This is the quilt I'm working on:
This is Quilt #4. I've been working on it for a while and I'm almost finished. I put this top together back in the early 2000s for an online quilting class at Quilt University. It is put together with 12 plain blocks and a border; each block was to be a different filler. This class was suppose to teach quilting on a small portable tabletop quilt frame with a home sewing machine. It was to mimic professional quilting frames, but affordable for the hobbyist. I cannot remember why I never got to work on the class material, but this top got put away and then lost in the attic with other piles of fabric that needed a place to be stored until I needed them. I couple of years ago, I got back to that stash in the attic. I was so pleased to find this top again. I thought I was going to quilt it as soon as I got FMQ on my sewing machine to a place where I could do a somewhat decent job on it. But I had ideas for new quilts that took precedence over this little quilt.
I've been working on this quilt on and off for three weeks when I had some free time. Today I had a good portion of the day to work almost nonstop. I was working on the border that you can see along the frame's top roller and down the opposite side. The center 12 blocks were finished yesterday.
All of this just to say, What a good feeling! I got Phoebe the Friday before this past Christmas. This is March 5th, 2018. I cannot believe how much I've learned. I'm no longer fighting for control of the machine! I've learned the difference between Precise and Cruise control and when to use each one. I'm also getting the sense of working without breaking thread and I can move my ruler without stopping the needle. These are huge steps in learning how to long arm quilt. As you can see, I enjoy detail work, but as I worked across this quilt, I've made sure I have a few edge to edge designs I can use when appropriate.
As I stood there working today, I just felt so good! I truly understand why long arm quilters love quilting this way. I love it, too! There is such a sense of creativity and accomplishment having learned to this point. It is hard when I finally have to say, I'm done for the day; I'm tired.
I should be finished soon and I'm looking forward to displaying this quilt in my studio. I'm hoping to be able to start quilting for others soon. Meanwhile, my next quilt is a Christmas quilt top also made years ago.
I'll be posting this little brown quilt soon.
Meanwhile, I'm enjoying my blessings,
dianne
