Hanging up, catching up and keeping up--barely!

HANGING UP--"Flies in the Mustard" is in its new home. I know my name isn't quite as refined as the "Pink Lemonade" by which Lori's QAL was known, but I figured with the shoo-fly blocks in the mustardy color I used, it was appropriate.

A friend bound this for me (thanks, Brenda) and it has been finished for a while. We just couldn't connect up to let it change hands. I love this little quilt. Aren't Lori's doll quilt patterns wonderful? Speaking of which, I have tried without success to locate a copy of Primitive Quilts and Projects with her pattern in it. Can anyone tell me how to find one?

CATCHING UP-- Randy will be posting the next batch of blocks for the Barrister's Sow-Along on Wednesday. I've had the plaid ones finished from the last postings for a few days and I just got the Christmas blocks made for the ones I decided to duplicate (I chose not to make Birds in the Air in the holiday fabrics). Many of these fabrics are from the recent packages from blog friends who have sent their leftover holiday fabrics. So appreciated!

Here they are all together. So I am ready for the next group now, Randy. Bring 'em on!!

KEEPING UP--I'd better post my April Free Motion Quilt project from SewCalGal's challenge before it turns into a pumpkin. I have 28 minutes to get this posted and linked before the link closes. What does it say about me that for the Feb., March and April challenges I have been the very last person to link up before it closes? Why am I always working on this at the very last minute?

Don Linn taught us how to make our own stencils using tulle, an embroidery hoop, Sharpie marker, and a fabric marker. Really quite effective. I chose not to use the design he provided, but I did use his technique. Here is the stencil I made from a design I found online.

Then I traced it onto my fabric with a washable marker.

 This is what I got.

 And this was the final product. I learned a valuable lesson from this. I am not good at staying on the line. I slowed waaaay down and still struggled to keep a fluid motion. I had a bobbin thread issue at one point and just left it there. I had already made a practice effort and I knew I wasn't improving much. It is an excellent method for transferring designs, I just need a whole bunch more practice sticking to the line as I go. It is much easier to me to freehand a flowy design. But I'm glad to have learned this. I'm sure it will come in very handy as my skills at following the lines (hopefully) improve. 

One last thing--a couple of posts back someone asked about my new machine. I would love to reply, but you are a "no-reply" blogger. If it was you, please email me (email available on my profile page) from an email address to which I can reply, so that I can answer you.

That's all for now.

Until next time,
Janet O.