Friday, April 24, 2015

'My Life Aquiltic' and Pet Project Show #17


I'm resisting the urge to say, "Ta-Dah!" It
happens every time I finish a quilt, and I'm 
not sure why. It's not very mature, but...

"Ta-Dah!"

"My Live Aquiltic" is completed, and I can
knock it off my list for an On the Windy Side
Finish-Q2, too. It finished at about 51"x62",
and I used a loose FMQ motif that reminded
me of wave action. I used my Janome
domestic machine, and Iris thread. 
Other details are in these posts.


I added a 'column of water' to the solid backing
made from pieced scraps leftover from the top.
I curved a crest and trough for fun.



I had just enough extra backing left with which 
to bind it. No more than 2 extra inches to spare 
this time. Besides making sure I estimate more 
yardage for my backing next time, here are 
a few things I learned along the way.

How to fix a thread break: Take it back
to the last change of direction to tie it off and 
bury the threads, and then start the FMQ there.
I marked a point I thought would be good,
then I used a ripper to cut the other threads.
Don't spend your time fussing with anything
other than what you need to tie off. In this
case my thread broke again, so I had to go
back even further.


Usually the rubber end of a ripper will do a better 
job of getting the last thread pieces than 
scratching at them with your fingernail.



Burying your thread right then and there gives
you a better chance of the new start blending in.


I learned that by taking your FMQ off the edge of 
quilt helps to anchor the edges. This makes
binding much easier and quicker.



Spring is in full swing with bushes and trees
both coming out in leaf. The other side of 
this wall is where my Clematis paniculata
is rooted. I was late cutting it back, and 
just got to it early this week. I was nearly
done when I saw there was a nest full of
eggs in last year's vines. I was crushed, but I 
took the whole nest and reset it in the 
vines I had left.


When I checked on it this morning, the mama 
bird flew into a nearby bush. 
She was still brooding!



There's just about a week left before the 
drawing for this pillow. If you've linked up 
to the Pet Project Show this month--including
tomorrow, you'll automatically get a chance 
each time. Other ways to enter are at 


Linking up today with~

Q2 Finishes On the Windy Side

Thank you for the linking opportunity.

Come on, Doxie Girls.
It's Saturday, and time for the weekly 

Pink Doxies 

Pet Project Show. 

Pet Project Show

Add your link here every Saturday. 

Rules


Do we have to have rules? 


No worries! It's EASY.



1. Use the blue 'Add Your Link' button (below left)
to upload a picture of something you've created 
in the past week. Any kind of handiwork--
share it now! It can be a work in progress, 
finally finished, or even your fab new fabric. 
Whatever it is that inspired you to create this 
week, we'd like to see it here. 

2. Please link to a specific post, and not just your
blog address. It makes it easy for anyone following 
your link to find the project.

3. Provide a backlink to Pink Doxies with a link in
your post, or pick up our Pet Project Show
button in the sidebar. Copy the code, then 
create a Pet Show widget with 'Add by HTML' 
on your Layout page.

-OR-
1. You can link up to your Instagram. 
Click on the Instagram icon at the bottom 
of the link up screen. The URL of your Instagram 
feed will be your link. 
Please hashtag #pinkdoxiespetproject


Either way you link up, remember it's a party
here, so schmooze with the crowd! Visit others 
who've linked up. Leave a comment so they 
know what you like about their work. 

Don't miss a post! 
Follow me on Bloglovin' or by email. 

The Linky Party starts now, and runs until
Monday, April 27th at midnight. 
Spread the word, and tell all your stitchy friends.
*The first Saturday party of each month will
feature several of the Doxies and my
favorite link ups.
By linking up, you are giving permission for me
to post your picture with a link back to your 
blog or Instagram account. 



28 comments:

Maryse said...

Your quilt is beautiful, you did an excellent job with the quilting!!
A garden is often full of surprises ... Last year I found a sparrow nest in one of my hanging baskets. :-)

Maryse said...

Your quilt is beautiful, you did an excellent job with the quilting!!
A garden is often full of surprises ... Last year I found a sparrow nest in one of my hanging baskets. :-)

Crafty Cat knits & bits said...

Your quilt is just beautiful! And your Spring garden looks lovely too. I've been putting out the pet fur and seen lots of birds taking it away to line their nests, hopefully we'll be seeing babies soon.

VeggieMummy said...

Such a beautiful quilt - I love the colours and your actual quilting is very impressive. Have a great weekend. xx

Marly said...

What a good idea to strip piece the fabrics for the light triangles; the result is dynamic. Beautiful!

