in to quilt my first quilt on the long arm.  The quilt is going to be a baby quilt, but first to practice drawing out the design so I have some muscle memory of how each design goes.  Here are a few examples of what I did:

Practicing Pebbles (not the best, it was about learning about control and planning where to go next)

Practicing Shapes that I would use in a baby quilt.

My favorite; daisies.  They are fun to draw out, and they will get better as I learn/plan out what I'm doing.  These would be fantastic on a little girl's quilt.

I also bought a few free motion quilting books to help me learn more/learn various designs to add to my pattern repertoire.

This past weekend I was able to get a few of the different fabric patterns glued to templates. Seven down, eleven to go.  This weekend I have a movie day with my best friend planned, and an evening catching up on shows with my Mom, which will give me the opportunity to finish glueing a few more patterns.  I should also start working on my March OMG as we are half way through the month. (Opps)  Where has the time gone?  Lots of things to do, so little time, but that sounds normal!

Linking up to Sew Fresh Quilts.

Have a great week!

Christina

Glueing Fabric to Templates and Binge Watching

I have found a show to binge watch.  The show is:

It is something to keep on in the background while I glue, and glue, and glue fabric to my templates for some future english paper piecing (EPP).  The EPP part I'm looking forward to, glueing, not so much, but I'm happy to do the part I do not necessarily like to get to the good stuff.  It sounds like a Cadbury egg, the middle is my favorite, but to get to the cream center you have to eat the chocolate outside.  (Yes I do not like a ton of chocolate, do not shot me!)  Now I want one, but I gave up candy for Lent...  Looking on the bright side of life, and trying to get to my end goal, which is a beautiful finished wedding quilt.  Five out of eighteen fabric patterns down, number six is almost half way done!

This weekend I will be taking a long arm certification class to learn how to use a long arm, and be able to rent time to quilt my quilts at my local quilt shop.  I've been considering this for a while, and I made it one of my goals for 2016, and I'm excited!  I'm a little nervous, because I know it will take a while to learn how to really quilt well on the machine, but I do not want it to take too long.  (Patience is not my strongest suit).  Wish me luck!

Linking up with Sew Fresh Quilts.

Have a great rest of your week!  I'll share about my class this weekend.

Christina

March 2016 OMG

For the month of March, my OMG is to completely finish the Swirly Scary Table Runner. (I just named it, and I think it is fitting)  This is a table runner that is a belated gift and I want to get it finished and sent off to the recipient.  I have to finish the quilting, square it up, sew on the binding, and finish the binding by hand sewing.  The binding is already prepared for this little project.

How the Swirly Scary Table Runner just got its name is because of the fabrics.  There is a Halloween theme to them plus some Dr. Who fabric of the Tardis doing its take off.  It makes sense to me.

Off to link up with Red Letter Quilts.

Christina

Yee-Haw! Quilt Shop Hop

This past weekend, my Mom and I went around San Diego County and explored 10 different quilt shops via the Cruisn' Quilters.   We broke it up and hit all of the stores in the North County region on Saturday, and finished the last three stores in the Mid-County region on Sunday between church and a concert.

We had a ton of fun, picked up 10 different block patterns for a Country theme quilt, and of course a few goodies.  Who couldn't resist some of the yummy goodies?

Below are each of the patterns, and the items bought from some of the stores.  I can't wait to break into everything.  I bought with a few things in mind during the shop hop.  I was looking for fabrics to go together for the APQS plus quilt that started last month, and baby prints that I can turn into blankets and gift items for a few friends who are all having baby girls in the next few months.

On Saturday-

1st stop: Annie's Quilting Den.  This shop wet our appetite for all quilty fun.  I was able to find a fat quarter that was perfect for my plus quilt.

2nd stop: Grand Country Quilters.  I loved the fabric in this shop.  It was country style, with wool items, and of course a ton of samples of different patterns.  I have already planned a trip back bringing my husband because there is an English pub just down the street.  (You have to do a little give to get what you want sometimes)

3rd stop: Quilt in a Day.  Lots of light, bright and airy.  This shop had some cute Disney prints that my Mom picked up, and I found some more fabric for my APQS plus quilt.  I also grabbed a grab bag, where I got some really nice stuff; some Metler thread, a pattern, embroidery pattern for letters, and a bookmark.

4th stop: Fat Quarters Quilt Shop.  An old house filled to the brim with fabric, and patterns.  A whole lot of fun to explore and check everything out.  I was able to find a pattern that I've had my eye out for, and of course some fabric.  Who doesn't have enough neutrals?

5th stop: Quilter's Cottage. Pre-cut half yards, and little book patterns of the classic Golden Books that I grew up on.  I sure could not resist!  Here I was able to find some prints for the baby gifts that I plan to make.  Now to actually make them!

6th stop: Inspirations Quilt Shop.  This shop has grown, and has a few neat things.  We were on a time crunch so we got in and out, but still ended up with a cool boot pattern!

7th stop: Paradise Sewing.  This shop has also grown, and some of the fabrics tempted me, but we were trying to make it home by a certain time, so after a quick browse, we headed home.  This is a shop I definitely want to come back to.  They are an authorized dealer for Pfaff's, and that is my long term goal machine, which one is to be determined especially now that I'm also considering getting an embroidery machine.

On Sunday

8th stop: Memory Lane Quilt Shop.  They made two additional quilt blocks to make the quilt an even 12 blocks, we were tempted, but ended up not getting them.  We love the first quilt coming into the shop, it was stunning rainbow Bargello quilt that didn't have intricate waves just a simple wave, but was stunning.  The fabric choices helped.

9th stop: Cozy Quilt Shop.  They had a book in stock that I needed, as I had already bought the paper pieces.  I am also going to take a long arm certification course from them to a. learn how to use a long arm, b. be able to rent time to use theirs, and c. figure out if I really want to invest in a long arm down the road.  Many thoughts running through my head.

10th and final stop: Rosie's Calico Cupboard.  This is the largest quilt shop by far on the shop hop, with of course the largest amount of fabric.  It is always great fun to explore the clearance room, which there were many bolts that were calling my name.  They also had their semi-annual staff stash sale going on, and we both found UFO's from other people that we wanted for ourselves.  I love when that happens.  Lots of goodies found.

Overall, we both had a ton of fun, being able to chit-chat while driving from place to place and seeing all of the wonderful possibility of all the quilts.  I loved being able to explore the quilt shops that are not in my normal realm of everyday life.  There were a few that pipped my interest, and I'm going to try and make a point to go back to them before the next shop hop in 2017.  But, first a lot of sewing with my new and old goodies needs to happen.

Off to link up to Sew Fresh Quilts.

Christina