Diane Gaudynski "A New Tradition in Quilting"

Free Motion Quilting Challenge

2012-01-27T09:26:00.001-06:00

Please join me in February for my tuturial for the Free Motion Quilting Challenge that SewCalGal is presenting on her blog. Our hope is to get everyone quilting, not just "topping"!

My tutorial will be the feathered plume, above. Later in the year you will learn backgrounds and fills, or you may already know some that can be used to fill in around the plume. I explain how to quilt one plume, give you options on branching it or adding smaller plumes around it to fill your space, an 8" square.

Once you get the hang of this very forgiving design, you can do all sorts of original feather designs, or use stencil designs with this "echo" technique if you do not enjoy freehand work.

Anita Shackleford's "Infinite Feathers" Template of various sizes of the feather shape is available at www.thimbleworks.com and works very well. It also gives you curved lines to trace for the center of the plume if you need that as well or want them all to be the same.

A set of various sized feather shapes to trace by June Tailor is also available at fabric, quilt, and craft stores. They come on a key ring.

My tutorial will be available online for one month, so please print it if you need it for future reference.

Don't put it off. Start quilting now and by the end of the year your expertise will have increased and you will be able to finish those beautiful tops with quilting that measures up.

My thanks and kudos to SewCalGal for this project. I hope all of you enjoy it and get beautiful plumes by the end of the month, and better quilting by the end of the year! Each one of us who is giving you a tutorial will provide you with different information, insights, point of view, and all of that variety and richness will give you great input for your own work.

Click on the link below for all the information, and keep quilting, your work gets better every day.

Diane

Oliver and His Sheep

2012-01-20T09:35:00.000-06:00

It is below zero, 6" snow predicted, and Oliver has a new companion, an incredibly soft, winsome stuffed sheep we saw at Kohl's and couldn't resist for him. Things are a bit bleak here right now, nothing to see out the windows, just Mom quilting and Dad on the laptop. Entertainment is a must for a 2-year-old spunky cat.

It took awhile after these photos were taken, but soon he had learned to carry it around, kill it, attack it, play with it, lots of leaping in the air. I'll try and get an action shot but it won't be easy. He also likes to sit near the sheep with his paw on the sheep's paw.

The frozen sewing machine is working perfectly, and back in its old spot across from my quilting machine, the Bernina 730. However, that took a lot of sniffing and investigating by Oliver and now he sits there and naps and enjoys the oil aromas while I quilt.

Sometimes I come in the room from a break and see a round bowling ball shape under the quilt in the machine, and have to oust him from underneath it before I begin.

He only eats the thread on the machine now occasionally. I have to watch him carefully or he gets into major trouble very fast.

I still can't post on the "comments" section here, hoping that problem will clear, but I do read and appreciate everything you post.

Stay warm, stay safe, spring will come. Meanwhile, keep quilting! Your work does get better,

Diane

The View from My Needle

2012-01-16T10:08:00.002-06:00

As I was busy quilting yesterday, letting my thoughts wander, I glanced up to re-focus and rest my eyes and saw all these delightful mugs looking back at me, and smiled.

I guess I never considered "the view" from my needle before, but I stopped a moment and enjoyed the colors, the logos on the mugs, and all the interesting bric-a-brac I had stuck in them over the years.

Each one brought back a memory of a person, event, time in my life. Teaching for Jinny Beyer at Hilton Head, the great times at NQA and Asilomar, all the terrific students. And multiple wonderful markers, pens, scissors, tools. I know I can reach in those mugs and come up with the perfect answer to a problem or need. If I sorted through these and gasp, "organized" them, I'd never find a thing again. So they remain, sentinels guarding my quilting time.

The quilt in the machine pushes up against them so it doesn't drop off the edge of the cabinet and create drag. When working on a large quilt I remove them and take the machine back there out of the cabinet and have an even bigger workspace.

I like my bird lamp, one of the things Oliver was entranced with when he was new to the room and still a kitten. He thought the birds were real.

I hope your view is interesting, messy, and wonderful.

Keep quilting, your work gets better every day,

Diane

p.s. For some unknown reason, Blogger won't let me comment on my own blog lately and I can't post anything in that section. Thanks to all for your comments!

The Frozen Sewing Machine

2012-01-11T10:13:00.001-06:00

It is not frozen here in Wisconsin, not yet anyway though winter is finally approaching us tomorrow. Today it is still spring-like and lovely. But, my poor old wonderful friend, my Bernina 1030, was frozen in place, no parts moving.

It was living in the spare room, and I only set it up to do serious quilt piecing, as I love it for that, the best I've ever used. I bought this machine in 1989 and it was my everything machine for at least 10 years, then designated for piecing/sewing only as I loved quilting on my new electronic Bernina with a better free motion foot.

It worked perfectly. I oiled where I could oil and used it a lot. It was serviced twice a year at my dealer.

Then after my last big quilt several years ago it sat in quiet isolation with a dust cover. I wasn't piecing much, and the little sewing I did I used my newer 730.

A few months ago I set it up and found I couldn't even lift the presser foot! It was frozen in place, everything was. I was shocked, worried, would it ever work again??

Yesterday I drove to my dealer, Bigsby's Sewing Center here in SE Wisconsin, and picked it up after it had a stay there in intensive care in the service department. I found out that even if you do not use a machine, it needs to be run occasionally, and serviced at least once a year to keep the inner parts working right, oiled, lubed, etc. Oil dries up inside the machine where you cannot reach it.

I set it up on the dining room table and Oliver was fascinated by it. The smells! The old style cords, no USB cable that he loves to chew through. He had never even SEEN this machine before!

Then I pulled the cord out of its little spot inside the machine (it's retractable, amazing) which was too much fun, and then plugged it in and turned it on. It sews! It sews beautifully. He thinks it is a big new toy, especially for him.

I left him still sniffing it, the wonderful aroma of foreign places (well, 20 miles away) and oil, and maybe even a whiff of their adorable new puppy, Bailey.

Now I am set to piece a new quilt, after I finish quilting this one. Soon I hope. And there's another one almost finished I should do first. THEN I will play with my dear old 1030. I still love the periwinkle blue they used on this machine, and it still sounds and works like a dream.

Meanwhile, I shall oil the fleet and run the other machines a little bit to keep things moving.

Hope 2012 keeps you moving and doing all the things you want to do.

Keep quilting, your work gets better every day!

Diane

Peace and Joy

2011-12-24T09:56:00.000-06:00

Christmas Eve, and the lights of the season shine out, bringing hope of peace, joy, and love. From my house to yours, holiday wishes for everything good, and a bright and happy New Year!

Oliver did NOT like the cat Santa hat, so his expression is less than pleased, but he is a very happy boy with all the holiday activity, packages to unwrap, food to explore, house to clean, acorns from under the couch for fabulous kitty hockey. I finally got a coffeemaker, his first ever, and he has been stalking its gurgling sound on the counter as I run plain water through it. He is entranced. It's the little things that give delight.

May your holidays be filled with "the little things."

Diane

Quilt Journeys: Three Quilters

2011-12-10T11:20:00.002-06:00

The new exhibit featuring work of three quilters is now open at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY. My quilts are part of this exhibit that shows the journey we all take as we travel through this grand adventure of quiltmaking, shown above. It will run through March 13, 2012.

When I was invited to participate in this exhibit, although so honored, I was very reluctant to show my early work. Then I decided the entire point was to allow the viewer to see up close the beginnings, the flickers of inspiration along the way, the development of techniques and skills, which allowed art and ideas to be expressed in cloth by the final quilts that are shown.

It is a huge honor to have my work showcased at the National Quilt Museum, and I hope many of you can see this exhibit and be inspired in your own quilting journeys, by my work and the quilts of two other quilters.

Included are some of my very first quilts, done mostly with a walking foot and invisible thread. My early free motion work is there, and the beginnings of the kind of quilting I love to do now show up in all the quilts, but the techniques and machine skills definitely improve as the quilts progress.

"Through a Glass, Darkly: An American Memory" is in the exhibit, my NQA Masterpiece quilt, and probably my favorite quilt. It is a log cabin design, and I made it to work in color exploration, and it showcases my original free motion quilting designs as well. I never tire of this quilt, and I hope you enjoy seeing it in person. Below, after winning a Master Award at Houston, 2001.

Other smaller wall quilts are there, "Sixteen Baskets of Mud," "Rabbit in Green," "Mourning Too Soon" from the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative.

October Morning, 2000

Detail, below

"October Morning" was the last quilt I made with trapunto, cotton batt, and invisible thread, many original designs and some stencil designs still, and with a tiny amount of applique (broderie perse) in the center, that I had to do as the quilt needed it. It is a Delectable Mountains traditional pattern.

Please read about the exhibit on the website of the National Quilt Museum, www.quiltmuseum.org to get all the details. The other two quilters are Doreen Speckmann (also from Wisconsin) and Dorris McManis, and I know you will enjoy their quilts as well.

I've been busy fussing with my quilting with Sparkle thread. It is going well, but I SO definitely prefer quilting with #100 silk! Soon the designs will be finished and my background work will be so relaxing, because it will be back to my #60 Sharp needle and #100 silk thread, smooth curves, no crunchy sound as the needle backtracks over stitches (eek), and faster quilting, definitely. However, it does look pretty nice.

One night I was having shredding issues, and switched to a new Jersey needle from a different pack and all was well.

Oliver has sneaked in twice to bite the thread as it comes off the spool while I am quilting. I did not see him. He goes behind the cabinet, jumps up on my right, and before I know it, either wet thread is coming through or the thread is chewed in half, the needle breaks, I scream, cat runs off, door is firmly closed.

Two nights ago a small spring fell out of the machine but I am forging on as it doesn't affect much except the presser foot lever. It's now a bit wobbly and limp. Onward!

Oliver has been banished from my room. How he opened the door twice I do not know. He is a clever boy.

Relax a bit during this hectic time of year. For me, that is an hour or so of quilting in my room, door closed, lights on, music playing. It does wonders for you.

If you learn anything at all from my exhibit at the museum it is that I did keep quilting, and yes, my work did get better!

Happy Holidays,

Diane

Small Business Saturday Shopping

2011-11-28T09:36:00.004-06:00

I did my patriotic duty this past Saturday during the whole Black Friday shopping mania and supported locally owned business by going to my LQS, Bigsby's Sewing Center in Elm Grove, WI, and then out to lunch at a locally owned restaurant.

I stocked up on a few necessary items: Fabric! Thread! And the gorgeous sateen jacquard print by Lecien above, had to get the last of the bolt. I had quilted on this the night before and it quilts so wonderfully and I love the colors, so this was not a huge decision to find it on sale and waiting to come home with me.

DH said "but what do you need it for?" Oh my.

I also got some of the Kaufmann Radiance, the shimmery fabrics that are a cotton and silk blend and also quilt up so beautifully. The gold fabric is some silk dupioni by Moda that I couldn't resist, so beautiful. I'm working on a small project on dusty rose sateen and needed more of the YLI gold silk thread I'm using for that, and some of the YLI taupe Sparkle for the motifs, seen peeking out on my prototype, below.

This combo of thread and fabric is new for me, a departure from my more sedate ways, but it gives a very rich, vintage look to this little quilt, a Delectable Mountains pieced design. I am considering it an experiment, and am loving working on the smaller scale, although I have to say, larger designs and quilting are easiser, this is quite demanding. But fun, of course.

And you might wonder how Oliver fared over the turkey weekend. He loved the holiday, the lights on, the house cozy and all the cooking prep, the Packers game and all the yelling, more food prep, more veggies, delicious odors from delicious food.

We did get him to lick a bit of turkey gravy from a small cat-sized plate with a pink design on it that went with his pink nose nicely, but mostly he loved the veggies.

For dessert he tackled the bananas while we were snoozing in the other room.......

I hope you support your local quilt shop and other locally owned businesses all the time. The owners work so hard to find treasures and basics for us so we can be creative and have the tools and supplies available for our quilting. They also find what's new and fabulous, keep our machines purring, and give advice and information. I always learn something when visiting a quilt shop.

Hope your Thanksgiving weekend was wonderful, and now you can have a bit of time for quilting.

Keep quilting - your work gets better every day!

Diane

Preparing for Thanksgiving

2011-11-19T15:59:00.001-06:00

Soon it will be the big day! Oliver helped prepare veggies for supper last week, getting in the mood for the feast this Thursday. He is an odd cat. Of all the cats I've had he is the only Vegan. He loves his veggies. He'd kill for carrot tops, Brussels sprouts, corn on the cob. He chomps down raw green beans with gusto.

If I have water-packed tuna and drain off a bit of the juice for him, he backs away as if affronted and horrified. Tuna! Our former cats would be aghast at his passing this up.

However, one of his funniest activities is wrestling a banana off the counter and throwing it to the floor, where he will continue to play with it and kill it for a long time. We've learned the sacrifice of one banana is worth the joy he has, and the smiles we have. Sometimes we hear the thuds from the other room, and knowingly say "dead banana."

Recently he has decided to try the bottom-of-the-bowl milk from cereal. Just a lick of it left in the bottom, and he is on my lap ready to try it. I think it took well over a year for him to believe the world has more excitement than veggies.

But, no meat so far, no cheese or butter or peanut butter. No fast food chicken nuggets or burger bites. He is interested in any food that comes into the house, but maintains his dignity at his bowl of official chow, and stays a trim weight and is healthy as can be.

Last Thanksgiving he ignored the meal. I wonder if this year the tempting odors will lure him into trying....just a bite??

Hope your holiday will be wonderful with delicious food and many blessings.

Diane

YLI Sparkle Metallic Thread

2011-11-07T10:07:00.002-06:00

I've been playing with YLI Sparkle thread, a twist of #100 silk, in this case ecru silk, and metallic thread, here in gold. It also comes in silver colorways from pale to dark.

The feather above is quilted on a very lightweight soft silk from an old blouse, washed and pressed. In real life it is shimmery and elegant, really lovely with the slight sparkle or "fairy dust" from the thread. It is a much lighter and more heirloom look, with a twinkle in the stitches, not heavy like a straight metallic.

Background quilting is done in pale yellow #100 YLI silk thread.

I used a #70 Jersey needle (YLI recommended Jersey needles for this thread) and had no trouble at all. I could quilt at my normal speed, change directions smoothly with no fraying or breaking. It looks really quite wonderful.

If you are quilting through heavier fabrics, a denser batt or backing fabric, or a top with lots of piecing joins or fused areas, of course you would use a larger Jersey needle or even a Top Stitch needle.

For every project with specialty threads you must try a stitch-out on the actual materials you will be using in the real quilt, and find the magic combination of thread, needle, tension, and stitch length that works the best, and looks the best.

#100 silk thread was used in the bobbin, and I lowered the top tension from default #4 to 1.75.

Thread spool was on the vertical spindle of the machine.

Many times owners' manuals will give so much info about needles and threads and how to use them on your particular machine, settings, etc. Mine has pages of info, very nice.

Now I am busy quilting with a deeper shade of Sparkle thread on a medium colored fabric. The feathers I have tried so far I did in the "old" method where there is no space between each one as in the one here, and I did backtracking or "travelling" to get to the next feather. Again, it worked perfectly, and the doubling of the thread was not obnoxious or too noticeable. It looks wonderful. I'll post photos of that when this small quilt is finished.

If it turns out! If not, I'll explain the problems. It's fun to try new things and challenge yourself to improve your own style of quilting or give it a slightly new and fresh look. I probably won't use metallics that often but I love knowing they are there in my toolbox of techniques for free motion machine quilting, and I know how to use them.

Try something new today, and keep quilting.....your work gets better everyday!

Diane

Quilting with Metallic Thread

2011-10-31T10:49:00.001-05:00

A simple feather design quilted on soft, washed muslin with wool batt takes on an entirely different look when a metallic thread suddenly makes a surprise appearance!

After reading "Mastering Metallics" by Ann Fahl I decided to try out a few threads I had in my thread drawer. Here I used Superior's "Glitter" thread, a flat type very sparkly metallic, and a #80 Jersey needle.

I know it is not the type of needle recommended, but it worked so well for me with my YLI Sparkle thread, a silk and metallic blend, that I wanted to see if it would work on something more challenging. I much prefer it to the horribly big spear-like #80 Topstitch needle.

It worked beautifully in my machine, a Bernina 730 with a rotary hook. I used #100 silk thread in the bobbin, but could have used a fine cotton like Aurifil #50.

Top tension was reduced from default #4 to #2. The thread was on the vertical spindle to keep it nice and taut and flat. There was no looping or twisting or skipping stitches. I used a fairly small stitch, quilted a bit slower than usual, and it worked well.

The larger the stitch the more sparkle/glitter you get. But, the larger the stitch, the less puff in the batt, and the design loses its oomph.

The background quilting was done with pale yellow #100 YLI silk thread and really sets off the metallic nicely. I think this thread combo has possibilities!

Next I am trying YLI Sparkle for a feather design on ecru silk fabric instead of muslin. I'm using a #70 Jersey needle. I'll post my findings later.

Below, another photo of the design.

The sparkle of the thread is very apparent in real life, not so much in the photos. Sorry about that.

