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| Little Lake Butte des Morts in Fall gets perspective when the trees are added. |
My life is currently weighted heavily towards the National Bike Challenge. Technically the challenge isn't competitive. It simply encourages participants to get outside and ride regularly. However, if you are naturally competitive (who me?) then it is tempting to ride every day and expand the distance you ride. There is something rewarding about watching those miles add up. It is as addictive as watching a quilt evolve and then observing the quilts stack up over the years. I have no idea how many quilts I have made over 25+ years of quilting, but I am sure it is over two hundred by now. If I had set out with a goal to make two hundred quilts I probably would have quit before I reached ten quilts. The thought would have been too daunting. That is why I focus on just one or two quilts ahead. It is the same with my biking. I cope with one ride at a time. If it is long one then I break it down to just making it to the next ten mile marker. It is not so different from quilting one block at a time or with my art quilts completing one next step. It is only upon looking back that I can see just how far I have come.
This week felt like biking up hill into a head wind. The week is done. I'm tired. I don't have much distance to show for it. Still I did make progress as you can see:
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| Close up of Little Lake Butte des Morts in Fall |
1) Little Lake Butte des Morts in Fall (Due August 3)
a) Create and attach two tree appliqués - Almost
That certainly sounded easy enough to do, but it wasn't. I had the ingenious idea that I would back the tree versus turn under the seam allowance. How tough could the pillow case turn method be? It turns out very tough when the trees are only one to one and half inches wide. It does give a clean line and a wonderful 3D look though.
b) Start adding the details such as the cattails, branches and leaves. - Not yet.
2) Wild Apple 12" x 12" Opportunity - (Due August 15)
a) Mat and frame the work. - Not Yet
3) Leah Day and other free motion quilting projects.
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| The Wave with an addition of sea foam |
b) Do Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting lesson or find another FMQ motif to try. - Done!
This week I chose The Wave as my FMQ motif to test and tweak. This is strictly a play/practice piece. If I were to use it on a quilt I would need to practice more off quilt until I could create more consistent echoes of the wave and keep to similar sizes according to the guidelines. On the plus side I did the whole practice piece without a thread break and think my tweak of adding sea foam between the waves is rather effective.
4) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Done!
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| LifeBook 2014 Week 26's assignment |
Usually the reward for making it to the top of the hill is that you it is followed by a little to no effort coast down the hill. Will this be my reward next week? I sure hope so. Here is what I might be breezing past:
1) Little Lake Butte des Morts in Fall (Due August 3)
a) Finish attaching the two tree appliqués
b) Start adding the details such as the cattails, branches and leaves.
2) Wild Apple 12" x 12" Opportunity - (Due August 15)
a) Mat and frame the work.
3) Leah Day and other free motion quilting projects.
a) Baste the face, torso and arms to Express Your Love II. - On hold until the quilts with deadlines are completed.
b) Do Leah Day's Free Motion Quilting lesson or find another FMQ motif to try.
4) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments.
Hello Gwyned,
ReplyDeleteLovely FMQ motif this week - the band of foam really adds interest. I'm also enjoying watching the progress on the lake view. That is an ingenious technique to use for the trees.
I had to laugh at you adding decades when drawing faces. Wrinkly old faces are so much easier than peachy smooth children.
Thank you for being a regular linker on Free Motion Mavericks!
Love, Muv
You are amazing! It looks like you are getting a lot done, even with the biking. Love the FMQ - wave with pebbles... and the drawing too is just lovely. Funny about how many quilts we've made. I don't have 200 or even close - but if I has said I was going to make 100 it would not have been fun and the product probably would not have been good - too rushed, too much pressure. Lessons to think about - take our time, one day at a time!
ReplyDeleteI got a kick out of your observation about lining the tree trunks...shades of the construction process for the leaves of the "Posh Poppies" piece I did last year. I feel your pain! Seriously, though, the piece looks wonderful and I really like your quilting. Have another good week!
ReplyDelete