Jenn @ A Quarter Inch from the Edge said...

Definitely worthy of a ta-dah! Love the colour palette and your FMQ is wicked good! I agree fully that quilting off the edges is a great way to go... I find it makes the quilting look less hemmed in as well as anchoring it (as you said). The backing is great too... I always had a hell of a time estimating yardage for backings. It`s gotten to the point that I rarely buy the backing before I finish the quilt. Pieced backs are a great solution to our estimation issues! :)

Leanne Parsons said...

It's beautiful! I love the quilting design you chose. And how fun to have a nest in the yard!

Angie in SoCal said...

Such beautiful quilts - the front and the back! The quilting really makes it special on both sides. Thanks for the tips on what to do when the thread breaks. Very helpful and thanks for linking to WIPs Be Gone - it brought me to see your lovely quilts.

Lara B. said...

Ta-dah! is right! :) "My Life Aquiltic" turned out so beautiful Julie! I love the design and fabrics and quilting. Thanks for your tips about fixing a thread break. I never new that about using the bottom of the seam ripper.
We had a sweet field sparrow raise a brood once in a hanging basket. We had to water it oh so carefully so the plants still provided a cover. What kind of bird belongs to the nest in your Sweet Autumn Clematis?"

Ida said...

Love the backing and that cute little curved wave at the top. Interesting backings make me happy. :) I always learn so much from each quilt I FMQ as well. Hopefully so I don't have to make the same mistakes again the next time - or at least I know how to deal with them! This is a lovely quilt. Very calming. I think it will be good for napping under.

Ruth said...

Really like the quilting pattern. I keep meaning to stay stitch around the edge before binding!

Laura said...

I think 'ta dah' is a normal reaction to a quilt finish. In fact it is a little restrained!

I love the blues in this quilt!

Sarah Goer Quilts said...

I've been wanted to make a triangle quilt. I love how your alternates patterns with solid and how your quilting really stands out on the solid! Great tips on dealing with a thread break. Thanks for linking up to TGIFF with me.

Rebecca Grace said...

Your quilt is gorgeous. Ta-da, indeed! You have a much nicer seam ripper than mine, which has a small and hard plastic handle rather than your good sized rubber one. Where did you get it? Also re: clematis: How do you know when and how much to cut back? Mine has all these dead vines and leaves from prior years beneath the new growth that detracts from their appearance, but I have been afraid to prune anything lest I cut away something that looks dead but is only dormant. I would be crushed if I cut it back and then it didn't grow ever again!

Andree G. Faubert said...

Your quilt is lovely - and I like the backing, not too much extra work but a little zing!

Coco Jayne said...

That is such a beautiful quilt - I love the colour scheme, the swirls and the column of water that you added at the back - congratulations on finishing it this week!

Auntie Shan said...

Very "SPLASHY"!! LOVE IT! - Nice touch with the "shark tooth" triangles as well. And, I think that I'll be adding the word "AQUILTIC" to my Lexicon!
:-D

Mary maloney said...

I love your fabulous quilt. What a way to rock it!

Anonymous said...

Love your finish!

SuperMomNoCape said...

Love this quilt! And the quilting you chose was perfect for it! I've discovered a trick for unsewing those threads so that they don't break when you are trying to get back to a point where you can bury them and begin fmqing again... I'll have to see if I can get a video done this weekend.

Lilly's Mom said...

This is such a lovely quilt you have created. I love the "quilting" design you have used. I'm not a quilter and so I do admire people who have such talent and patience to create such lovely quilts. My best to you :)

Unknown said...

Congrats with the finish. Your colors and quilting are beautiful, so is your garden.
Love from Amsterdam

Vera said...

Ta-dah looking good! :) Nice color combo.

Muv said...

Gorgeous quilt, Julie, you must be really delighted with it. The quilting design gives it a really watery motion, and the column of the water on the back is a master stroke.

Thank you for linking up with Free Motion Mavericks!

Love, Muv

Val's Quilting Studio said...

But this one certainly deserves a TA-DA!!! It's simple but love those colors combined with the quiting make for a great finish!

Jan said...

The quilt is worthy of a Ta'dah, the colours are fantastic and your free motion stitching is so neat. :)

Wendy @ Wendysquiltsandmore said...

I love the colours in this quilt, and I know 60 degree triangles aren't easy to line up, so well done. *Visiting as a member of the official 2015 Finish-Along cheerleading squad*

Carol said...

Love your quilt. I clicked on your link from the Finish-Along. I have been wanting to make a triangle quilt -- yours is great. Hopefully I'll do one soon! And your instructions on fixing a thread break are helpful too.