What I didn't like about this thread is the lack of smoothness for smaller designs or close echo quilting.

Curves were not smooth, and the stitches tended to go off a bit from a straight line. On the back, the silk stitches looked perfect.

I think it is an anomaly of this type of flat thread but I didn't like that it made my quilting suffer just a bit. I didn't wobble, the thread did! I would not use this thread for tiny designs or micro fills, froth, or baby pearls.

Sometimes it's fun to go off your normal path, and try a new road. I am having some fun making these samples and will keep them around to remind me of possibilities for future projects. I took notes with a Sharpie pen on the back so I can refer to what was used to create each sample.

Oliver loved this thread; he let it run through his teeth as I quilted. Yikes.

You must know your tools and materials to have success in your quilting. Taming a thread is always a good thing, and knowledge is power. Try something new today, just for fun.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better everyday.

Diane

Happy Halloween from a sleepy Oliver, still in his nightcap.....!

The Fabric Matters

2011-10-27T15:48:00.001-05:00

At our recent classes at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY, one of the key items I discussed was how to get dimension into quilting designs. It's tough to go to all that work to find designs turn out flat and lifeless.

The design above was quilted on cotton sateen over wool batt, and had a soft fine cotton as the backing. I used #100 silk thread and a stitch length of about 1.6 mm. I did get dimension in the areas where the batt was left to fill the design.

I realize it is NOT the same as stuffing the designs with extra batting ("trapunto") but I am quite content with this look. It's easy to handle in a home sewing machine and just enough oomph to set off the designs. I also quilt closely around them to flatten surrounding areas and make the design more of the focal point. Thread color can also emphasize quilting designs.

However, some students consistently had problems getting any loft at all into designs. After teaching for a long time and observing and drawing conclusions, I realized it is due to a variety of factors:

Batt, of course. You need a batt with some loft in it to get designs to show well. I currently am using wool batts, various brands and experimenting. Some of the cottons work great as well, but remember, washing a quilt with cotton batting can cause shrinkage and puckering, making designs hard to see. Wool tends to keep most of its dimension after gentle washing/wetting and air drying.

Stitch length. In designs like Bouncing Bananas, below, or Headbands and Froth, if the stitch length is too big for the design size the puff will ooze out between the stitches, leaving you with a very flat design that is nothing but many stitches.

Here you can still see the individual stitches as well as the puff. Stitches are not piled up, or so close it is a jumble of thread. They are small enough to create a smooth shape PLUS create dimension and puff. Correct stitch length is vital in creating puff.

Fabric choice. The final crucial factor is the fabric you quilt on, even the fabric on the back of the quilt. Sometimes when there was NO loft in designs at all, I would turn over the student sample only to see amazing loft on the BACK of the quilt. The fabric used for backing had the proper hand and weave, thread count and finish, to allow the puff to appear. The fabric on the TOP of the quilt did not.

Many fabrics that we love don't work to showcase machine quilting. Tight weaves, extra finishes, very dense fabrics, all can prevent the puff from happening.

Even with a batt 1" thick, there would be little dimension if the fabric will not allow it to happen. Sadly many batiks fit into this category, and that's why I suggest on my supply lists to save them for work at home, not in class. Thread doesn't sink into them well at all. They tend to be very flat when quilted, and many times affect thread tension adversely.

These fabrics can certainly be used, but if you plan on having areas in quilts to showcase quilting designs, do an audition on various fabrics before the top is even put together.

Quilt up some prototypes, use the same fabrics, batt, thread, needle that you will use in the quilt. Try various threads and colors, adjust tension, see what works beforehand. Plus, check for puff. You want to see if the fabric will allow the designs to have dimension.

Sometimes spray adhesives used for basting quilt sandwiches can adversely affect puff as well.

Recently I had lunch with Ann Fahl and we were discussing the effect fabric has on quilting, how it prevents dimension, how some threads don't work well in certain fabrics. She showed me her new book "Mastering Metallics" and she found that even with everything else done correctly, metallics don't work well or create problems in some cases because of the fabric.

Below, her new booklet, and my sample. I tried some #40 Superior gold metallic with a Schmetz #80/12 Topstitch needle, #100 silk thread in the bobbin, on a mystery fabric that actually was so labelled. It said it was a blend of silk, and unknown fibers. It's a devil to quilt on, trust me, slips and slides and skews all over the place. You can't see markings, and you can't see where you've already quilted. I auditioned it several times for projects, and dismissed it as too difficult for the result.

However, I did get some nice dimension, and using Ann's guidelines in her booklet on how to place the thread on my machine, what needle to use, tension adjustments, and speed of machine, I successfully quilted a frond design with NO problems at all.

Even when several areas converged, everything went well. There was no fraying thread, no skipped stitches. I quilted slower than usual and that helped.

Oh how I wish way back when I had had this book to help me when I first tried metallic thread! If you want to use all the types of metallic and need some help, this booklet is perfect. You can order it from Ann at her website, www.annfahl.com

So.....stop and consider everything before plunging into a project. Selecting fabric to showcase your beautiful machine quilting to its very best advantage is worth the bit of extra time it takes. After a while you will have experience in what works, what lines of fabric you love to quilt on, what backings work the best. It's an adventure!

Meanwhile, keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

Diane

Follow me on Twitter! I will be using it to mention machine quilting tips as they pop into my head.....!

National Quilt Museum Classes.....Wow!

2011-10-19T15:48:00.002-05:00

It was beautiful weather in Paducah, KY last week for my two classes at the National Quilt Museum, warm, autumnal, perfect. Above, my first class, posing in the museum's main gallery with two of my quilts as backdrop. Yes, there were onlookers watching us with either questioning looks or big grins, because this group was fun, talented, and really succeeded with their quilting. It was such a pleasure working with them.

They had the wonderful opportunity to view the quilts in the collection plus several exhibits, shop, eat at charming downtown restaurants, have lunch at Bryerpatch Studio with Caryl Bryer Fallert, and generally enjoy all that the museum and Paducah offer. What a terrific time we all had.

We certainly had an array of beautiful shades of denim!

I've scheduled this same class there for next Oct. 18-20, 2012 for experienced beginners and beyond. I think this is a wonderful class and we get a lot accomplished in the three days spent together. Because local shops close early we take a longer lunch break for either viewing the galleries (free to class members), shopping in the store on site, or eating out, shopping at the local quilt stores. Contact Rebecca Glasby at the museum for information from their website.

I had a second class after a day catching up, recording a video interview for my part in an upcoming exhibit at the museum, doing some re-shuffling of samples, and oiling my machine.

The second class was for experienced quilters and former students who worked on techniques and designs I suggested and also did some independent work with advice from me. They were definitely troublemakers, as you can see in the photos below.

Joan and Susan came complete with accessories, and made me smile every time I noticed their bat headbands gently bouncing as they worked or talked, while moving their heads. Susan is filling the bucket with chocolate bars, which we needed and ate! The handle had flashing lights....

Doing some quilting as a demo for interested students.

Class #2, below.

Thanks to all for making my time at the museum fly by, your talent and humor and hard work were terrific. I hope new students will sign up for next year's class where we'll explore free motion machine quilting on a home machine, take you to a higher level of expertise, and become friends and kindred spirits in quilting. I know I'll see many of you again at quilting events.

Keep quilting - your work definitely gets better every day,

Diane

Autumn Leaves, Fall Feathers

2011-09-23T13:36:00.001-05:00

Autumn leaves are beginning to appear here in Wisconsin, just touches here and there. I always like to use fabrics in these colors that I love so much once fall arrives and inspires me.

I decided to do a small feather frond as a class sample for my upcoming classes at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY. I just read on their website that there are a few openings in my classes, which are the final ones I'll be doing for awhile. I have no more scheduled for the future. If you are interested, give them a call. The supply list is fairly easy to assemble, and these classes are wonderful, Paducah a great place to visit.

We will be quilting feathers and there are two basic methods I've used over the years, so both are included in the sample, above.

On the right side of the feather, which I quilted first, I began by zipping along from the bottom up and totally forgot I was going to do them the "traditional" way, with no space between each feather. The first feather on the bottom right does have that space, and then I quickly realized I was already diverging from my plan.

If something is quilted well, I don't take out the stitches. If this had been in a "real" quilt, I still would have left it in, and it would blend with the rest and be a bit of a quirky variation on the feather, but not wrong.

I made a quick mental readjustment, and the remaining feathers on the right side, plus the smaller feathers at the top are done the way I had intended. Each one is quilted, then there is "backtracking" or "traveling" over the top of that feather or on the center line, or "spine" of the feather, then the next feather is quilted. This involves precision, experience, control.

I learned how to quilt them like this in 1990 and quilted them like this for many years, over a decade and more. I could quilt them quickly and efficiently, but students found it difficult to stay precisely on the previous stitches, and often had feathers that looked messy and uneven. They were not happy. I made it look so easy when I showed how to do it, but it takes a bit of repetition and skill to get them so precise.

I like how they look. Neat and even and compact. Smooth, classic.

However, I decided there had to be a somewhat easier way, and came up with "Echo Feathers," explained in my Quilt Savvy book.

Instead of stitching over a previous line of quilting to get to the next feather, when I completed a feather shape and hit the spine, I simply bounced off the spine and echoed the line of the first feather about 1/8" away or less.

When I reached the top of the previous feather I had to create the new feather shape and quilt it, down to the spine once again, building from the bottom of the feather and UP so I could see the feather already quilted in front of the foot and space the next one perfectly.

Upon reaching the top of the design it is important to echo down the outside of the feathers already quilted, that same space that was left between each one, completing the design, and taking you to the bottom. Then you can quilt around to the other side and begin building feathers from the bottom up, on the left side.

I could quilt these quickly, at one even smooth speed. I rarely had to slow down, maybe just a bit at the spine for the bounce into the next feather shape.

The left side has the echo feathers. There is a small space between each one. Sometimes this technique seems to define each feather more and make it stand out. It is faster, and most students can master this with some effort.

Try drawing them, use a stencil and quilt around those lines to get the flow and shape of the design in your mind. It's impossible to quilt something with no marking if you don't know the shape. Practice them, look at what's wrong, correct it, practice some more. Draw, draw, draw. Quilt, quilt, quilt.

Some beginners at feathers can only do two at a time and then they begin to deteriorate or become funky. The answer to this is to quilt two, stop the machine, take a breath, look at what you've done, proceed to the next two. Soon you will be able to do more at a time, and finally entire rows of feathers with no problem at all.

They look especially lovely like the one above as "leaves." Instead of large leaves in designs, try some feathers instead. Tuck some tiny feathers in your leaf designs. Use leaves with feather designs!

Get out some of the beautiful fall colors you've saved and mix in your other favorites for something fun to quilt. I always tell my classes to "practice" on fabrics and colors you love. You'll do better work.

Some will quilt feathers better and easier the old-fashioned way, and some will love the echo technique. One isn't necessarily better or easier, just different. Give it a try!

And keep quilting, your work gets better every day!

Diane

Houndstooth

2011-08-30T14:10:00.001-05:00

Fall is right around the corner, back to school is just about here, and the sunbeams are streaming in at a new dazzling angle. Oliver has found his old cozy spot on the soft throw on the back of the couch every evening, rather than his summer spot, stretched out on the hardwood floor. The summer is winding down.

I was thinking of more grid-based designs using my June Tailor Grid Marker stencil that lets you mark those perfect lines with no gaps so quickly. My first favorite background or space-filler was a cross-hatch grid. Next came "Diane-shiko," the classic sashiko design but done not in circles that overlapped, but over a marked grid, lines removed when quilting is finished.

Then came Apple Core. My students embraced these designs and most could quilt them well with a bit of practice. It gave everyone such a fabulous design basic to use over and over, giving a structured look to contrast with more circular flowing designs. It's good to have structure.

But another one? I wondered what would happen on a marked 1/2" grid if only gentle wiggles were quilted on those lines, in both directions, "sort of" trying to cross both lines at the marked intersections, but not obsessing about it. What would that look like?

The design, above, was my first effort, done on a 1/2" marked grid (lines are removed after quilting) with #100 silk thread, in a very subtle variegated green. I don't like the distraction of the thread, but that is just me. Many love the little surprises when variegated is used.

I did the vertical lines first, then horizontal to avoid stretch.

It would have been easier if this had been marked "on point" with lines at a 45-degree angle to the edges of the fabric. There would be no distortion at all, no pushing or pulling of fabric as you approach an already-quilted line or intersection. Just a suggestion, as it does work ok quilted on the grain if it works for your design choice, but be careful of distortion.

Below, my second try, on a 1" grid with matching silk thread in green, next to the first sample on the 1/2" grid. This was actually a bit harder to keep the wiggles small and not revert to the arcs in my other designs like Diane-shiko or Apple core. It was harder not to create large wiggles.

However, like any machine quilting motif, repetition brings competency. After doing this for a half hour or so, I could do it rapidly with minimal goofs.

I decided the design looked just a bit like the old wool woven Houndstooth, which I have always loved. This gives a structured look with TOTAL forgiveness in quilting!

However, and you know what I am going to stress: Stitches must be even and consistent, tension correct, thread color a good choice. I honestly think the most distracting thing about poor machine quilting is uneven stitches, especially very large ones.

If you have stitches that are too large for either the type of thread or the design, the "puff" of the batt will not happen. You will lose it. It will seep out under those giant stitches.

With stitches that are too large, you tend to "see" them, not the design. Stitches look like big chicken tracks.

Slow down your hands. Speed up the machine just a bit. For some mysterious reason the most common problem I see in my classes is a combo of fast hands but slow machine speed. Work on this. Learn to move those hands smoothly and evenly, and keep the speed of the machine going fast enough to create the best looking stitch length.

Make up a sample and try this! Use something beautiful, a scrap of silk or sateen so you can see the quilting, and the final design. Once you become more proficient, try it on a quilt in an area you would normally use a grid. Let me know what you think!! I believe it would look great over prints, just like the other grid-based designs do.

And have a wonderful Labor Day holiday everyone, hope you can relax and enjoy the end of summer. Soon I'll be seeing many of you at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY in October. Please email me with any questions about the class if you have them: dianequilter@sbcglobal.net

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

Diane

Oliver claiming his spot in the "other" sink while I brush my teeth....

Oliver is Two!!

2011-08-15T17:08:00.002-05:00

Today is very special, our Oliver is two years old!! He has lived with us since he was 6 months old, a wild and woolly kitten who had been surrendered by his first owner to the Wisconsin Humane Society. He is now a somewhat wild but totally wonderful cat, settled into ruling the house and us as well.

He woke up this a.m. purring, happy, scampering about, knowing it was "his special day." He especially liked the birthday singing, and the cake is fun to investigate and watch us eat (ridiculously yummy). We dared not light the candle.

What a blessing a pet is. We were reluctant at retirement time to take on a new young cat, but oh we are so happy we did. He makes each day brighter, and happier, and more fun. If we are bored, we say "where is Oliver?" "What is he up to?" and he will stroll in and do something cute. He helps us get through the bad times, and makes good times that much better.

I think he knows now we are his forever people.

Give your pet companion an extra hug today, or adopt one at your shelter who needs a loving home. They give us so much in return.

Diane

Oliver posing as statuary on a very tall chest of drawers.

Phat Quarters Classes

2011-08-13T09:28:00.000-05:00

Home from a wonderful trip to a charming town, Galena, IL, and a most welcoming shop, Phat Quarters! The shop, above, suffered severe flood damage right before our scheduled event, but fast work, Jane and her intrepid staff managed to salvage inventory and move to a new location right on the busy Main St. in time to host our event.

Classes were held in the new front room of the shop, with big windows and plenty of room. Now that we have left, they can proceed to setting things up and arranging inventory, decorating, etc. They were flying by the seats of their pants, with an old cash register, no computers, but none of us complained at all.

We had two days of great classes, fun, excitement, and success! The charming shops and restaurants were all on the same street, and in the beautiful summer days there we took advantage of it all.

Feathers were amazing, stitches improved, students were smiling. I thank everyone in class and especially the staff for making this happen. If you are in Galena, stop by their new place and see what's going on. Fabric not damaged is on killer sale, great bargains to be found. And yes, they have Berninas!

I stayed in a hotel at the outer part of town and it had the most perfect carpet that included scrolls, feathers, leaves, and spirals, and of course the ubiquitous tendrils, below. Perfect to set the stage for class as I unpacked and regrouped before my lecture the first night, with vintage 35 mm slides.

I arrived home Wed. night thinking I just might have time to bid on my AAQI quilt online and own it myself, but by the time I got to it the auction was over. Thank you all for your bids and support, and congrats to the final bidder who will receive this quilt. I think it is one of my favorites, and I hope it will be enjoyed for a long time.

"Mourning Too Soon"

Teaching with talented quilters gave me many ideas and inspiration, and now I hope I can find some time to work on a few long delayed projects.

Oliver of course scampered his little heart out when I arrived home, then settled down for unpacking and sniffing everything from foreign lands, well, IL at least, and purred in contentment as we rested and relaxed.

Monday he will be two years old, and we must plan a party. He is still a Vegan, although he has been licking the remains from melted frozen custard in my dish, his first real people food, definitely on the path to becoming a bona fide Cheesehead. He is a cautious boy. He much prefers corn husks, raw green beans, and any veggie.

