Jenniky

Watch the you tube videos of the House Ride.. Was hard to pull myself away from wanting to watch more and more..Love the horses. Beautiful riding exposition. Thanks so much for sharing.. Was totally enraptured with the beauty of the ride.

QuiltE

Muv ... ouch! ouch! ouch! Those pirickles hurt. I was thinking of your thistle yesterday when I pulled a big nasty one out of my lawn. Not sure how it got so big, with the grass being cut regularly!

I continue to be amazed at how even and consistent your blanket stitch is around the edges. And now onwards to the blue flax flowers, so delicate in comparison to the thistle!

A question ... do you use embroidery floss? And how many strands?

Thank you for the links ... my how the armour and helmets give such a different look to our Mounties! Quite an impressive presentation in AbuDabi and at home.


JenniKy ... your book is going to be overflowing!

Muv

Hello QuiltE, I've got plenty of real thistles too, but I'm past caring this summer, we've had nothing but rain.

Glad you and Jenniky have enjoyed the cavalry. The Youtube channel, menintallboots, is completely amazing and addictive. There are three videos altogether of the Household Cavalry at their show at their own camp, I only gave the link to Part 2. In Part 1 one horse is naughty and won't lie down, and in Part 3 a standard bearer gets so seriously wrapped up in the Welsh flag it's almost scary. That channel also has a video of the French Garde Republicaine. You should watch it, and compare with the British. Hilarious. You cross a narrow stretch of water and you are in a different world.

Anyway, back to sewing, I use 4 strands for the blanket stitch. I haven't started on the flax flower yet - it's that mid-project lull, must get going again... tomorrow...

Liz92B

the beginnings (one whole block) of a Canadian Quilt of Valor - will be all red and white blocks with (very narrow) blue sashing; block based on: http://fiberartalmosteveryday.blogsp...ilt-block.html
.

Jenniky

QuiltE - Thats ok if I fill up my project book.. I have two more blank ones in the drawer just waiting to be filled with ideas.
Muv- Are we going to get a peek at the flax?? was that what you said? anyways soon. I dont have an image in my mind.

Liz - looks like a fun block. Glad you could join us.

Also ladies I need a little help. Im going sandwich some 16 inch squares. Plain fabric. So as to practice on FMQ. What is the best way to put the design on the tops. I have tried the chalk stuff and also those papers you trace over with that bumpy thingamajig.. LOL obviously not the correct term. These are messy and smudge. I have some pens with the disappearing ink stuff but I still have some blue ink that didnt come off on one of the test squares I was working with. Hmm.. Also do you put all the designs on before you start quilting. How do you decide on best color of thread. I want to use the same through out the quilt when I get started so the design on the back will look awesome also. Too many questions.. ??? Im going to try and FMQ my mystery train quilt tomorrow and I am trying to prepare myself best I can.

QuiltE

Welcome Liz92B ... glad you found your way on over to this thread!
We love seeing progress pics, so please keep them coming as you continue on!

JenniKy ... I'm totally a basic beginner at the FMQ (or any quilting for that matter) and am all ears here, to learn from the others. One thing that I've learned is ... choose a neutral thread and the finer the better (at least until I get better). That way the "oops" we do as a novice aren't quite so noticeable. I did some table toppers back at Christmas using a 35 wt thread ... looked lovely when I did a really really good job, but totally horrible when I goofed up! So I'll wait to use it again, til I get better!

Regular sewing thread ...... or anything finer. The shop where I get my sewing machines has the best thread selection in the area. Awhile back, she gave me a sample of some 100wt thread, Invisafil by Wonderfil .... stitched nicely, many colours to choose from, and was not quite so noticeable. So that's what I bought for Monty!

Looking forward to hearing and learning from the Pros!

dublb

Liz - That's cute! I'm lookin' forward ta seein' the rest of it!
Jennie - Untill I took my FMQ class, in March, I would use Press N Seal. I'd stick it on my piece & draw on it w/a Sharpie. Wait a day then follow the lines w/the needle. One time I tied a ball point needle & that worked much better punchin' through the plastic of the P&S. I told QuiltE I'd take picts o' how I did this, several months ago, but I have been bad & not done so! Mostly 'cause I didn't use it on the project I had planed ta use it on. (Those last 2 sentences are tongue twisters! Don't tell my English teacher DD that I wrote 'em!)

Muv

Hello Liz - nice that you have joined us!

Jenniky - once I have a flax flower done I will give you a preview. I'm hoping it should be a reasonably straightforward block to do, quicker than that thistle which I thought would never end.

Best of luck with free motion quilting. I took the plunge earlier this year after watching Leah Day's channel on Youtube. She's brilliant. I've only done one pattern so far, a meandering filler. Trying to decide in advance where I was going to go was impossible so for the moment I am sticking with this pattern. I have found that it is easier with a cotton wadding than with polyester. The thread I have been using is a 30 weight cotton with a random colour. Here are a couple of pictures of the wall hanging.

QuiltE

Here's a recent thread that had some good tips ....
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...r-t189467.html

and another one that had some good discussions re marking the quilts
http://www.quiltingboard.com/main-f1...k-t192128.html

QuiltE

Muv ... I'd say you've mastered that! It's looking pretty random and yet even, if you know what I mean!!! I too like the looks of the variegated threads in quilting. They give a nice look, and movement.

Thanks for answering my other question re the embroidery floss.


So now here's another question to add to JenniKy's questions re machine quilting ... when you do the meander/stipple, do you outline your block, letters, etc. with a SITD? Or do you just meander up close to them and that's it? I"m debating re stipple/meander or cross-hatching for Monty's background. Either ways, I'm not sure what is "right"!