FMQ

Last week I was able to finish my free motion quilting challenge. Before I actually started the feathers I went to Leah Day's post about stippling. I did some practice with it first. I really like her suggestion to stipple in rows. I always went in a circle and then I would get stuck. Working in rows really worked for me. 

I had this variegated machine quilting thread in my stash so I used it. It worked well. I like the look it creates for the feathers. I also used a #14 top stitch needle this time.I seem to remember last month's quilter, Frances Moore suggesting it. Don't quote me on that.

Diane Guadynski was the guest quilter on the SewCalGal blog for February. I enjoyed learning how to make the feathers the way she did. I liked it because it meant not going over some of the same lines which looks so messy when I do it. I have a hard time going over a line that I have already quilted.

As you can see here my feathers have a squared look to them. I tried very hard to get a rounded look and some of them do look round.

I tried going back down the spine and look a the way the feathers end up. So for me I will have to begin at the bottom of the spine and go up if my feathers are going to look some what like feathers.

I really enjoyed doing the echoing on the feathers even though it is not as smooth as I would like. I definitely need to work on getting my echos much closer together like Diane's.

 I took this picture of a ZZ plant that I own. My feathers reminded me of this plant more than feathers.

Here is my final piece. It looks pretty good standing 15 feet from it. I did wash the piece. I thought about making a pillow out of the piece but I think I will just wait and see what other ideas I can come up with.

Now I am ready to see what the March Challenge will be.

With Passion,

Carrie P.