Thanks again to my Galena students; it was such a pleasure getting to know you in class. Don't let too much time go by before you quilt some of the techniques at home. Repetition is the key.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

Diane

Summer Days

2011-07-28T14:14:00.001-05:00

It's muggy and hot, slow and steamy here in Wisconsin. Oliver and I have written another one of my columns for American Quilter Magazine, we're catching up on laundry and other put-off chores, relaxing in the big recliner with iced tea and a book. Soon I'll be packing my bags for my trip on August 8 to Phat Quarters in Galena, IL for some classes. Hope to see you there!

There is a new blog in town that you might like to visit. I especially enjoyed Scooter the cat on the beautiful blue and white quilt, lovely. The address is: seehowwesew.wordpress.com and tomorrow the entry will be about the quilt auction of the exhibit quilts for AAQI. Please visit, enjoy, please support the initiative. Thank you!!!!

Continue to enjoy your summer days, and take some time off to relax and live in the slow lane. If you can work in some fun quilting, that's good too. Or you can just clean and oil your machine.....!

Diane

Quilt Auction!

2011-07-20T10:20:00.001-05:00

We are in a heat wave here in Wisconsin, today going to 97 with high humidity so it will feel like 110. Ugh. I know many of you have it worse than this, so I hope everyone can stay cool.

Oliver doesn't like the closed curtains, extra fans, sleepy days. He is protesting by sleeping all day. Soon he will be two years old and is becoming quite a cat now, no longer a kitten playing with abandon. Now he is more purposeful, thinking out his attacks, waiting to strike.

He and I have not been quilting. It is too hot.

The photo, above, is a detail from my quilt "Mourning Too Soon," made in honor of my mother, Erma Hinterberg for the "Alzheimer's: Forgetting Piece by Piece" exhibit, organized and curated by the amazing talents and dedication of Ami Simms. The exhibit travelled for five years and more than 300,000 people had a chance to see it, were moved by it, and were encouraged by it as well.

It is a strippy style quilt, chocolate and lilac silk dupioni, "almost" wholecloth as it is "all" quilting, with original designs and a cable design in the chocolate strips. It includes a Mourning Dove, one of my mother's favorites, who cries for the sadness we all feel for losing our loved ones way too soon to this disease. It is a beautiful quilt.

After the exhibit ended I donated my quilt for auction, along with other quilts in the exhibit. Please go to: http://www.alzquilts.org/quiltauction.html to see the quilts.

The auction is August 1-10, and the link is:

http://www.benefitbidding.com/listings/categories/index.cfm?category=965774286

I hope they will raise many dollars to go to this cause. This disease has touched us all, and continues to devastate families. We need research, a cure, help. This is a great chance for any of you who have wanted to purchase one of my quilts to get a lovely piece, with my heart in it, to have in your own life and support a great cause at the same time.

Please make a bid on my quilt. I am a huge supporter of the Alzheimer's Art Quilt Initiative. They are an all-volunteer national charity whose mission is to raise awareness and fund research. They spend no money on fundraising and all their profits fund Alzheimer's research. They have raised more than $550,000 for research...one quilt at a time. Help me help them.

And a very special thanks to SewCalGal for her wonderful write-up of my class! It was an extraordinary group and experience, and the interaction in the class was terrific. Everyone benefited and it made my job so much easier.

Hope you all are enjoying summer, the heat, and maybe just a bit of quilting. And thank you so much in advance for supporting this cause.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day,

Diane

My New Bag

2011-06-08T10:11:00.001-05:00

With no ulterior motive whatsoever, really, I so admired this shoulder bag that Roberta, our sewing machine guru at Empty Spools last week was wearing as she toured our classroom in the Open House.

I could see my designs on it from 30 feet away! They are the digitzed quilting/embroidery designs that are built in to the Bernina 830, but similar ones and more are available on my OESD CD "Quilting Whimsy," available for all embroidery machine formats.

She used them as outline embroidery to embellish this soft and drapey bag, made with some changes to wholecloth rather than piecing from the La Borsa Bag pattern.

She used Metrosene red/white/blue variegated thread, #40, and the double stitching and overlaps of the thread made it shimmer and blur so that it has an entirely different look. I probably would never have done one of my designs like this so it was a delight to see how beautifully it turned out, how muted and elegant it looked on her shoulder.

The design square on the bottom is my "Bouncing Bananas" motif, and looks amazing as well in this thread. What Roberta did so well was use her creativity with the digitized designs to create something new and fresh.

After gushing over this beautiful bag to my class the next morning, who should stroll in but Roberta, with bag, and she totally surprised me by giving it to me. I was open mouthed with amazement, and a hug and thanks were all I had in exchange. Thanks so much Roberta, I shall use it often and love it each time.

The designs on the Bernina 830 and my "Quilting Whimsy" CD can be sized and combined, rotated, whatever, to get the effect you want. There are two designs for a large hoop. The creativity is up to you.

Using them as quilting in the quilt sandwich and placing it in your embroidery hoop, then doing some simple free motion work or walking foot lines around them to finish up a very fancy quilt makes these designs a great way to quilt your tops, or try out on table runners or placemats to get the hang of it.

Or make a bag like this!

Hope you liked seeing this project, and keep quilting! Your work gets better every day......

Diane

Fronds, Feathers, Flowers, Froth, Fun....Home from Asilomar

2011-06-05T09:53:00.002-05:00

Another fabulous class at Empty Spools Seminars, at the beautiful Asilomar State Park near Monterey, California! Above, my intrepid and amazing students, 25 in total, who worked with me for 5 days to accomplish more refined and beautiful machine quilting, all done on a home sewing machine. My table is in the foreground and this "chairs up" session at the front of our huge classroom/building covered one of many techniques included in the class.

This particular group forged out on their own to counter the next building's group, who chanted all day long and were interfering with our own Zen and the sounds of our machines. Original chants were devised and performed, highlighting lessons learned and teacher foibles, ha.

With all the class work, the other activities, the evening sessions, time to eat and sleep, who knows when they had the time to do this, and practice, and perform so very well! This will be my "chanting" class in my memories, the class where all I had to do was hold out my arms, and a chant would ensue.

Yes, we had fun.

Yes, we learned about doing beautiful motifs and techniques on our home sewing machines. Podflowers grew, feathers flowed, gingko stretched our brain power.

My trip home was smooth, my last day there I spent in a fantastic new room far away from the woods, up on a scenic outcropping with a full ocean view. A wonderful way to unwind, pack for the trip home, and relax.

Class, I never found the gingko handouts with the diagram. They were not on the kitchen counter after all. I may have unpacked them in my first night's hotel and left them there. Who knows what some housekeeper might be practicing in her off time, and what wonderful gingkos she is quilting.....!

Thanks to everyone for making my last class so wonderful. I will always remember my times at Empty Spools, the fun and talented people, the scenery, the buildings and charm. Special thanks to Diana, Suzanne, and Gayle for making it all possible and for taking such great care of me and everyone, and for all those over the years who were my classroom assistants/hostesses and made it all go smoothly.

Special thanks to Roberta for all her assistance with the machines and who provided me with a wonderful smooth familiar Bernina 730 for my quilting demos, and for the lovely bag, which I shall show in a future post.

Oliver was ecstatic when I arrived home, and is still checking out my luggage and interesting crumbs and exotic scents in my things. There were even a few pine needles. I think he grew while I was away, but is now so content and happy that I am home and doing fun things like laundry.

More on what we learned in a future post.

Meanwhile, keep quilting....your work gets better every day!

Diane

Thank you GLHQ! On to Asilomar....

2011-05-18T09:06:00.000-05:00

I just returned from a wonderful trip to the Detroit, MI area where I taught classes and gave a lecture to the Great Lakes Heritage Quilters. The weather was summery, food amazing, scenery lovely. Special thanks to Diane and Joyce for taking such great care of me, and Linda for chauffeuring me in a pinch, and for sharing their time so generously.

We had fun, we talked, laughed, quilted. Everyone worked so hard in class, and the results were terrific. Keep on quilting, work on those tops or make tops to quilt and perfect your free motion skills. Remember to take breaks too.

Loved seeing all the cousins, uncles, aunts and other relations to my amazing Buick on the roads there too.

I returned to Wisconsin to find spring has finally arrived, the trees are blooming and the warm days are here. I had a few hours rest and relaxation, some time to assure Oliver it really was me back again, but he knows I am not even stowing the luggage in the hidden room. I must be going somewhere again, and he is right.

Next week is my last session at Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar in California. I am busy shipping things and hoping they get there in time. My silk thread cones arrived on Monday and I shipped off a box of them for class, but I am also bringing some with me in case these don't arrive in time. When I dumped them all out on the kitchen table they were so pretty, like jewels in all the colors and shine. Yum.

Those of you in class next week should keep in mind:

Prepare the project to quilt in class ahead of time. You may layer it, and even stitch in the ditches first, with fine weight thread of your choice. If you decide on marking something in the squares or border, that can be done in class after we get started and discuss options. I will have some stencils for you in class.
Be sure and have good markers - you need to see the marks.
The on-site shop will have wonderful wool batt, Pellon Legacy, in case you'd like to try it.
Sew EZ tables are a great thing to have if you are driving. There is plenty of room in our classroom.
The chairs could use a small cushion if you are short.
Please do not wear strong perfumes, essential oils, or insect repellent to class as many of us are allergic to them....thanks from me, and all of us.

I look forward to spending this time with all of you. I hope the class will have something for everyone so your quilting will improve and you will leave with new excitement about this amazing art. Please email me if you have specific questions.

Back to packing, but do keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

Diane

A Black and White Tale

2011-04-19T22:00:00.001-05:00

It's rainy, windy, sleeting, cold. Oliver wanted to curl up with a good book, so he chose Ann Fahl's new one, A Black and White Tale.

He didn't want another "how-to" book on quilting, because for him, that train has left the station. Instead he wanted whimsy, delightful adventures, quilts yes, and not too much reading time, a simple poetic journey, something to slowly browse, and ooh and ah over the quilts.

But, most importantly, he wanted a book about a cat! Maybe a black and white cat named Oreo who lives near us, with fellow quilter Ann Fahl and who is the subject of many of her glorious quilts.

Whether it's birds, flowers, cranes, things in her house, watching the night sky, having tea or a power breakfast for quilters (oatmeal!), Oreo has many delightful adventures that Oliver loved reading about. He even seemed to catch her mysterious and exotic scent on the edges of the book...... oh my!

He sighed when he finished, looked at me and purred in contentment. He definitely has given his "paw of approval" for this charming book, perfect for quilters or non-quilters, for animal lovers, especially cat lovers. He thinks Grandmothers would love to read this to children. It combines quilts and cats and some lovely verse. It would be a perfect gift, or something special to keep and look through from time to time, just for yourself.

If you want a copy of your own, go to Ann's website to order: www.annfahl.com

If you are going to the AQS Show at Paducah coming up at the end of April, this book will be available at two vendors, Artfabric and Quilting Books Unlimited. Caryl Bryer Fallert will also have copies for sale at her Bryerpatch Studio store, plus some of the book's quilts on display. It's very near the expo center, and if you've never strolled over, take the time to do so. It's amazing! Tell her I said hi.

Hope the weather clears soon, and the birds are chirping again, with spring just around the corner. Oliver is sleeping again, but he had a great evening with his book.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day,
Diane

More Eggs

2011-04-15T09:41:00.000-05:00

More Eggs!

I thought I’d share some more Ukrainian eggs with you, from Carolyn Trout. Above, a sample of her work, as well as below. Carolyn explains the process:

“This is a hobby for me. I do not sell eggs, but I do give them away as gifts, to charity auctions, etc. I’ve been doing this for about 30 years, more or less. These eggs are Pysanky, Ukrainian Easter eggs. The process is a wax resist process, exactly like batik, only on egg shells instead of on fabric. They are not painted, but dyed.

The process requires successive steps of drawing with hot beeswax on the egg shell and then dyeing in increasingly dark colors, until the final color, after which all the wax is melted off to reveal the pattern underneath. I’m not Ukrainian by birth or culture, but I do use many of the traditional patterns, some of which are thousands of years old. If you Google ‘pysanky’ or ‘pysanka’ (the singular form) you will find tons and tons of information. I learned to do this when my husband gave me a kit for Christmas many years ago. He had no idea that he was starting an obsession and that he was going to lose his wife to the siren call of the dyed egg.”

Happy Spring everyone; enjoy the eggs.

Diane

Lessons Learned

2011-04-06T10:11:00.001-05:00

The Monterey Peninsula coastline was rugged and beautiful last week while I was at Empty Spools Seminars at the Asilomar conference center. Our class was also rugged and beautiful!

We learned so many things about free motion machine quilting, taking care of sewing machines, the sounds they make that indicate happiness or trouble, materials used that affect our work and make/break our quilting efforts, oiling and cleaning machines, even winding nice bobbins. Oh yes, we learned some great quilting designs as well, how to do them, where to use them in quilts. Below is a summary of some of these things, for quilting on a home sewing machine:

• Beware the “dreaded lagoon of puff”! Whether you are using a lofty batt like wool or even something more flat, if you quilt a design in peninsulas and then come back towards the main design already quilted you may end up with a small pond or lagoon of “puff” that has to be controlled and worked in. It is possible with many of the curving designs, but sometimes it is not. You end up with a pleat. Try and avoid going out on these long journeys away from the main design area because filling in can lead to problems.

• Building designs from the bottom to the top gives you great visibility for spacing and design formation because you can see the design already quilted, in front of the needle.

• Touch the preceding design area – don’t leave gaps as they will draw the eye, rather than the good parts of the design.

• An open-toe foot is crucial for precision. Designs like Bananas, Headbands, Diane-shiko, Gingko, Celtic Bubbles, and many others need the visibility that this foot provides so it is easier and more relaxing to quilt, plus the results look so spectacular when the work is precise, even when done in a larger scale.

• Thread color and choice of design both affect tension. You might have to tweak the upper tension a bit when you change out colors, even in the same thread. Small circular designs like rocks and froth need a lower upper tension number than big designs, or straight or gently curving lines.

• Bobbin thread should not be heavy. Go for lighter weight cottons or specialty bobbin threads, even #100 silk for the most useful and best looking threads for the back of your quilt.

• Don’t be afraid to switch out colors of bobbin threads to match the color of the top thread you are using. Wind them first, it only takes a moment. Check tension before stitching on quilt.

• Quilt a real quilt, a placemat, a table runner. Apply what you learn to something that will be useful, and use lovely fabrics in colors and designs that you really, really like. There are more out there, either in your stash, or new ones that appear all the time in quilt shops and online. Even if you let your cat sleep on it, and make another better one, do it!

• Remember the three important things to get right every single time you machine quilt: tension, stitch length, and color of thread.

• In order to become proficient at any one design you must quilt it a lot. Not a 6” square, but many 6” squares. It is also good to use it on a quilt so that you have to resolve the edges, learn how to meet other designs or parts of the quilt and make it look wonderful, effortless. No one wants to practice every day, so “warm up” and then add the technique or design to a real quilt and do a lot of it. Repeat it throughout the quilt for continuity and cohesiveness.

• Always keep something appropriate and pretty layered and ready to go near the machine, so when you clean and oil it (often!) you can quilt out something and make sure the oil is distributed well at the same time. Some of my best designs and ideas come at these times. Below, a sample of doodling I did after I oiled the hook area of the machine, and wanted to quilt a bit to work any excess oil out. I began with a simple curvy line, then kept going with echoes and curves, added stem and leaves. It was fun, and it helped me get warmed up for my quilting on the project I was doing at the time.

• Experiment with thread so you can express your artistry, but if your machine develops problems, go back to the same lightweight cotton thread top and bobbin, same color, and get things working well with it, then branch out to new threads. You’ll see if it is the machine that has a problem or the new thread. Also, get the right needle for every thread you use.

• Don’t forget about the “float” or pressure adjustment on the foot of the machine. Lessen the pressure for higher loft or working in the puff. Increase it for straight lines so you stay nice and steady. Below, the new foot for Janome machines (and some other brands like Baby Lock) lets you adjust the pressure of the spring on the foot itself so you can float over seam allowances or puffy areas.

• Learn to look ahead of the needle, especially when the foot obstructs your view. Look at negative space instead of the stitching; visualize the puff.

• Take breaks! Stop after those first few feathers for just a second to re-gain concentration, then proceed, so the entire line of feathers will look great. If a design deteriorates, you have lost focus and concentration. As you progress you will be able to work longer with better results.

• Enjoy it all, the colors, the threads, the wonderful dimension that you achieve as you machine quilt your own quilts.

The sun set over the Pacific on our last day at Asilomar. It was a wonderful week with a great class. I'll be back at the end of May, so if you are in that class and have questions, please email me and I'll try and give you an answer.

Keep quilting - your work gets better every day!

