Free Motion Challenge Continued

So, grades are in and it’s back to stitching.  So, first there was the April cool design transfer tutorial where you draw the quilt motif onto tulle netting.  I wanted a design that would fit the general mood of my log cabins better than the more formal design in the tutorial, so I pulled a design from the EQ add-on quilting libraries.

The design you see in the embroidery hoop has been traced onto the netting. 

I tried to trace the design onto the front of the log cabin block to begin with but for the same reasons that those log cabins are so forgiving of my stitching errors (I.E. the fabric is so textured you barely can see the stitching), I couldn’t see the design I traced.  That was a mess so I just flipped the block over and traced the design on the back.

Here it is stitched from the back:

And from the front:

I really like that technique.  For when I want to trace a design, I am definitely going to look to this option.

Then I moved on to the May tutorial with Leah Day.  First I did the practice stipple where you draw a big stipple and then loop over it.

I could see if I wanted some really tight stitching I might go for this but, generally speaking, this one is a little too messy for my tastes.  The next variation of the design instead of looping over the first stipple, you straight-lined it and created a railroad track effect.

That’s one out of focus photo!  No, wait.  I suspect the camera is not to blame.  Operator with shaky hands more like.  I liked this design more.  I chose it for my log cabin.  So, here it is from the back:

And from the front:

And now I’ve started the June tutorial which involves trying out a whole bunch of designs.  Here’s my practice run:

What have I learned from this latest batch of tutorials?  1) I really like using the netting as a way to transfer a design.  It worked great.  2)  I clearly  have a lot of practice ahead of me before I’m going to see even stitches.  3)  I like all these various back ground fills.

I’ve been cruising the web and finding all kinds of beautiful free motion quilting out there.  I have a long, long way to go, but there is a lot to inspire me.

The June tutorial quilting is a little too dense for my log cabin blocks so I think I’ll do up another practice (or two or three or .  . . ) and then do up a little mug rug or something like that. 

Isn’t this one of the great things about quilting as a hobby?  There is always some new direction to explore and there is always more to learn.  Fun.  Fun.  Fun.