Weekly Report 2014 - 11/07

All that practice of free motion quilting in odd shapes
pays off when you challenged with quilting around frogs
webbed fingers and between leaf veins.

Tips, Thoughts and Techniques:

Close up of the free motion quilting on Night Vision.

I have included some form of cardiovascular exercise as part of my weekly routine for over 20 years. For the past several years cycling has become my sport of choice. It has two drawbacks for me. First, it is weather dependent, so the season is limited. Second, developing my "seat" after seven months off the bike is frankly excruciating.  This year I am attempting to circumvent those problems. I bought myself a trainer. This allows me to turn my outdoor bike into an indoor bike for the winter. I can keep all my biking muscles in shape, including my "seat" and not suffer biking in frigid or downright dangerous conditions. There is a draw back. It can be boring even with my iPod running through favorite tunes. I am willing to put in the time just for the hope that next spring, when I can ride outside again, I will have lost little ground from the season before. This is precisely why I make it a point to practice free motion quilting weekly when I don't have a quilt ready to be quilted. It helps maintain my eye, hand and foot synchronization. Now that it is time to quilt Night Vision, all that maintenance work is paying off.

If you click on the image you should be able
to see what has and hasn't been quilted
on Night Vision. 

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Continue quilting - Done!
b) Blind stitch the frog in place - Not yet.

2) Free motion quilting practice. - Yes 

The basic design comes from Steven
Speight. I tweaked it some.

This week I pushed full speed ahead on Night Vision. I figure that is practice enough.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. - Half done.

A hint of the
surprise to come.

I finally finished the assignment from Week 44. This lesson was chock full of teeny tiny details and multiple parts. It reminded me of making a sampler block quilt. Each block teaches you not just a different pattern, but a different way to assemble and stitch the pieces. I still have Week 45 to do and it looks quite intense as well. At least I have started watching the instructional video and know what the first couple of steps will be.

4) Surprise for my sister (Due November 24)

a) Finish piecing the 40 strata strips. - Done!
b) Cut the strata - Done!
c) Start piecing the cut strata. - Done!

Two more weeks to go before I plan on shipping this quilt. It is going to be a squeaker. I'm loving the treat to just let the design unfold with no decisions to make. It is a nice break from my more constant creative problem solving art pieces.

Next week will be more of the same. Sometimes all I can focus on is pedaling on down the road. This is what I expect to see along the route:

1) Night Vision - (Due January 1, 2015)

a) Finish the quilting
b) Blind stitch the frog in place
c) Square up the quilt

2) Free motion quilting practice.

3) LifeBook 2014 - Do the assignments. 

4) Surprise for my sister (Due November 24)

a) Finish piecing the cut strata.
b) Sandwich the quilt
c) Start the quilting


I am now linking up to two blogs on Fridays. The first is Nina Marie's Off the Wall Fridays and the second is Free Motion Mavericks.