Diane

Home from Asilomar

2011-04-04T16:32:00.000-05:00

The fire was roaring, the soft salty sea air felt wonderful on my wintry dry skin last week at Empty Spools Seminars, held at the amazing California state park, "Asilomar," or Refuge by the Sea. And refuge it was. Right on the coastline near Monterey, it takes you back in time as you live, eat, and work in the historic buildings scattered through the acres, deer freely roaming, surf booming in the distance. Huge Monterey pines and natural vegetation frame the ocean views. Delicious food three times a day, and fun and laughter with all who are there in the various classes. And quilts, quilts, everywhere.

My class, "A Quilting Journey," was all about free motion machine quilting on a home sewing machine, and my 24 intrepid quilters did great. We worked very hard but were relaxed and had a good time as well.

My trip out there had a few glitches, one which involved 12 hours in Sky Harbor airport in Phoenix. It was after 8 hours that I noticed the carpet, below, was a funky rendition of my "Celtic Bubbles" design I teach, only this one had little jet airplanes sprinkled throughout.

Our small prop jet plane ( 8 rows, noisy) left Phoenix at 9 p.m.-ish, and did ok until it met the high winds in California and along the coast. The turbulence was terrible, still have bruises from that, and for the first time I turned green from airsickness but managed to refrain from throwing up on the handsome man seated next to me.

In the pitch dark night we were told the loud noises we heard were just chunks of ice being thrown off by the propellers and were hitting the plane. Eek.

Then amidst the turbulence the pilot announced we would have to land in Fresno as we were almost out of fuel. Double Eek.

At least the buffeting ended when we landed for fuel, and I chewed a Tums. Ground felt so good, but soon we were up again and more turbulence. The clouds cleared, and Monterey Bay was spread out below us like jewels in the clear night air. I arrived at Asilomar and my lovely room around 3 a.m. Whew. Sometimes I wonder why I teach quilting!

Above, the deer were my view out of my sleeping room, so gentle and pretty.

My class began the next day, 24 quilters who rose to every single challenge I threw at them. We laughed, had fun, were serious about our work, but could also smile when things didn't go that well. In the end, I think everyone improved and some were sailing free with their quilting. It was very rewarding for me, but some gremlins took time to sum up my teaching and the class on the board one evening, below. And if it is too fuzzy to read, that's fine too. I think they hit all the salient points of my barking at them for 5 days!

Special thanks to Toyo and Evette, who helped with the class and did a terrific job, and Jan and Helen-Mary, who let me demo on their machines.

Next blog post I'll give a summation of things we learned in class.

Meanwhile, Oliver was ecstatic to see me and climbed in my carry-on of quilts when I was unpacking. He is just now truly believing I am back for good and is thrilled his two "people" are together again, just for him.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

More to come,

Diane

Out from Hibernation

2011-03-19T13:00:00.004-05:00

Happy National Quilting Day!

Snow mountains and glaciers are receding here in Wisconsin and we are slowly but happily emerging from hibernation. It was 60 degrees yesterday and the muted sunshine felt wonderful. I haven’t been quilting over the winter so had no inspiration to write blog posts, and I realize not everyone wants to read about Oliver’s daily exploits, although gosh they are very cute.

I discovered a new display at a favorite store of tiny pet clothing, for small dogs or larger cats probably, and had to seriously resist a little shiny plaid raincoat and cap for Oliver. As if he would stoop to something so ridiculous.

This weekend I am organizing things for my upcoming trip to Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar Conference Center near Monterey, CA. I have a big class of 24, and hope everyone is excited about spending 5 days with me working on all sorts of free motion quilting, some easy, some challenging. I think you will learn as much from one another as from me, so it is definitely a productive week in a beautiful and peaceful setting.

The photo, above, features some lovely gifts I have received over the years from fellow quilters that I wanted to share with you. The intricate Bavarian egg was created by Carole Sturgis and is a collector’s piece in this particular art form. The lovely scissors from Sandra Leichner, tastefully blingy pin cushion by Cheryl Little, and Ming Hsu’s exquisite needle case are some of my favorites and seem to say “spring.”

And I am so happy to say that one of my past Asilomar students, Cindy Seitz-Krug, a fabulous quilter who has won many awards in quilt competition, has just received the Best of Show award at the AQS Lancaster, PA show! Her quilt, Simply Santa Fe, is beautiful and has exquisite original home sewing machine quilting and Cherrywood fabrics. Judy Robinson also won an award for her wonderful and colorful wall quilt, “Judy in the Sky With Stitches,” also done on her home sewing machine.

Congratulations also to Sherry Reynolds for the Machine Workmanship award with her "Christmas All Around" quilt, done on her home sewing machine too. Visit the AQS blog to see these quilts and find a link to all the winners.

The fragile egg, below, resides behind glass in a display case. Oliver was sleeping when I took the photo........

Enjoy the spring days, and hope to see some of you soon in California.

Diane

Go Pack Go!

2011-02-05T23:02:00.002-06:00

Oliver has his cap on, his nachos ready, the tv all set for the Super Bowl! His team, the Green Bay Packers, are ready to roll and we are rooting for them. After the horrible blizzard this week, it will be good to relax and watch the game and be so glad we are safe and snug and warm. Things are ok here in Wisconsin with even more snow falling, and we are ready to bring the Lombardi Trophy back to Wisconsin where it belongs!

Hope all of you survived the terrible weather too, and soon I'll write about quilting things, but first, we settle back to watch our guys play in the Super Bowl!

Diane

Reporting from the Frozen Tundra......

Spaced Out Under the Foot

2011-01-11T14:54:00.001-06:00

Happy 2011! Thanks to everyone for your good wishes; I am muddling along. Many emails have arrived, some with questions, and one of these deserves a bit of blog space here today as the snow falls, the washer washes, and Oliver watches me with half an eye, sleeping quietly most of the time near me as I work.

Years ago, Becky K. had issues with her free motion foot getting caught and stopped dead by extra thickness in the quilt in certain areas, such as many seam allowances converging at a point, even plain old seam allowances. Any extra bulk and it was all but impossible to move the quilt smoothly and freely under the foot, and quite difficult to maintain rhythm and even stitches with all the stops and starts and struggling.

I too had this problem when I first began free motion quilting on a home machine. Using the darning foot was problematic, because the clearance or space under it was very tight. Going over seam joins was tough. I got leaping stitches, toe catchers or tons of tiny ones all piled up and then a big one as I tugged on the quilt or lifted the foot to move it. Frustrating! Not good at all.

My machine at that time did not have any adjustments for pressure on the foot. I have mentioned this in classes and books and articles because it is such a fabulous tool on the new machines (and some elderly ones as well) - the ability to set that pressure lower so the foot "floats" nicely over tough areas on the quilt top.

What to do. One of my friends, Jenny B., inserted a metal washer in the foot, just under the bottom of the spring where there already is a small thin metal washer, sort of a horseshoe shape. She had to take the foot apart and put it together, but the result was fantastic! It was possible to quilt on pieced tops without the foot getting stuck on the thickness.

Another friend, Jill S., was in an early Camp Diane, and she came up with small rubber rings ("O" rings) that you could simply snip and slide in under the spring. She sent me bags of them but all are gone but one. I decided to show you this amazing little tip if you have problems with not enough space under the foot when it is lowered and in position for free motion. Or if you have a machine with no way to lessen the pressure on the foot.

Here is my #9 darning foot from my Bernina 1030. Next to it is the little rubber O ring that Jill sent me, and some frog feet for ambiance. This ring is the last one I have. To find one for your foot, take the foot with you to the hardware store and find one that will fit. The salespeople who gather round to help you will enjoy this job as it is fun, new, different, and you will be so happy and smiling when you get the right one. They will feel super human and wonderful to have done this exacting job for you.

Take it home and prepare to modify your foot. Sounds difficult, but it's easy.

First, cut a slit in the O ring, just one snip so it can open up like a "C."

Next, depress the foot by squeezing top and bottom, and slide in the opened O ring until it is settled nicely around the shank. Release the pressure on the foot and voila! A foot that will now give you a tiny bit more room under it (works great for trapunto too) and can be removed easily if it isn't needed.

Attach it to machine and give it a try. The quilt should feel much easier to move, and stitches should look the same. However, if the quilt is very thin and flat, you will not need to do this, and it could cause skipped stitches.

Below, photo of foot with the O ring inserted. It is just above the smaller black one that is part of the original foot configuration.

If you have skipped stitches with it on the foot, it might be too much and the foot is acting as if it were in the "up" position.

If you need more clearance, and this helps but you still have to tug when you cross seam allowances, you could add another ring and give it a try. I've never had to do that, but there is always the recalcitrant machine that needs extra help.

I did add a smaller diameter one once to my Bernina 730's #29 foot when I did a bit of trapunto in a wild moment. Even with the pressure reduced on that foot with the dial on the machine it wasn't enough to quilt smoothly. I put in one tiny ring and it was perfect. I took it out when done, machine back to normal. It's a great option to have, a trick in your drawer of machine quilting arsenal.

Also, when you depress the foot it should go up and down on the shank with spring pressure smoothly. If it is sticking and not working well, or squeaking, it might need some lubricant (your choice) such as a drop of oil on the inside cylinder and then press and release several times, wipe off excess oil.

Feet can wear out, become bent or damaged with use. I did get a new one for this machine due to the intensive amount of quilting I did way back then.

So I offer many thanks to Becky who prompted this blog post. She wrote in her email to me:

"I was quilting away today, I was making use of a tip you gave me way back then, and would have been unable to quilt had I not known this particular trick. I can' remember if it is in one of your books or not, but think it might be useful enough to pass on to your readers on your blog.

I am still quilting on the same 1031 Bernina from 1992, and the pressure on the foot is not adjustable. So when using the quilting foot (I use the small, open toed one), the amount of clearance is not adjustable. The quilt I am working on has Mariners Compasses with flying geese rings and in some areas of the piecing there are MANY layers of seam buildup, to the point that the quilt would not fit under the foot. Then I remembered you tip from so long ago, (haven't needed it in all these years, we're talking a lot of buildup!)

Luckily I still had the packet of Surgical rubber hinge rings (get them in the eyewear department at WalMart). I just inserted a snipped one at the bottom of the foot, between the bottom of the shaft and the end of the tubular back part of the foot that moves up and down the shaft. (If you put your index finger on the very top of the foot, and rest the bottom of the foot on your thumb, and squeeze, the foot will move up the shaft. The space opened at the bottom is where you insert the rubber ring. You snip the ring apart with scissors so it will easily slide on.)

I suspect that you may not have had to to do this for quite a while given sewing machine advancement over the past 18 years, so I explained the whole original tip as you gave it to me.

Sounds really odd, but that small additional amount of space makes all the difference in the world, and I have been gliding right over that seam allowance buildup for several days now, like it wasn't even there. Do have to remember to remove the ring when I go back to flatter areas, as that bit of extra space will then cause skipped stitches. But wow, what a wonderful help when I need it!

Anyone using an older machine that does not allow them to adjust the clearance of the foot would surely find this an invaluable bit of advice, I know I sure did, thank you again after all these years!"

And thanks to Becky for explaining it so well, and reminding me to tell you about it.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.
Diane

Season's Greetings

2010-12-14T10:10:00.001-06:00

From ice and snow, wind and below zero temperatures here in Wisconsin, USA, I wish you all a fond season's greetings. 

I hope to do more blog posts when my health improves. Meanwhile, keep quilting, your work gets better every day.

Diane

Turkey Day

2010-11-25T12:38:00.000-06:00

The turkey is roasting (with Oliver's help), pie is baked (with Oliver's help), and the remaining food is next on our list to do. It is a dreary day here, but cozy, bright and warm inside, with good food and each other. Hope your day is wonderful, and you take some time to be thankful for the special things, sometimes the little things, that make our lives blessed.

Diane

Happy Thanksgiving '10

2010-11-22T09:22:00.000-06:00

Happy Thanksgiving, may you all have blessings too numerous to list!

I tried dressing Oliver as a Pilgrim, or a turkey, or even holding a pumpkin pie, but he was truly not interested. His big passion now is crouching by the windows and front glass door and squeaking at the Juncos in the bushes outdoors. We are counting our blessing of Oliver, our new cat, in our life. He brought back sunshine to us.

I've been piecing a small quilt, discovering the pleasure of working with fabrics, arranging color and designs to form something I like. It's very relaxing to sew small pieces together, press and starch, play on the design wall. I hear my music playing softly, the leaves are still blowing past my windows, or the fog is rolling in. Soon winter will arrive, but this is a great way to begin the season, when lights go on at 4:30 p.m., and wonderful scents come from the kitchen.

Try quilting on pumpkin fabric, it's far less fattening than pie.....although today I am shopping for ingredients for homemade pumpkin pie, my mother's recipe, including the pie crust. It's my favorite part of Thanksgiving dinner.

Keep quilting, your work gets better every day!

Diane

Free Motion Feet: Observations

2010-11-10T16:41:00.001-06:00

Free motion feet can make all the difference in the success you'll have for various techniques. Above, two of my favorite feet for my Berninas, the #29 plastic foot, and the #24 embroidery foot. Each is perfect for various types of free motion quilting.

Both have a built-in spring so there is a gentle "hopping" action as the foot releases and then presses down as each stitch is made. This not only creates an excellent stitch but gives you the feeling that feed dogs are working and you are not skating alone on the ice.

If there is too much of the up/down action, decreasing the pressure on the foot with a control on the machine itself smooths everything out and will let you move the quilt more easily as well. This works for thicker batts, excess puff you need to work in, bulky seams in pieced work.

Open toe or not? I love my open toe foot for the precise type of quilting I do. I need to see exactly where the needle is, where I am stitching over a previous line of quilting, if it is in the right place. A closed toe would make it so hard to see these crucial points, and I would become tense and aching, hoping to hit the line or design point "just right." A closed toe foot prevents this great visibility. Tiny clamshells with a closed-toe foot are almost impossible for me, but easy with an open-toe foot.

However, if there are long smooth lines of quilting needed such as the spines/centers of feathers then I like the closed toe foot that seems to be designed to keep everything smooth and even, like an embroidery hoop around the needle. It distributes the puff of the batt perfectly, and keeps the fabric from creeping along and forming little ripples between two line of opposite direction quilting.

For stay stitching at the edge of the quilt or any straight line quilting done free motion in the quilt I love my closed toe #29 foot. It makes the job easier. But, as I quilt, I look ahead of the needle, not the needle itself.

Recently in my Paducah classes I saw the new Janome foot, below, photo by Ann Fahl and used with her permission.

This foot comes with three options for the base, an open toe, a closed toe, and a large circular plastic foot with rings in it used as guides for spacing free motion quilting such as echo quilting.

What attracted my eye immediately to it was the built-in way to adjust it in the spring itself, on the foot itself. Instead of adjusting how tight the foot sits on the quilt, you can easily change the foot itself to float more easily, to eliminate the hopping action, and glide instead, whatever you like. It worked very well for those who had it on their Janomes.

Sometimes we don't realize the right tool will do the job better and make quilting so much easier and more relaxing.

Looking at these photos you can tell there is a more unobstructed view with my Bernina feet too.

See what your machine has available. Investigate. Try out something new, or something you've had all along but is now in the back of some drawer. And keep informed with what your brand of machine has available. Sometimes, like the Janome foot, there is a new tool for you that is super.

Visit your brand's website, join a forum online, go to your dealer and browse, but use your own best judgment about what will work best for your style of work.

Oliver likes the #29 foot best to kitty-hockey around the sewing room. Sigh.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

Diane

Sandra Leichner's New Book, and Oliver Bites Back

2010-11-06T14:04:00.005-05:00

Oliver fell asleep admiring the beautiful quilt on the cover of Sandra Leichner's new book, just released from AQS, Hand Applique with Embroidery. He gave his "paw of approval" but was so tired from torpedo-ing around the house today that he fell asleep before a photo could capture the actual reading process. Believe me, he is smart enough to enjoy a good book!

Sandi just received the Fairfield Master Award for Contemporary Artistry, a $5000 prize at the International Quilt Festival, Houston, for her cover quilt, Tea With Miss D.

If you are lucky enough to have seen it at Houston Market or Festival or when it was in the juried AQS show at Paducah in April you will know the incredible artistry and skill it took to create such a quilt. Yet, it is delightful, makes you smile, and somehow her technical expertise looks effortless. It doesn't get in the way of the quilt's beauty, but makes it all happen.

Go to http://www.quilts.com/ and click on the winners' list to see her quilt, or to her website http://www.sandraleichner.com/

Although I will never be an appliquer, I did enjoy this book. If you want to refine your techniques or learn applique and embroidery, find out how to get the perfection Sandi achieves, how she embroiders all that detail, picks the fabrics, layers them for the best overall effect, then you need this book.

I liked the charts with organized information about threads, needles, anything technical. You don't have to search through text to find what you want to know.

The photos are great, the colors stunning, and you will drool over her quilts throughout the book. Yes, there are patterns, and there are projects. You will learn to do this and have small, complete-able projects when finished with various techniques she explains, step by step.

I love the little bit in the book for each area called "Why is this important?" It's great to have the respect of an author who tells you the why of it, really a good addition to the book's format.

All her applique and embroidery is by hand, and it is exquisitely done. Quilting? Done on a home machine (Bernina 730), free motion, original marked designs and lovely freehand fills. The combination of well executed artistic quilting and hand applique is a true winner.

