Missing in Action!

I thought I would share some projects I was working on before I left Ontario to visit my kids and grandkids. My machine has been acting up so a quick trip to Guelph buy some parts from the Innova dealer and get some advice on what could be causing my stitching issues. Being a long arm quilter means you also have to learn to be your own machine mechanic. While trying fix the problem I thought I would practice some graffiti quilting as. This is just one of the pieces and it will be donated to Community Quilts at the guild.

I have arranged to have Christina Commelli speak at the Etobicoke Quilt Guild this coming January so naturally I bought her book and started to practice free motion doodling. On this piece that I was trying to use up some of my variegated thread since I decided that I would no longer stock it. This type of quilting just takes some practice on paper first. You need to get a few motifs under your belt and then start combining them. Her book explains it very well, I highly recommend it or following her on Instagram.

This is the other side of the picture above and you can clearly see why I no longer want to use variegated thread. Both sides of this piece were quilted with variegated thread but when the thread is not tone on tone variegated it can look like there are missing sections in the quilting designs. I am rarely asked to use variegated thread which is another reason to clear it out of my stash.

This next project is part of my re-use and reduce. I have had this couch for years in my living room and the colour is more than outdated but the couch is good quality and in reasonable shape. I bought a huge roll of fabric when Lens Mills opened an upholstery section in their Toronto store, needless to say it has been sitting and waiting for me. Here it is after the first cushion. I had to cut huge sections of fabric and wash them in hot water and dry them in order to shrink the fabric before I cut the patterns.

This picture shows the finished couch and chair, yes the room needs more styling but I was happy to pin the last few spiral pins into the slipcover the night before I left for my family visits. I will have to steam it a bit to get the wrinkles out, but I am pleased with the end result.

I am having a great time visiting my adult kids and the grands but will soon be back in the studio awaiting you with your projects and helping you get your things done.