Which quilt of Sandi's do I like the best? I have seen Sandi's quilts from her first one entered at Houston in 2001, and through the years since then. Their richness and detail, their art, will stay with you always. Tea With Miss D will always have a special place in my heart though.

I like that she respects the art of machine quilting enough to use it to complete her hand artistry.

Meanwhile, browsing the internet looking for info on Houston and wishing I were there, my computer suddenly died again. Oh no!

Two days earlier my husband's new laptop had a power cord failure and he had to get a new cord. I had him check it for teeth marks. Yes, there were teeth marks. Mine too had teeth marks.

Oliver strikes again! We are so relieved he didn't get hurt but have to find ways to hide the cords from him. He likes the thin cable from the computer to the adapter part, the kind my sewing machine has to the foot control, but that he hasn't yet discovered.

I used a light rubbing of Tabasco sauce on the tv cable that comes out of the wall, and one bite of that stopped him in his tracks. His expression was hilarious.

I got a new generic power cord for my laptop, no waiting for Mr. Sony to send me one this time, and will get a new battery this week too. I plan on using it on battery in waking hours, charging it overnight with the new cord in a closed room. We have a mixing bowl over husband's cord on the kitchen island. So far it is working, Oliver can't move it. It's heavy English pottery.

Below, the photo of what I did to protect the cord. They do have cord covers available to buy that are infused with citrus, but the reviews said they had a horrible insecticide odor, so I crossed those off my list.

Instead, I got drinking straws that were a special thank you gift from Ami Simms (don't ask why), cut them in half lengthwise, and slipped them over the cable, taped them together and closed. Then I wrapped a twill tape around the whole thing and turned it into the Mummy Cord. It is working! He isn't even interested! I do put it away when I am not around or am sleeping, and eventually with the new battery can keep the cord out of his life completely.

Hope you are enjoying fall, no snow yet in Wisconsin. Cold, yes. I am washing and sorting some lovely Moda fabrics received from Hancock's of Paducah for the new Pilgrim/Roy Challenge, "Twenty Great Quilts for Twenty Great Years," to celebrate the upcoming 20th Anniversary of the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY. I get to add two fabrics of my own, and am busy designing a small wall quilt using all of them, and plan on trying out some of my new quilting techniques. I have learned to do a deadline project right away.....just in case. These quilts will be auctioned live at the AQS show in '12, and will tour in '11 so you can see them.

Keep quilting, your work gets better every day.

Diane

Cat needs a home.....

2010-10-31T09:50:00.003-05:00

This handsome boy needs a home. One of my quilting friends in SE Wisconsin has rescued him after feeding him for a month, but our bitter cold winds this week and the onset of winter soon made it mandatory for her to bring him in from the cold.

Now he has been neutered and has all his treatments and is ready for a home. Her house is full with other cats she has taken in and now loves, and she is so wishing a new home would be possible for this friendly and loving cat.

"Hello! Meow!

What are you waiting for?
Kitty needs your lap!

Last night he spent an hour in my lap - happily cleaning himself and giving me kisses.

He might even be a shoulder-cruiser. I know he loves to be carried.

Please let us know that you want to love him."

And from Mr. Tuxedo himself:

"I am Tuxedo Kitty.

I am a young male. I was an outdoor kitty until October 27, when I was taken inside following those big scary windstorms.

Even though I never knew a gentle human touch I quickly recognized that petting makes me start my motor.

I love being carried and I love being petted and I love just lounging in a soft lap.

I really don’t want to live in a barn and am looking for a nice home with friendly hands to touch me.

My rescuer has 6 indoor kitties already and while I thought this would be a nice home, my rescuer takes her kitties to Florida. I can sympathize that the car would be pretty full with 7 of us plus two humans.

If you or your friends will take me, I will love you forever.

KISSES,

Tuxedo kitty Lake Geneva, WI October 31, 2010"

If anyone is interested, please email me at diane@dianegaudynski.net
I realize this is for a limited geographic area, but I wanted to do my part in spreading the news about this little guy.

Diane

Skipping Along

2010-10-23T09:40:00.001-05:00

I am back home from my wonderful time in Paducah at the National Quilt Museum and two classes for 39 terrific quilters. The weather was amazing, the best I've ever experienced there, cool at night, dry and sunny and 70's in the day with autumn color and deep blue skies. Lovely.

We quilted and we learned. I always learn so much from those in class and we laughed a lot too. One of the techniques I stressed this time was curving parallel lines, and learning to echo quilt well so that anything is possible.

Depending on the batt, thread used, fabrics, as well as design choice, switching to a smaller needle gave a better result unless one of those things wasn't quite right, and then we had problems.

One problem can be skipped stitches, see sample in photo above. Everything was working fine for one student until she put in a #60 needle with a fine cotton thread. A combination of the thin batt and the small needle caused skipped stitches. Going back to the #70 needle solved the problem.

Almost always skipped stitches are caused by one of the following:

the needle being too small for the thread
the batt being very thin and flat
the presser foot pressure too low
a defective needle
threading done incorrectly
hands too fast for the speed of the machine

Sometimes it is a combination of things, so try one thing at a time. Re-thread, try a bigger needle, check the pressure on the foot for the thickness of the batt.

The thicker and poufier the batt, the lower the pressure on the foot should be so the quilt will glide smoothly and easily. I switch mine to a lower pressure if I need to quilt over an island of puff without causing pleats, increase it for doing free motion straight lines for a bit more control. I usually decrease the pressure a bit for any free motion quilting for ease of movement, and to avoid the dreaded snowplowing of excess fabric, and the inevitable pleat that results.

Also, slow down your hands to a smooth even consistent motion. If you want to move them faster, increase the speed of the machine to keep up with them. Needles stop breaking and skipped stitches will be a memory.

By the way, in the photo, above, the thread tension is perfect. You want a softly curving stitch, no visible bobbin thread, that showcases the thread, that doesn't stretch it flat and tight. I usually recommend for all free motion quilting lowering the top tension one number. Some of the newer machines might need less, or some not any depending on the thread, but a little leeway for the stitches to go in all directions is a very good thing. And I didn't really have skipped stitches; I moved the needle over a bit and then continued to get a facsimile of a skipped stitch.

Try some curving, echoed lines for an interesting new way of quilting. The bowl, above, should give you some ideas and a challenge!

I will be teaching at the museum in Paducah, KY next October in 2011, an introductory class first for quilters with free motion experience, and an advanced class for returning students to continue the adventure. Check the museum's website for information; there are still openings in these classes, and I have not booked any more events after '11. http://www.quiltmuseum.org/

It's great to be home, Oliver really, really missed me and spent all day yesterday playing, attacking me, helping me unpack, scratching my suitcases, and having an ecstatic cat day. I wish I could take him along, but perhaps his adventures will have to remain sniffing my shoes and clothes and wondering where I have been.

Keep quilting, your work gets better every day!

Diane

Packing for Paducah

2010-10-12T08:58:00.001-05:00

"Batzbelow"

Halloween is coming up, pumpkins are appearing on doorsteps here, and the quilting above highlights two bat creatures emerging in some hand dyed fabric a few years ago.

I quilted for a day at least until I saw them peering up at me, and decided to emphasize their presence with quilting rather than quilting over them. Below, another creature that appeared in this fabric, wildly flinging his bat cape around and beckoning to me as I was trying to concentrate on my stitching.

I'm busy packing for Paducah, leaving early tomorrow for two classes at the National Quilt Museum, so hope to see many of you soon. I will be the one with my car filled with quilting stuff. Oh yes, I guess many of you will be in that same situation!

Each class takes its own path, never are any the same even when I try to keep on the same agenda. I hope to have everyone leave class a better quilter and more confident in their own skills.

The second class is for graduates of any of my classes in the past, and they already know my style, have worked on their own and now want to learn more and refine their quilting. Hope we have some great group sharing from all the talented participants.

Recently I did an interview for http://www.asianartandquilts.com/ so check that out if you want to read my answers to the interview questions.

Meanwhile, see many of you soon in Quilt City USA, and keep quilting, your work gets better every day!

Diane

New Designs for Machine Embroidery/Quilting

2010-09-25T09:56:00.001-05:00

Yesterday Fed Ex dropped off my new collection of quilting/embroidery designs, "Quilting Whimsy." It is a beautiful package, and when flipped over the back shows all the designs included.

I was surprised! I didn't remember doing some of them, oh my, but there is a nice selection of, yes, whimsical designs. Birds, rabbits, a sleeping cat, gingko, the mourning dove from my Alzheimer's exhibit quilt, florals, fronds, feathers, even some new styles. A square with a feather outline to use for featuring other designs or full-out embroidery, and two nice large mega-hoop designs are included.

With software and your embroidery module you can make some amazing combinations and effects with the individual motifs. Be creative!

Bernina has this featured on their website and blog, http://www.berninausa.com/ and will have a sample quilt at Houston Market and Festival - go check it out! It is very heirloom and lovely, and doesn't look 'machine made' or computer-y at all.

Oliver has been helping me with many things lately, and daily he is changing and growing, his personality evolving. I think he feels secure here now, and has that cat sense that he will be here always. His early life included many places and experiences so our dull routine seems to suit him just fine. He sneaked outside when the door was open a second too long and the thrill of it kept him flying around the house for hours. He was only out there 6 seconds tops, but wow, the excitement.

Below, he is channeling our Arnie, who was our only cat who crossed his paws so elegantly. He looks perfectly coordinated on the quilt too, imagine that. Oliver just began doing this, and of course in the same spots where Arnie sat. Arnie would have loved this little guy.

Hope you enjoy the onset of autumn and all the delights it brings. Keep quilting, your work does get better every day!
Diane

Sifting and Sorting and Quilting Straight Lines

2010-09-20T09:41:00.000-05:00

I have been sifting and sorting through my quilts and everything else in the house for two months. I have unearthed many interesting things, with Oliver's help of course.

I started thinking about the use of background quilting. When I first started machine quilting and had vast areas of space around piecing and designs I knew I had to quilt "something."

I was using flat cotton batts, so there was minimal excess "pouf" in the quilt, so most of the time I left larger areas in piecing, some narrow borders, etc., unquilted. Above, the large points of the stars are not quilted, the center square has a cross hatch grid, but the tiny pieces too are unquilted.

Then came the background around the stars. I looked at old handquilted quilts to see what quilters of the past had done, as they worked with cotton batting as well, and it needed fairly close quilting to stabilize it. One of the most common solutions was parallel lines about 1/4" apart. I felt it gave my quilt a true antique, hand quilted look, so decided I'd try it! I had no experience with this technique, and no fear. I was a beginner.

Here is the quilt when I recently unfolded it from storage and saw my early work, larger stitches (but even stitches), invisible thread, all done free motion. The lines, grids, outline quilting, everything was done free motion.

I didn't like using a walking foot and be unable to quilt in any direction. Contant turning of the quilt drove me to distraction, so I knew early on that free motion was the answer, and the only way to quilt a large quilt that could not be turned easily once under the needle was to hunker down and do it free motion.

I based this quilt on several old feathered star quilts but used Trudie Hughes' rotary cutting techniques to cut and piece the blocks. In the black and white photos I had of old block quilts many of them had these parallel lines as background. They happen to run across the bias grain of the fabric, as the blocks are on point.

Little did I know then that it was the best way to hand quilt a straight line, and it is by far the easiest and best way to machine quilt a straight line. Quilting a line on the bias grain prevents distortion. No excess fabric will be pushed and pulled as you quilt the lines as can happen oh so often if you quilt on grainlines, especially cross grain.

I didn't know the key to echo quilting at that time, which is to visualize the space between the lines of quilting and keep that even. Instead I used the edge of my #9 Bernina foot as a guide and found it difficult but I persevered. It was a bit like looking at your car's tires and the side of the road to stay on the road, rather than looking ahead, down the road.

I learned to tilt the quilt a bit so I could see behind the foot as I quilted away from myself. The back of the foot on my 1030 really was in the way. On my newer Berninas (200 and 730) the back of the foot is offset to the "2 o'clock" position so I can see perfectly behind the foot/needle, and there is no big thumb screw or other obstruction in the way either.

Some of my quilted lines on this quilt are a little "off" and some spacing is wider or narrower than others throughout the quilt. It certainly does not look like digitized quilting!

I keyed off a straight line drawn from corner to corner in the setting square blocks, and extra lines were included here and there to act as "horizon" lines, to help me stay level and even.

After I quilted awhile I would get into the flow of it and by the end of the quilt my lines and spacing were very good indeed. There were some areas that did develop excess fabric and I had to ease that in and work slowly so I didn't stitch in pleats, but overall I was pleased with this look. At the time I did not stipple, and could not envision it in large areas like this.

I was relieved when it was done, and I loved this quilt, and it went on the bed.

It was named "Feathered Star," did well in Wisconsin quilt shows and someone encouraged me to enter it in the AQS Paducah show. It was accepted, which almost caused heart failure when I received the letter and my name badge for the show. Of course my sister Mary and I went in '93, and seeing my humble quilt hanging there with hand quilted masterpieces was the reward for the hours I had spent learning to free motion quilt.

It didn't win a prize, but it always had a crowd around it and people at that time were truly unbelieving that it was machine quilted. It had no obvious machine quilting motifs or techniques. I used everything a hand quilter would have used 100 years ago, and it was rich and warm with its freckled cream background, and those amazing lines I quilted.

Now we are using zillions of background motifs to cover territory and create visual interest in our machine quilted quilts. I still prefer the more unassuming backgrounds, things that don't take over but support the color and main designs. I like thread that gives warmth but isn't the focal point. I don't like backgrounds that jump out at you. I want you to look at the design, not the thread.

We all have our personal preferences and you should definitely quilt your quilt the way you want it to look. I have since embraced very fine weight colored threads, subtle color gradations, even a bit of shine or sparkle here and there.

And sometimes I think back to my first quilts done by machine with nothing but straight lines done with a walking foot, or later designs on scrappy prints and no background quilting at all, and they are still good quilts.

Sorting through my quilts made me start thinking of machine quilting and how it has changed over the past years and how I approach my own work in light of all the change. I have made many changes, but my work will never look modern or glitzy.

We also sorted a closet of husband's clothing this weekend, and Oliver helped with the shirts. He got so tired attacking the empty hangers as we tossed them in a heap that he crawled into the shirts and fell asleep.

I think his paw has grown too.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day,

Diane

Quilting Whimsy Available Now....

2010-09-17T09:07:00.001-05:00

September is here, and my new collection of quilting designs for your embroidery module is available now! "Quilting Whimsy" includes animals, feathers, ferns and fronds, even more contemporary starbursts and other designs, something for all your projects. They can be used as quilting or as outline embroidery, you decide, you pick the thread weight to make them work for you.

It is multi-format, so you can use it in many brands of machines, and get the right delivery system.

Bernina has done a wonderful heirloom quilt with the rabbit designs on an ivory silk radiance fabric and gives you the directions on their website. Go to http://www.berninausa.com/ and scroll down to see what's in my collection.

Nina's quilt "Bunny, Oh Bunny" is found in the embroidery section at http://www.berninausa.com/content-n599-sUS.html

I saw it at Wisconsin Quilt Expo a week ago, a wonderful quilt show, some inspiring quilts, and great friends. My sister Mary and her friends from Small Town Quilters in Mercer, WI came to the event and I spent some time with them. Below, Elizabeth, Nancy, Mary, and Toots, all in their custom embroidered red tees so they were easy to spot.

Hope you are enjoying fall, getting back to some quilting. It's been a long miserable summer here, so the first signs of color in the leaves, cool mornings, insects humming are all so welcome.

Diane

Labor Day '10

2010-09-04T12:30:00.000-05:00

A holiday weekend, finally some cool weather and Fall is in the air. I found this doll bed, above, while cleaning the odd corners of the house, and also found an old whole-cloth stencil I quilted for a class sample years ago, wedged behind a bookcase. It seemed a fortuitous pairing, so I made up the bed with the tiny quilt, and am enjoying it for awhile. I think it shall go to a better home with visiting granddaughters and lots of use eventually, but for now it is dandy in my front hall.

Haven't been quilting much at all, just enough to keep my machine moving well, sort of like old bodies, thinking about upcoming classes at the National Quilt Museum in Paducah, KY. Wisconsin Quilt Expo is coming up and I hope to get to that and be inspired. It has been a long miserable summer, and seeing some lovely quilts and good friends will be perfect.

I am always on the hunt for good questions to answer in my one-page column in American Quilter Magazine. The upcoming issue has a great thread chart for you to clip and save that helps with weight of thread and style of quilting pairing, and I also have completed the January one. I've had great questions emailed to me through the AQS website, http://www.americanquilter.com/ for those articles, but need more.

If you have one about machine quilting that would be useful for many to see answered, send it in!

I'm home alone this weekend with Oliver, who is definitely changing now that he is turning from kitten to cat. He sleeps more, and is getting bored with former activities that would keep him happy and busy for hours. I search for entertainment, but really, I warned him he was coming to live with two old, boring people and he'd have to make the best of it. I'll probably stop at the pet store and look for a fun new toy for him.....

Meanwhile, I do hope your quilting is progressing well, you are doing the quilting on your own quilts, and seeing results in actually quilting tops, not just practicing.

Keep quilting....your work gets better every day.
Diane

Templates anyone?

2010-08-19T08:50:00.001-05:00

Lately it has become almost a hidden secret, something we are reluctant to admit. Yes, it is ok to use stencils or templates in our free motion machine quilting!

The clamshells, above, are small, maybe 1/4" or 3/8" in size, and yes, I did them freehand, with no marking. Sometimes a straight "horizon" line to help me stay level can be added, but grainline in fabric or a line of piecing usually is all I need to keep them nice and even, in a classic, traditional style. Funkier clamshells, "relaxed" clamshells don't need to be level or the same size, so go for it with them, with no marking.

However, if you have difficulty getting them even, and want them to be even, don't forget about a template. Anita Shackelford has a wonderful mini and larger template for perfect clamshells and for larger fan designs that works great. She has many photos for you to see the applications for this template, including a Sashiko design based on clamshells for machine quilting.

Click here to go to the page on her website, http://www.thimbleworks.com/ to see the examples using this tool.

I like the perfect spiral tool as well, and of course infinite feathers if you need some help getting that feather shape established in your brain. Mark some, quilt them, do it over and over until you can do it with minimal guide markings and no marks eventually.

Remember, it looks easy when you see others quilt feathers and such so effortlessly with no marking, but if you need marking and templates, it's perfectly natural and a very good thing to have in your repertoire to get those quilts done beautifully.

Diane

This and That, Deux

2010-08-16T13:27:00.001-05:00

Sometimes it's the "little things" that make life special, like an old doll quilt from a departed Great Grandma, little animals, and tea dishes to share with the granddaughters. My sister gets down on the floor and plays "tea party" with her two granddaughters, my great-nieces, and our old things are new again.

Some observations on a beautiful dry sunny windy day in Wisconsin:

We have hardwood floors in the house, and I no longer need to dust under the recliners in the family room. Oliver loves to hide and sit under them when we are in them, rolls around, and thoroughly removes any dust. What a cat. A Roomba of a cat.
The PGA tournament this weekend was near here in Wisconsin, on the shores of majestic Lake Michigan, really an inland sea. I hope people from around the country got a glimpse of why we like it here.
I am sorting through very early quilts I made back in the 80's. Some are still terrific, the classic designs, pieced well, tried and true. I'm keeping them. Some are rather unfortunate, and are being bundled up to give to charity, as someone can love them. They are being wasted at my house. Oliver loves to help sort quilts too. We were both sneezing though.
I have too many sewing machines. And too many boxes they came in. Oh no.....
On the top shelf of an unused closet an old "word processor/electric typewriter" from before we had computers was found. What to do with it? Does anyone still want an electric typewriter? Hmmm. The word processor function let you see 4 lines of type and had memory for that too, so you could somehow go back and correct things in those 4 lines. The readout was vile neon green. I remember I thought it was amazing at the time.
Getting old means you still save things that might prove useful, but you can't find them even if you do remember you have them. I have decided if you don't know you have them you might as well NOT have them. Out it all goes. The house is beginning to feel lighter.
Satellite Delay. This is a term from several years ago that was used in the news when interviewing people by satellite and we had that time lag when there was dead air. We now use it in our house to describe not being able to remember something or have it actually register until that lag occurs. Sometimes it is a moment or two, but recently my satellite delay in remembering the name of that white sauce I made for creamed fresh veggies took two weeks. Then it popped into my head, Bechamel Sauce. Yum. Just scream out "satellite delay......" and then what you remembered.
Quilting? Ah, not right now.

Enjoy your summer and the little things.
Diane

Happy Birthday Oliver!

2010-08-15T09:23:00.000-05:00

Happy Birthday to Oliver! He is one year old today, and weighs a dense and muscular 12#! His official announcement photo, above, done by photo shop expert Sandi Leichner. We are so blessed to have him in our lives.

As our 7th cat, he is the only one whose birthday is known. We guessed at the others, but it's nice to be able to imagine a litter of little Olivers coming into the world a year ago today.

All the comments and discussion on quilts in shows, quilts in general at this time, that you contributed were terrific. More thoughts on this in the future, and on design and quilting in general. We need to work on technique, always, but on design too.

I also quilted a bit with the Jersey needle with some various metallic threads. Now, with that said, metallics are not my forte. I rarely use them, just a touch here and there once every ten years, so I never had to find the answer to how to use them. I think every machine, every situation, every brand takes a bit of fussing to get things to work properly.

The #80 Jersey needle did a good job with some Superior metallic and even better with a flat very shiny metallic with no label so I have no memory of what it is. But it looked very nice quilted. I only quilted a few minutes with each, not a good enough workout to see if the needle would not cause problems.

It did, however, work great with the YLI Sparkle thread, a strand of silk and one of metallic in one thread. I quilted 30 minutes straight and it had no problems.

With all these samples I did use #100 silk in the bobbin. It was in the machine...:-)

Meanwhile, thanks for the ideas, the good wishes, and the thoughts on quilting. We are taking today to celebrate Oliver, and relax. Tomorrow it's back to work.

Keep quilting; your work gets better every day.
Diane

Summer's End

2010-08-09T10:34:00.000-05:00

"A Visit to Provence" ~ copyright Diane Gaudynski, miniature whole cloth, 24" square, collection of National Quilt Museum, Paducah, KY

Summer is hot and humid here in Wisconsin, steamy and buggy, a sauna of swampiness. I sorely look forward to fall.

I apologize for not posting more often about quilting and giving you some tips and encouragement. However, my severe mold allergy has flared due to roofers and landscapers and today a deck demolition in our neighborhood, so I haven't even been near my work. Just trying to get through each day has taken my all.

Fighting mold when it makes you so ill is very difficult, if not impossible. Mother Nature is winning this battle I fear. Recommendations for a city/state that is dry and not moldy are welcomed. I'm bad at high altitude though.

I will try and catch up on email and blog comments soon. Facebook is still a major mystery for me, so please be patient. I only signed on there to view someone's quilt photos and now I have my own page, friends and all. Who knew!

Recently I did escape for the day and met a friend at a national juried and judged quilt show. I thought it would cheer me, but it did not, even though it was good to be out, and see friends.

I loved some of the quilts, many of them ones with no awards and ribbons, some I had seen in other prestigious shows with awards, but not here.

It seemed to me that many of these machine quilted entries and winners looked mechanical, lacked integration of design and quilting, had little presence or heart.

I don't think "more" is always better, that crystals can always make the design better or even be the design, that using every motif under the sun is better than using designs that make sense to the quilt itself. Editing in the overall design in many of the quilts was lacking.

Plus there was so much derivative work rather than new and creative.

Ann Fahl said it best in her blog, http://www.annfahl.blogspot.com/ in her post "Questions and Thoughts on a Recent Quilt Show." These same thoughts have been in my mind for the past several years as well.

Once home, I looked at my quilt on the living room wall, "Rabbit in Green." I have only one of my quilts hanging, and this is my favorite right now. I felt that deep thud inside as I looked at it, kept looking at all of it, never tired of looking at it.

I didn't notice particular stitches or techniques, but the "whole" of it. The visual beauty, not the technical bits and pieces. Technique for me should be the invisible marionette strings that hold up the piece. You look at the puppet, not the strings. And if there is no puppet, only the strings? Disappointment.

An admirer of Rabbit in Green from outside the quilt world offered to buy when it was in an exhibit last fall. After much thought I declined the sale, because I would rather have this quilt than a check for it. When you feel that way you know you are on the right track, no matter what the trend in machine quilting might be.

I included my quilt A Visit to Provence, above, because it is one of my best works, and shows the direction my work will continue to take, firmly rooted in heritage and tradition, using it as my springboard. I will add my own designs and machine skills to express that heritage as fully, as beautifully, as satisfyingly as I can.

Meanwhile, my computer is gathering dust due to no power cord and a depleted battery for the past two weeks. I noted when it had no power that the cord was covered with cat teeth marks, so that may have contributed to its dying, but a new cord is on the way, and I have my teeny travel netbook for email and this blog today.

However, it is August and the world is on vacation, so being out of the loop is ok. I hope you are enjoying this time of year, quilting something that makes you happy and fulfilled, and loving summer's beauty.

Diane

Needle, Thread, and Fabric

2010-07-20T09:27:00.003-05:00

Many times finding the right thread, needle, and fabric combination is the key to experiencing non-frustrating machine quilting.

The sample of one of my new "Quilting Whimsy" digitized designs, above, was done on fine cotton fabric ("Gradations" by Caryl Bryer Fallert for Benartex) with #100 silk YLI thread and a #60 Schmetz Microtex Sharp needle.

However, when I decided to do one line of echo quilting with "Sparkle," a YLI thread that combines #100 silk with a strand of metallic, I switched to a #80 Topstitch needle, which has always handled threads that tend to fray or skip just fine. This time it did, but not as well as I would have liked.

Every so often a skipped stitch, oh no. A bit of gold metallic showed through to the backing, oh no. And worse, it would ball up behind the needle and fray to the point that I noticed no gold in the stitch at all, had to stop, re-thread, then continue, which resulted in.......frustration!

After doing some research, one of my students contacted me with the same problem and she went directly to the manufacturer of the thread, YLI. I also did the same, and the answer was something I would never have considered, a JERSEY ball point needle! Who knew! I thought they were for knits only, wrong.

Evidently the friction from going through a pierced hole in the cotton fabric, rather than a nice opening made by the ball point needle was fraying the thread. I bought some #80 SUK Schmetz Jersey ball point needles, put one in my machine, and gave the Sparkle thread a big workout.

It worked perfectly. None of the problems occurred. I did have to quilt just a bit slower, lowered the top tension more, and I took a slightly larger stitch than with plain silk thread. Sometimes it looked a little wobbly when going in directions away from myself, but all in all, very nice, definitely will use this again in a quilt and know I will have good results with the proper needle.

The thread itself is lovely. It isn't a full-on metallic, so for me blends into the quilt well, but shows well too. It is subtle bling, a touch of fairy dust on your quilt. It comes in gold or silver with various neutral silk threads.

The new issue of the AQS magazine Quilt Life has a good article about thread with comments by many in the industry. We do need to keep up on thread information so when we choose something that will enhance our work we can get it to work for us.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

Diane

Unpacking and Napping

2010-07-05T19:16:00.001-05:00

Home is wonderful after you have been away. Everything seems new and fresh and bright, yet familiar and comfortable, welcoming you in. I opened the door from the garage, came in the kitchen, and Oliver tore around the corner and ran full tilt into my arms. He purred so hard he was shaking, with happiness and disbelief. I guess I probably was purring too....oh my, so good to be home.

I had a terrific week at Empty Spools Seminars at Asilomar near Monterey, California. It was cool and lovely, some fog in the mornings, low to mid 60's during the day. One lunch hour I tried for about 10 minutes to stand and chat outside and get a tan but nope, just felt good, no tan for me.

Unpacking is almost done. I pulled out pile after pile of samples and things from my clown-car suitcase, above, and re-lived the week through the variety of interesting objects that surfaced, like my own archaeological dig.

Top of the pile was my new tote, my Laurel Burch socks that my students told me Oliver made them buy for me, and my new bag of Pinmoor fasteners for layering a quilt with fine straight pins. They caused a little excitement, as the inventor, Loretta Ivison was in our class. You can check them out at http://www.pinmoor.com/. Oliver liked my socks and tried eating them. I didn't let him even see the Pinmoors.

He also tried eating the hand squeeze workout ball for quilters so that is already in a drawer, along with 2 yards of the new Pellon Legacy wool batt that somehow compressed into my suitcase. If it was opened by security, I bet they jumped when all that batt popped out at them! It looked the same as I had packed it, so they must have missed the fun.

I'm thinking this wool batt is lovely, not quite as thick and sprongy as Hobbs has been recently, so I will post when I get a chance to try it out.

It was a great group of students, all y'all who were there know that, and I hope new quilting adventures await you with what we learned in class. I left at 4:30 a.m. to the sound of the Pacific, and arrived back in Wisconsin about suppertime. Long day, I was very tired, tons of holiday travelers, and it was really hot and steamy here, but so good to see the familiar Wisconsin landscape, and actually get in my own car and drive.

It was nice to see some of my other teaching friends there, and hear a memorable presentation by Nancy S. Brown who made me wonder what have I been missing all these years with no penguins in my quilts? I don't think I have laughed so hard in years.

The next a.m. while diagramming what not to do with pod flowers on the board in class, those penguins somehow sneaked in after all to my work. Below, I quickly added some jaunty sunglasses and now I think I can make a winner!

Yes, we do have fun in class. But, I can only imagine Nancy's class....

Another thing I noticed on the way home was a floor mat in the airport that looked like an interesting variation on our Celtic Bubbles or fans, below. Play with these echoing lines and come up with your own designs.

See you next year at Empty Spools, and keep quilting, your work gets better every day.

Diane

My Blog List, and Followers

2010-06-11T10:12:00.001-05:00

Detail, OESD design for Mega Hoop

I do have a very short blog list here. When I started this blog about a year ago, blundering around in the blogger instructions, I added a few I knew about, and didn't think too much about it. I like that it is there, that you can see what's going on elsewhere with exciting quilters.

Although I don't spend a lot of time browsing the internet and other blogs at all, maybe once every month I see what quilt shops are featuring. Or I might click on one of you Followers, because you have so many fantastic blogs, quilts, activities, as well as lovely information and photos.

Last night I clicked on our Miss Ivory Spring and noted she did a wonderful post about quilting with Aurifil #50 cotton thread and YLI #100 silk thread, my personal favorites for my particular style, but of course not the "only" choices for machine quilting. Please go to her blog, now on my list at the right, and check out this entry and her beautiful work. Thanks Ivory Spring, your quilting and designs took my breath away.

Also related to threads to use, in an upcoming column for American Quilter Magazine I answer a question sent in by a reader about thread weights and style of quilting. I even devised a chart for you to clip out and save. I believe it is for the November issue, but will let you know. Yes, we work way way ahead of publication dates.

Questions arrive all the time about thread. It is such an important choice for you when quilting, as it determines the look and style of the quilt as much as perhaps the fabric choices and design. Well, maybe not as much, but it is very important. That's why there are zillions of threads out there now. And more on the way. There is the right thread for every person.

I'll be writing more on threads in the future. Basically, you need to know what thread weight and color will express the style or mood of a piece the best. Yes, you do have to get some experience, quilt out some prototypes, buy a bit of thread to experiment. Believe me, some day even if you don't use a spool for that project, it will come in handy.

Back to my blog, and for some reason, every time I type that word it shows up as "blot" instead, maybe some subconsious thing I have going on, who knows.

Anyway, I was showing my husband my blog last night (he wanted to see Oliver on the book) on his delightful new laptop, and showed him if you click on the squares by "followers" you get a nice big sample window of all the little personalized icons for each and every one of you. It is like a patchwork quilt, just beautiful.

You can scroll through and get a new "quilt" with each click. It's beautiful, you are all wonderful. I want to thank all of you for being a "follower" in your very busy lives, and for participating in the comment section. It keeps things interesting!

Truly this creates an incredible connection, a 'web' of quilters and information for all to share. Click on any one of you and a new adventure can begin.

Hope you have a great weekend, take some time for quilting if possible. I love seeing what you are doing.

Keep quilting, your work gets better every day!

Diane

Book is Cat Approved!

2010-06-10T09:39:00.001-05:00

Today as I was straightening things up in the bedroom/office, Oliver decided to read Ann Fahl's new book, Dancing with Thread. When finished he put his "paw of approval" on it, plus I think he loved the colors on the cover, he looks maaaahvelous on these shades.

It's a visually beautiful book, and gets your mind going about new ways to quilt if you are experienced, and for beginners it is an excellent way to learn basics but in a creative way. Lots of good quilting motifs, but more importantly, how and where to use them.

Ann's style is different from mine, but the methods we use are very similar. Learn your machine, get the tension right, choose the right batt and needle and thread combo, take your time and let it all flow. You will love being a free motion machine quilter!

Enjoy these beautiful June days too. Here in Wisconsin it is one of the prettiest times of the year, everything is green, growing, blooming, reborn. It uplifts you, and I know it restores our sometimes downtrodden spirits.

Keep quilting! Your work does get better every day.

Diane

Ann Fahl's New Book

2010-06-09T08:50:00.000-05:00

If you think it is time for a new book about machine quilting on your home machine, then take a look at Dancing with Thread, by Ann Fahl.

Ann gave me a copy awhile back, and I have so enjoyed going through it, especially liking the beautiful photos of her quilts, great detail shots too.

This is a very complete overview of what it takes to put a big quilt in your home machine and do freehand quilting over it with various threads that make the top come alive. It also describes the process of machine quilting so that you are relaxed and can do your best.

There is a lot of technical info that is helpful too, batts, needles and threads, preparing a quilt, blocking and finishing it. The projects at the end take you from a beginning level up to doing wonderful work.

I know sometimes it seems every day a new book on this subject comes out, but I always pick up something new from each author, a design, a problem-soliving tip, inspiration, and Ann comes through for us with this one. Give it a look.

And keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.
Diane

Happy Memorial Day

2010-05-29T11:39:00.001-05:00

Yes, that is Oliver on his dad's laptop, trying to update my blog as he knows I have been way too busy! He wanted to tell you all to take some time to enjoy the weekend, and remember those who have served our country so well, so bravely. He tried really hard to post this comment but somehow he only changed all of the settings on the computer, much to Dad's dismay.

Was it fate, irony, or Oliver's doing that right after this event the laptop died a fast and furious death, and we had to pick out and set up a new one, shiny blue and oh so wonderful for poor Dad. He is happy. He remembers to close the lid now when he is not using it. Note his coupon magazine nearby. You will get an idea of life at our house while I am busy upstairs at my machine.

Above, the center portion of the Mega Hoop design in my new OESD collection. I did a small wall quilt with the new designs, but of course they are quilted free motion from the traced designs. The center is a Cherrywood bright mustard fabric, really lovely to work on. I used gold silk thread for the quilting and quilted it as it will look in the digitized version. I can't wait to get mine and try these out. We are hoping for a September '10 release.

Above, the sleeping cat design with lovely wings on each side, in a 7" border, so you can get an idea of size. The designs can be resized and the computer will compensate, add or subtract stitches, etc. They will look great quilted with fine thread as I do, or used as outline embroidery in a heavier colored thread. For example, the cat on the bib of a child's overalls. I would have loved it, maybe stitched in soft rose embroidery thread.....

Thanks to everyone who signed up for my 2011 Empty Spools classes - you do know how to put the pressure on a teacher! There are many fabulous classes available so take a look at all the offerings at http://www.emptyspoolsseminars.com/

And for this year's June class, please email me if you have questions or concerns. I am getting things organized for it over this weekend. I like to sleep at night, so try to have things ready. I do have my plane ticket and a new suitcase.

I have two new books to review soon, so stay tuned. I was planning on writing another book on machine quilting but have a hunch there are so many out there now it would be a moot point, so we'll have to see about that.

Also, please email questions for me for my column in American Quilter, the aqs magazine, at http://www.americanquilter.com/ I've been getting some very interesting ones, so it really helps the column if you all participate. And if you are not a member, you should join aqs, as this is a quality quilting magazine.

Meanwhile plant some flowers, enjoy the weekend. Do a little quilting just to keep your machine happy.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day,

Diane

Quilting Whimsy

2010-05-20T08:52:00.001-05:00

My new collection of quilting designs for embroidery sewing machines is moving along very quickly. Here are some of the stitched out samples, including two large Mega Hoop designs, small designs, borders, and even some contemporary fun things. Above, my own version of the large design done free motion in the center of a new wall quilt that will showcase the designs like the chickadee, sleeping cat, fronds, rabbit in feathers, formal medallion, pod flower, angel wings, and more.

I've been "off the grid" for two weeks, traveling to help with a family emergency, but am home now and working on my quilt. One thing I really love about quilting is it helps ease anxiety and gives you a peaceful time to let your mind calm, your body concentrate on the task at hand.

Oliver is glad to see me back home, back in routine, at my machine and doing all my typical daily things.

I'll try and check the comments and questions you have left and answer all of them, in the posts where you commented.

It's Quilt Market right now so many exciting things are happening in quilting. I will have a few new products for my June session at Empty Spools (Asilomar) coming up, and I've got some new ideas for this class to try.

Hope your spring is wonderful, and busy, and full of flowers and sun.

Keep quilting, your work gets better every day!
Diane

Empty Spools Info

2010-05-09T09:02:00.001-05:00

Monterey coastline near Asilomar, California

I have been getting questions about the upcoming June class at Asilomar, as well as those wondering about the 2011 classes with registration opening May 10 (tomorrow!). And this info applies to most of my classes, so Paducah people, you too.....!

For the pieced project you will prepare for class, if you want to add a square or two with piecing or applique or whatever, go right ahead. If you want to add sashing between the 6" squares, that is terrific too. Choose a size and proportion that works with your design, and allows space for some quilting.

In fact, my original instructions did have sashing but some did not like the extra piecing and felt it was too traditional of a setting, and the piece became too large for them in class. I will leave it up to you to decide. Again, feel free to email me with your questions so you feel confident about what you are preparing for class. diane@dianegaudynski.net

Consider this project a class quilting piece, to really use and have in the future for reference. Bring a permanent marker like a Pigma pen or fine tip Sharpie so you can add notes to the back about anything and everything and the info will be right there on your piece. It will be your library. You will have the info on what thread, even the color #, on the quilt itself. Sign it, it's a collectible. :-)

Also, bring paper and pencil for sketching and drawing and doodling. For many, the drawing of a design helps so much. For me, I like to do it at the machine, but we are all different. I can quilt better than I can draw.

If you have feather templates, bring those. One is Infinite Feathers by Anita Shackelford - http://www.thimbleworks.com/

Another is the collection of individual feather shapes by June Tailor. These are invaluable if you have not quilted/drawn feather designs, or feel you need to have the correct shape to trace for learning.

Another great tool we will use in class is Anita's Perfect Spirals. This tool lets you do all sorts of wonderful things, provides guide lines for your freehand work, is a great basic to own. Look through the section on Quilting Templates and see if there is anything else you might like, good stuff is on this web site.

Sewing machines! Any brand is fine, as long as it works properly, is clean, oiled, in tune, has the correct free motion feet and settings, and you are very familiar with it. If you have a brand spanking new machine, spend a few weeks right before you come to class working with it, experimenting a bit with different threads, etc., and going over and over how to do the basics on it. If you took lessons when you bought it but haven't used it much, go over it again, practice.

If you have had your machine serviced right before class, try it out before you pack it. Do some free motion quilting and make sure everything works ok.

If you own more than one model of a brand of machine as many do, or even several machines that are different brands, be very very sure you bring the right feet for the machine, the right throat plate, the correct bobbins. Accessories get jumbled together, so take the time to double check and bring everything for the machine you choose to use in class. Don't forget the foot control, and the cords.

Needles, needles, needles. Bring a selection if you are unsure, but Microtex Sharps #70, #60 (for #100 silk thread), #80 .... just in case. A #80 Top Stitch needle will handle most of the other threads you might have with you.

Make sure the opening of the throat plate isn't all gouged up. If it is, get a new one, or have it filed and smoothed down if possible.

Some students who drive to the event bring an extra, "back up" machine. It has come in handy more than once. Definitely a luxury to have that security, and not necessary, but.....

We had one student in March bring her new Bernina 830 because that is the one she plans on using for quilting. She could have brought another lighter, smaller machine that worked well, but she wanted to use the machine in class she would quilt with in the future. There were no problems, the table was sturdy enough, and she did great on the machine.

As long as you can trundle things in to class and set them up, you will be fine. All machines and work stations stay set up for the duration, doors are locked when we are not in the room. Two people are present at all times when the doors are open.

A Sew EZ table is a great addition if you have one. Yes, there is room in the classroom for these tables if we get Kiln or Fred Favre Forum (check your mailings). I have not yet received my classroom assignment.

One student brought two machines, tried the same technique on both with the same thread and sample quilt, and could see immediately which machine produced the best results.

Winding a bobbin, replacing a bobbin and putting it in properly and quickly, threading the machine, adjusting tension on top, foot pressure if you have that, feed dogs down--these are things you need to know.

Bring the right thread delivery equipment - if you have cones of thread, a cone thread holder (metal preferred) is almost a necessity. Small cones like #100 silk, Aurifil #50, work great on a horizontal spindle on your machine.

Some older machines like Berninas only have an upright spindle, so for those machines it is helpful to have a separate cone thread holder so the thread feeds easily and with the correct tension.

A "Slider" is a super accessory to invest in for class and for future quilting at home. I will have some for the class to use/try, but it's one of those things that if you have, you will know how wonderful it is. If you use one, you don't need gloves, you get smooth movement of the quilt. http://www.freemotionslider.com/

Check the plexi surround and make sure it is slippery and clean. If it is brand new, wash it with hot mild soap and water, buff it dry. I never add things to my sewing machine bed or plexi insert even though I recently read on a forum that I endorsed using Pledge on this area. I don't use Pledge; can't use or tolerate any chemicals. Never used Pledge. Don't know where that quote ever came from.

A cushion for your chair. This is really important, you need a bit of extra height, just a bit, so you can see what you are doing in a class with machines on tables.

The chairs in my classroom don't stack well. We brought in others that did, but two were two high for many, with shoes dangling, backs aching, we went back to one chair and a cushion. Find something ahead of time and bring it along.

A small task light for the area. The high intensity lights attached to your machine are OK but sometimes too intense and it's easier to see without them.

If you are interested in the '11 classes, sign up right away, don't wait and ponder. I have a few testimonials on the previous blog posts, but these classes can be life changing. You learn a new way to think about machine quilting, you learn from other highly talented quilters in class or at the event in other classes. You see so much wonderful work in all the classrooms there that your mind will be bursting with color and design and quilting when you leave. This is a great class.

Hope to see you at this terrific event, run by wonderful and talented women who will go out of their way to make it the best for you.

Happy Mother's Day! And, keep quilting, your work gets better every day.

Diane

Piecing!

2010-04-30T09:56:00.001-05:00

Oliver has been helping me with some piecing lately. I am making a small wall quilt to showcase my new collection of digitized designs and decided it was long overdue to figure out how to piece on my Bernina 730. I honestly do not want to switch between machines, but I always feared the wide feed dogs.

While rummaging through my machine's feet in my sewing drawer, looking to see if perchance I did have a #37 foot somewhere for this machine, I discovered the #57 foot, below. It seems to be the #37 foot with this cool little guide on the right to keep everything going straight and even through the process.

I put it on the machine, cut some triangles and squares from muslin, put in some lovely YLI Soft Touch thread for piecing and my trusty #60 Sharp needle and WOW! It was amazing, the fabric was controlled from beginning to end of each piece, the seam was perfection. Yowza!

The stitch length I used was 1.8 for a fine thread and for piecing. It is nice and secure for a lighter weight thread, but I can still insert the tip of my seam ripper in a stitch if I have to un-sew.

I may buy a #37 foot for those times when I don't want the extra guide that the #57 has. All you have to do with the #57 foot is make sure the raw edges hit the guide on the right. I also look at the 1/4" line on the throat plate, and keep an eye on the fabrics as the emerge behind the foot to keep everything straight and even.

The seam from beginning to end was straight and even. When I did triangles the seam stayed perfect right to the tips. Later I tried it for sewing a pieced row to a solid border strip and the results were perfect, triangles all lined up with no tips nipped off, and it fed smoothly through the machine with no problems.

I am thrilled to know I can piece and quilt on the same machine! All because of this great little foot. It reminds me of discovering the #24 open toe foot for quilting; I was delighted when I could quilt so much better, just because of the foot I was using.

I love sewing on my 730 because of the smoothness of the rotary hook, the great thread delivery with no glitches, the fabulous sound and perfect stitch/tension of this machine. Those birds' nests of thread when beginning a line of stitching don't happen as often on my 730, although I do try and remember to hang onto the loose threads when beginning and that helps a lot with any machine.

There is a single hole, or "straight stitch" throat plate on the machine when I quilt and when I piece. It really helps keep problems from happening, and keeps the stitch quality the best.

My machine has a security feature so if you do have this throat plate on instead of the zig-zag plate, and you enter that info in the machine (easy!), it will not do a zig-zag stitch or any stitch with width, and break the needle. The machine does not run if you try a wide stitch with this throat plate.

Check your machine's owner's manual to see if you have this feature, and an available foot for piecing, and a straight-stitch throat plate option. With new electronics on all brands of machines you might be surprised to find things you didn't know you had, always a good thing.

In the past I would stick a red label on my machine to remind myself that I had this throat plate on, but sometimes I forgot and tried a stitch and oops, broke a needle. Love the security feature on this machine. No more problems. If you do not have this, then by all means do something to remind yourself that this throat plate is on, and zig-zags are not allowed.

Years ago I discovered that if I used a smaller stitch length and finer thread my piecing looked so much nicer. Thread did not show in seams, and pieced patchwork came out much closer to the desired "finished" dimensions.

I press well with a spritz of starch, press the seam before I open it or press allowances to one side. If I am pressing to the side, I set the seam with heat, then press from the top, very gently so as not to distort. Then I add the spritz of starch and hold the iron on the seam without moving it, so the starch is pressed in and dries.

Some of my favorite threads for piecing are, from left, Superior MasterPiece cotton, YLI Soft Touch cotton (Oliver is eating it), small cone of brown Aurifil #50 2-ply cotton and large large cone of the same in all-purpose tan, and in front, brown Mettler #60 2-ply cotton.

I try to use a neutral like tan, ecru, grey, but I recall with the fabrics in my quilt "Shadows of Umbria," below, I used Aurifil #50 in a dusty purple and it was by far the best option for a "no show" thread in the seams. It melted into every color I was using, perfect, plus I had a huge cone of it as a gift in my teacher's bag of treats from Harriet Hargrave.

If my piecing goes well, I will then proceed to tracing a zillion designs on this little wall quilt and then begin quilting it, my favorite part.

Those of you who know my methods from classes know that before I put needle in quilt I will play on some leftover bits of the fabrics layered with the batt and backing in the actual quilt. I use this to pick out thread color, warm up on my motifs, check thread tension, see how it works and feels. I will try some thread colors out of my comfort zone to "see" what they look like, I will get the feel of the quilt and be ready to hit the real one and do a great job.

Keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

Diane

Empty Spools Class Registration

2010-04-29T15:39:00.003-05:00

Classes at Empty Spools Seminars, at sunset, above, are going to open soon for registration, I believe around May 10. I will be teaching two 5-day classes there, near Pacific Grove/Monterey, California at a state park called Asilomar.

From Wisconsin I fly to Phoenix, run like crazy to catch the connecting flight, and then on directly to Monterey in Northern California, a simply beautiful part of this country. A short cab ride and I am at my location.

Both classes are the same content, with the focus on learning to improve your free motion machine quilting skills (home sewing machine) and learn some freehand motifs on a simple pieced project. Stencils and following planned, marked lines are also an option, so both marked and unmarked quilting will be covered. My goal is to have you improve and go up a level in your quilting skills.

My first class is March 25-30, and the second one is May 27 - June 1, 2011.

Because I am not traveling as much as in the past, and these are the only 5-day classes I teach, they do fill fairly quickly, as do many at this event.

The location, the relaxed atmosphere, sharing of meals with others as well as those in your class and teachers, the beautiful architecture, no tv, fresh air, wildlife, and the Pacific ocean all contribute to the experience and make it very special. It truly is a Refuge by the Sea.

If you have questions about my class and if it would work for you, please email me: diane@dianegaudynski.net

And I'll see this year's last session at the end of June. Meanwhile, keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

Diane

My Paducah Trip

2010-04-26T10:16:00.007-05:00

Shirley Kelly - "Remembering Kelly" (I have permission from Shirley to post this photo)

Home from Quilt City USA, and back to catching up on home things. I had a good trip, fabulous weather, great food, and it was wonderful to see so many at the National Quilt Museum Monday night for Hollis Chatelain's tour of her Imagine Hope exhibit. Also saw many familiar faces and old friends at Sneak Preview and the opening day of the show.

Shirley Kelly, above, won two first place awards for her fabulous work, hand applique and home machine quilting. Anyone who sees her work will remember it, and this one was especially poignant with the mementos and memories of a great horse's life.

My treat of the show was to finally see Sandra Leichner's quilt, "Tea with Miss D." below, permission to add this photo to my blog granted by Sandra, and these are her photos.

Sandra Leichner ~ "Tea With Miss D."

It was more than I could have imagined, a treasure to see and take in. The handwork and details were amazing, the machine quilting designs and execution the very best. I am afraid my mouth might have been hanging open as I gazed at this delicious concoction, discovering detail after detail, and I know from the many comments of quilters that so many enjoyed it tremendously. To see it and many detail shots, go to Sandra's blog, and be sure and check out the fabulous quilting too. Below, the center tea cup surrounded by little strawberry shortcakes. Oh my.

We had perfect weather early in the week, but rain arrived later, after I had left for home. Crowds were not as big as in the past, parking was at a premium so lots of trekking was needed, and those who went in the new Pavilion for vendor shopping liked it. They reported it was airy, bright, with lots of room and much easier to shop than in the old vendor locations in years past.

Now I am home, I am going to try and trace some of my new digitized designs for home embroidery machines and quilt up a sample, of course, free motion, and gasp, I have to follow lines so the designs will resemble those on the CD. Not easy now that I am so used to quilting with minimal marking. I like the designs but know I will do a bit of fudging as I quilt to make them even better looking. I'll post a photo when the project is finished.

Oliver was ecstatic to see me when I arrived home. The gymnastics, the run, run, run, squeak, squeak, squeak....all off the charts of feline happiness. He is now thinking maybe I am home for good, of course until the bags come out to pack for the next trip. Below, his special place on his "special" chair in the living room window so he can watch the birds in the bushes outside. And chirp. He is a great little chirper, and I swear he grew and gained weight while I was away! His fur is getting thicker and prettier every day too.

Yesterday he discovered rotary cutting. Oh my, time to close the door to the sewing room and work alone or risk paw amputation!

Hope you all enjoyed the AQS Show in Paducah, and.....keep quilting! Your work gets better every day.

Diane

Ah, Paducah!

2010-04-14T09:21:00.000-05:00

Oliver has been helping me draw, draw, draw. He is very well behaved, sits on the drawings, helpfully holding them in place in case a strong wind might blow through. Then he naps or chases something around the floor while he waits for me to be done so he can sneak up and attack me, then run off in a frenzy of delight.

I have been working on a new digitized collection of my quilting designs for the embroidery sewing machines, and it is coming along nicely. I based the designs on some of my recent quilts, but the drawings are all new. Watch for a September release from OESD if all goes according to schedule. I don't have a title yet, but I'll let you know more details as this project unfolds.

And, speaking of schedules, mine includes shipping off these designs, then quickly switching gears and packing for my trip to Paducah next week. Spring has arrived about 2-3 weeks early here in Wisconsin, so it won't be the dramatic change from winter to spring when I drive down to KY, but it will be wonderful to be back at the show this year and see so many quilts, friends, vendors, BBQ, dogwoods in bloom, friends and quilts at the museum.

I see there are many familiar names with quilts in the show, and many who have taken classes with me. It will be terrific to see your work hanging in this prestigious show......congratulations to all!

Please say hello if you see me, remind me how I know you, as it is a sea of people and it's hard to place people out of context.

While I was working in my sewing room, Oliver discovered the bird lamp. This is a lamp I've had for probably 40 years, has a wrought iron base with a vine and birds and lemons and leaves all over it. Every now and then I put it in the pile of stuff to give away, and then I look at its fun whimsical design and decide to keep it just a bit longer.

No other cat has ever paid the slightest attention to it.

Oliver sat under its warm light and tilted his head and stared at the little birds looking back at him. He ended up with one paw on the head of a bird, just touching it gently, trying to figure out why the outside birds were sitting in Mom's quilting room. He chirped and squeaked, tilted his head to the left and to the right, and finally settled down and slept under the gaze of the happy little birds. I kept drawing. Nothing like a deadline. No chirping for me.

After I return from the AQS Show in Paducah I shall return to some quilting blog posts, ideas, tips, designs. It's time to venture outdoors and enjoy the springtime. Take a bit of time to look around and be inspired, translate that into your quilting ideas.

See you in Paducah!

Keep quilting-- your work gets better every day.

Diane

A New Tool for Spring Cleaning

2010-04-05T08:41:00.000-05:00

While in my class at Empty Spools Seminars in March one of my students showed me this wonderful product, tiny swabs with a microfiber tip. Microfiber dish cloths and dusting cloths are fabulous, and these are a tiny version of that fiber.

They can be used to clean any number of tiny spaces and spots, but are really wonderful to use on your sewing machine to get out stray threads, lint, gunk, etc. Great for all electronics too.

I use them very gently to remove the waxy substance left from silk thread. It can clog the hook race in the bobbin area and this little device works great for gentle removal. Never poke and jab at any sewing machine parts, especially delicate springs.

Here you can see the difference in size between the microbrush and an ordinary cotton swab, which I still like to use after adding that drop of oil to the hook area by the bobbin to remove any traces of oil and gently smooth the oil over any metal parts.

I also used the microbrush to clean the thread pathway in the top of the machine. If a thread gets caught in any of these areas, the tension discs, thread cutter bar, etc., it's nice to have a gentle and effective tool like this that will help but not damage the machine.

You can order the product from Cotton Club.

Hope you are having a terrific jump into Spring, and are doing just a little quilting in addition to everything else.

Keep quilting; your work gets better every day!

Diane

Website updates

2010-03-31T11:19:00.000-05:00

No sign of tulips here, but soon we hope. Just wanted you to know I did some tips for April on my website today, http://www.dianegaudynski.net/

I'll try and update my schedule and new workshops soon.

Diane

More from Class

2010-03-30T09:37:00.001-05:00

On my recent trip to California I stayed on after the 5-day class at Empty Spools and taught a class for the Monterey Peninsula Quilt Guild. The lobby of my hotel had ocean inspired decor including some gorgeous tropical fish in a huge tank.

We learned clamshell quilting and after I explained all the places and sizes and options for this standard design, I did mention it is also called fish scales and could be used on pictorial quilts. When I returned to my hotel there I noticed the clay pot on the table in the lobby, photo above, etched with this lovely design. It's versatile and always works when you need a nice, even texture.

Below is a photo of clamshells quilted with #100 silk thread on a blue hand dyed cotton. It gives wonderful texture but is still an "organized" design, pleasing to the eye. If you find your lines start sinking at one end, every now and then draw a straight line for reference only to keep lines of clamshells level. These are about 3/8" in size. Larger ones are more difficult to keep even.

If you want funky clamshells let them go downhill, change size or shape.

Make them larger at the bottom row and decrease the size to create perspective, nice for pictorials. Always begin at the bottom of the design, and build up, like building a brick wall.

Below are some fast and wicked "relaxed" clamshells, done at top speed, for a very casual look. Don't worry if they aren't rounded, they are supposed to be loose and casual. You could do a nice pine cone with this design too. They would work great on a busy print, providing texture, but not formality.

We learned many things in that 2-day class. One, you must know your sewing machine and be able to adjust it, and get it to work properly.

If you have your machine serviced before any class, when you get it home check it to see it is OK. Sometimes changes are made and you can't get it to free motion quilt correctly.

If you haven't had it serviced, make sure it is working well for class, cleaned and oiled and ready to go.

Bring your free motion feet to class. Bring the foot control. :-)

If you have a new plexi surround, wash it thoroughly first. They tend to be very sticky when new, and quilts will not move well or at all. Warm soapy water, some white vinegar, buff it dry with a clean flour sack dish towel. Over time and use the surround will get better. If it gets sticky at any time, don't be afraid to wash it.

If you are taking a free motion machine quilting class and are a beginner or haven't done much, take some time ahead of the class to practice daily.

Don't try all sorts of complex designs. Instead, simple curved lines, loops, writing, repetitive shapes will help you get nice even hand movements and smooth stitches. Try for consistency and try to get your machine to work at its best.

Start with one even speed on the machine, and coordinate your hand movement to this speed so the stitches look even and a good length.

For practice or learning motifs, I recommend a fine cotton thread in ecru or a very light color, even white, and a #70 Microtex Sharp needle (Schmetz). Threads include Aurifil #50, Superior MasterPiece cotton, YLI Soft Touch cotton, #60 Mettler cotton, DMC #50 cotton. These are all excellent threads for quilting, top and bobbin.

Wash some great quality muslin, layer it with a good batt like Hobbs Tuscany Wool or Quilters Dream Select cotton, and use ecru or a very light color of thread, top and bobbin, and start in the center of an 18" square practice sandwich. Get the feel of it, the flow, attempt nice even stitches.

Even though you do not set the stitch length when feed dogs are lowered, a good looking stitch for this thread would be measured at about 1.7 mm. If you don't know what it looks like, stitch some at this length with your walking foot. Fine threads require a smaller stitch than the default setting.

Try sketching a curved line on your sample, and then quilt it on or close to the line.

Most often I see much smaller stitches when there is a line compared to quilting with no marked line. You should learn to get the same stitch length for both no marked line and with a marked line, and this takes some practice.

Try some echo quilting - quilt a soft curvy line and then repeat it a scant 1/4" away.

Don't "lazy susan" your quilt. Keep it facing the same direction. If you want to quilt to the west, simply do that, but don't turn the quilt. This will allow you to quilt a large quilt in a home machine when you CANNOT turn it.

Play at your machine. Relax, enjoy the process. Don't be hyper critical, this is not the easiest thing in the world to do, but look at what you quilt and decide how to make it better. Take a break, come back and try it again with that in mind. It is a process; it doesn't all come easily, and immediately. But keep at it!

Above, an example of beginning in the center with a simple curved line and then "playing." Echo anything and everything to learn stitch control, visualizing space, and even stitches. Have fun. Remember, smaller, curvy shapes are the easiest.

I learned a lot in my classes, and hope to use the information to make future teaching better. It was a marvelous trip, with great people, scenery, and delicious fresh food. Thanks to everyone who took care of me, and made my trip delightful. It's good to be home again, but I'm already planning my next class.

Keep quilting; your work gets better every day!

Diane

Things I learned in Class

2010-03-29T09:40:00.000-05:00

Oliver helped me unpack from my trip, and has grown since I was away! I think his fur is getting a little longer too, oh no.... We were so enjoying the very short crewcut style he had at first.

He has spent this week following me around, first in love and astonishment that I came back home, then in glee and joy, and now he is doing sneak attacks and flying out of nowhere to land on me. Usually he likes to attack a knee or ankle, but occasionally he lands on my head. I have a few needle holes in me from these attacks, scars of an ecstatic young cat. He naps when he can take no more excitement.

What did we learn in our class last week? Many things, some new to me, some the old familiar discoveries made by students as we progressed through a variety of free motion skills.

One woman said the best thing she learned was to have the quilt move freely, and that was accomplished with a Supreme Slider from Pat LaPierre at http://www.freemotionslider.com/

This tool is invaluable for smooth quilting and even stitches, but be sure and tape even the self-stick ones to the bed of your machine, with at least one piece of tape to the machine itself, not the surround. Plexi surrounds tend to move in class and then the Slider moves, and you are quilting through it along with the quilt. Not good for needles. Or the Slider.

Lower the feed dogs when you use a Slider. The repeat movement if they are "up" can create a dome around the opening that can be permanent and ruin the Slider.

Another thing that is so important is how the thread is positioned on the machine for the best possible delivery, stitch, tension, no breaking needles or thread.

Larger cones or spools need to be horizontal so the tension is accurate. Another good option is a cone thread holder. One student had one, but not the spindle for the thread cone. The result? More problems than one could imagine. As soon as we had one with a spindle and it was set up properly, perfect stitches.

Many times the thread winds around the little end caps that hold a spool on the horizontal spindle. My advice? I never use the end caps and I have never had the thread fall off the spindle. There is no chance of the thread winding around and getting caught, causing tight tension or broken thread or needles or everything.

I fixed many thread pathway "issues" and then quilting can progress smoothly. If you have to stop constantly with problems your quilting will suffer. Being able to have confidence in your machine and the setup for quilting lets you quilt with freedom and you will improve dramatically.

Thread color was such a big quagmire of indecision. The only way you will know what looks right on the fabric you are quilting is to try quilting with the thread on a small swatch/sandwich first. The days of putting a spool of thread on the quilt and saying YES! are over. Since I began using fine #100 silk for quilting, all preconceived ideas of color went out the window as I began to explore what worked.

Yesterday I quilted some samples of a new design for a handout and used bright fuschia silk thread on deep brown/purply/mottled fabric and it looked great. Brown or purple or eggplant also looked fabulous if you want this design to be background and recede around a focal point. Your thread color choices determine what happens to the visuals in a quilt.

I also discoverd that most people do have one "better" side for feathers, and it is usually the left side. Some could do the right side of a vine better than the left, but this was not common. Work until both sides look acceptable, then quilt the same thing horizontally, at an angle, upside down, to increase your skills.

Batting does make a difference. Not only in ease of learning a design, but in the final result. We used wool batting for the extra pouf and dimension, and also were able to flatten backgrounds with more dense quilting.

Leaving areas of puff showcases your designs and draw the eye, creating great visual dimension. Do not quilt the life out of your quilt.

Stencils can work for you! Many who used them had delightful results, a beautiful design and their own freehand work surrounding it or complementing it. The gingko stencil was particularly lovely.

Thread tension changed with the pilot. Many times the way a person moves hands changes the proper tension to bad tension, tight threads. When I quilted at the machine, changing no settings, the right hand movement and stitch length let the tension setting work, do the job, and create lovely stitching.

Larger erratic stitches made for too-tight tension, and diminished any puff in the design. The correct stitch length for the thread type resulted in perfect tension. It also needed tweaking for the type of design. Long soft curves might work at a tension of #3, whereas close small frothy bubbles (in photo below) needed a tension of #2 for the stitches to be perfect.

Remember to reset tension on electronic machines each time you power up.

Smooth, even hand movements are key. That is one thing I can't help you do. You have to acquire the mental discipline to keep hands moving smoothly and evenly to achieve those beautiful stitches and smooth designs.

If you have to lift hands to move them to another area of the quilt, stop the machine, move them, take a brief break for your eyes by looking up and re-focusing, and then begin again with the needle up. Try to avoid"walking" your hands over the surface of the quilt as you run the machine. Many do not realize this is a bad habit until I point it out.

Try and quilt a bit every day. By the end of our 5-day class improvement was amazing and noticeable.

Yesterday I quilted for the first time in a week, and it felt wonderful. I also discovered Oliver can now sit on the back shelf of my sewing cabinet and stare at the moving needle and the quilt and become totally mesmerized, almost in a trance.

Obviously he has never seen this before and is entranced with it. He has quickly discovered sitting on quilts, sleeping on quilts, sleeping under quilts, attacking quilts, but now he likes to see them being quilted.

Keep quilting - your work gets better every day!

Diane

Oliver helping me unpack.

Spring Arrived

2010-03-23T09:52:00.000-05:00

While I was away for nine days to the Pacific Coast near Monterey, California, spring has arrived here in Wisconsin. The snow is gone, it will be close to 60 degrees today, the grass is showing a bit of green. I leave, and wow, the snow disappears!

I had the most marvelous class at Empty Spools (http://www.emptyspoolsseminars.com/) at Asilomar near Pacific Grove, right on the ocean. It was serene and restful, and my class of 24 motivated women accomplished great things with their machine quilting. If you want to take your work to a new level, please consider this 5-day class with me next year. I'll be there for Session II, March 25-30, and Session V, May 27 - June 1. There are many other great teachers there in each session, it is a feast for quilters. And the food is nice too!

So much has happened while I was away that it will take me a little time to catch up. Meanwhile I will be thinking of some of the things I learned from my classes there and a wonderful 2-day class for the Monterey Peninsula Quilt Guild afterwards. I was inspired by creative ideas and questions, by problems encountered, by helpful suggestions from everyone. I will write about it soon and we can all learn.

My new Gingko design was successful, and Apple Core was a hit and looked stunning when everyone tried it on various fabrics and with thread colors that complemented rather than contrasted. It was FUN. My students worked very hard, put in long hours, and listened and experimented, and the results were worth it.

I've also had requests for a continuation of my monthly quilting tips on my website, which I shall try to do once again, but am fighting the old and slow and temperamental computer used for that. I may have to re-do the website on my new equipment, and if that is the case, it will be a bit of time before the tips re-appear, because I have other commitments right now. Please be patient.

One of these projects is a regular column in American Quilter Magazine, the AQS member publication, but also available on news stands. I will be answering your questions there about machine quilting, so watch for the upcoming first column and email me your questions. I will read them all, choose one topic that recurs, and answer it in the next issue. Hope you enjoy it!

Meanwhile, it is time to unpack, play with Oliver who missed me but enjoyed his time with his cat Dad, and get back into my usual routine. Paducah is right around the corner too.

Get out some beautiful fabric, batt, and thread, put in a fresh needle, and do some play at your machine today and everyday. And keep quilting, your work gets better every day.

Diane

Packing for Asilomar

2010-03-09T10:51:00.000-06:00

I can't wait to sit down by the fire in Phoebe Hearst Hall and relax and watch everyone arrive for classes at Asilomar next week. I am busy packing with an awful lot of help from Oliver, who is making a 2-day process take a week. But gosh it is so much fun, for him at least.

If you don't know about this conference, it is called Empty Spools Seminars, and is held just outside of Monterey, CA right on the Pacific coast, in a state park named Asilomar, or Refuge by the Sea.

Go to http://www.emptyspoolsseminars.com/ to see who will be teaching, read about the seminar, and perhaps sign up for a class with me next year. Class registration opens towards the end of May, and classes do fill quickly.

It is my chance to teach the same group for 5 days. We explore the important basics, and then play with motifs and design on a small pieced project. I don't make one as a sample because in my experience that limits creativity. Here is a chance for you to come up with a plan for quilting, and I will help you and give suggestions constantly.

No two projects are alike, and some who are there to learn choose to not make a project but instead to create a library of samples for future reference.

Whatever your choice I insist on your use of the best tools and materials, the right color thread, the right needle, etc. so even this small library of examples will be done well. If you are unsure about threads and color and have room to bring extra, do that. The Cotton Patch has an on-site shop for purchases of fabric and thread and all sorts of things as well.

Two really helpful items to bring if you can are a small table for your machine such as the Sew EZ, and a Supreme Slider for the machine bed so the quilt will move smoothly.

Our classroom tends to have a few dark areas away from the windows, so an extra light is nice as is a seat cushion. This year they don't want us to have food and snacks in the classroom, so save those for breaks outdoors or at meals.

Kathy was the classroom assistant last year, and she made this beautiful project and quilted it in class, combining various motifs and techniqes we covered to create her own design, a one-of-a-kind.

If you have any questions, please email me: diane@dianegaudynski.net

Bring your walking shoes, and see you soon!

Diane

Deer wander freely at Asilomar