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What's your preference?


JudyL

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If net $$ and time wasn't an issue at all (in my dream world!), what would be your favorite quilting to do?

Custom, pantos, freehand??

I seem to always put off the heavy custom but once I start, I just love it. I think I put it off because I feel rushed simply by the numbers of quilts waiting and if I can do 4 or 5 other tops in the amount of time it takes to do one custom, I keep pushing the custom back. But, I've done all the meander and pantos I have scheduled for February so now it's time to tackle the custom jobs.

The one I have on the machine now is almost totally feathers -- feathers in squares, feathers in borders . . I am having so much fun!

I love my job!;)

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Guest Linda S

Hmmm! I kind of like it all but, I'm not that great of a custom quilter yet, so I suppose that stuff makes me a bit nervous. I've gotten really good at pantos and, if I have good music on, I can really get into dancing with my machine. I love freehand stuff, just because I usually get to play with different threads and be creative.

As you say Judy, I do love this job. Now if I could just retire from my full-time office job! ;)

Linda

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Linda: March right in tomorrow morning and tell them you're quitting! :P You can stay home all day and quilt or . . do like I seem to be doing more and more . . stay up half the night and quilt and then take a power nap during the day.

Life is too short and you need to have more fun. I think APQS should offer free health insurance to all who have bought their machines. Think this suggestion will get a response?;)

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Guest Linda S

Oh hey! I'll vote for that too! Four and a half more years and i can retire with full pension (30 years on the job). I really hope the time files! Some days I think I'll never make it!

Linda

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I'll chime in and agree with you Linda. Some days I don't think retirement will come (again) any time soon. I retired 2 years ago but went back to work last year. In a moment of weakness I offered to go back to work for a few years so my husband could retire early. He loved the idea and now we both have 3 more years to go. And to think I could be home quilting away. Hmmm!

My favorite quilting is thread painting that I only get to do on my own quilts. I'm still learning but I love using the decorative threads to draw on the quilts. So far I have only attempted small pieces but I'm getting better with every one. My 2nd choice are the CL templates. I know it's because they are new for me but I love all the cool designs.

And I vote for free health insurance too. Great idea Judy.

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My favorite is custom. I love using my rulers, love doing feathers (however ugly they might look ;)), love doing stencils, enjoy making it look as it basically would look had I hand-quilted it :). I'm starting a trapunto wholecloth quilt right now that I just hope I can do justice to! I am intimidated by freehand :(; maybe it will get better as I practice it!

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(Tried posting this once and must have goofed!)

I love doing freehand and have become much more daring after almost 3 years but would really like to do some trapunto...don't know much about it at all. Today I received an old-fashioned looking quilt with hand-stitched yo-yo's of all colors and stems all over it with a purple scalloped border. It is gorgeous and hope I can do justice to it....seems to be "screaming":) for feathers in an all white border area next to the scalloped border. Any ideas how to best mark this white area? Sure wish I could try some trapunto there.

Selah:)

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Selah: You might want to do what we call "faux" trapunto where you either use something like polydown or polydown AND Quilters Dream cotton or Hobbs Heirloom 80/20. You don't cut away the excess but just stitch the heck out of it and everything lies very flat except your feathers.

As far as the border, I'm attaching a picture of something I recently did. Where I have the little three pronged things, you could make something that looks more like feathers and since they are done freehand, you wouldn't have to mark. This quilt had Warm & Natural and you can see there's a little poof. With Hobbs Heirloom, I think it would have had a whole lot more.

Judy L.

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Norece: I'm sure the classes at MQS will help you but from this minute forward, please say to yourself: "I can do anything that anyone else can do!" and "I can do anything I set my mind to do!"

I remember those feelings of "how do I get from this shape to the next shape?" or "what if I put it in the wrong place?"

What is "the wrong place"? I'm not trying to sound harsh but sitting and wanting to do better isn't going to make you any better. Loading a muslin sandwich and practicing and practicing and practicing will give you the confidence to do anything you want to do!

I know that we all learn things differently. Some can think of wonderful things on their own; some can see a picture and do the exact same thing; some have to have hands on lessons but the best thing any of us/you can do is practice.

I've found that sometimes while trying to do one thing, I end up with something totally different and sometimes I like the totally different better than what I was trying to accomplish.

Jump in and DO IT!!

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Norece: Another thing that helped me -- master one step at a time. When I first started, I could make loops. They even confused me a bit!:( Then I learned to make meandering stars. WOW! That opened up a whole new world. Then I learned to make hearts and then leaves and then different shapes of flowers.

Even now, I see things other people make and when I try it, my first ones are very shakey. That's why I draw everything out on the whiteboard so I can see it if I need to glance up and get my bearings.

Remember that we're our own worst critic! People sometimes rave about things I feel was mediocre at best.

Baby steps and remember .. you can do whatever you set your mind to doing!

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Originally posted by Selah

Is that "McTavishing" you did on your quilt? How do you "place" the extra batting in your quilt for faux trapunto? Sounds dumb but I really don't know much about it.

Selah:)

Selah:

That's my version of McTavishing. When I look at something Karen has done, mine doesn't look a whole lot like hers but I guess that's why she's famous and I'm not! :P

For the faux trapunto, if I'm doing it just in borders or blocks, I cut the extra batting to be the exact size piece I need and hand baste it in place before loading the quilt. If it's for a block or border, just baste it where ever it goes. You would treat it pretty much just like you would if you were doing real trapunto but you don't go back and cut everything away.

Also, in real trapunto, I use a 16 oz. poly batting but for faux trapunto, I usually use either Hobbs polydown or wool.

If you're doing the whole quilt with the faux trapunto, just use two batts instead of one and treat them as one.

Please let me know if you have questions.

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Hi,

I prefer custom work if it isn't too repetitive. My favorite quilts are the ones that feature many different types of quilting within the same top. I rarely had requests for pantos so I don't even offer them anymore. I will do freehand allovers when asked. Most of my business is custom with about 20% being allover freehand.

I agree with Judy in that the best thing to do is challenge yourself. I have surprised myself many times. I have never thought of myself as being particularly artistic and yet, I seem to be able to translate my ideas onto fabric. My favorite books are the ones by Diana Phillips. They are so inspiring and creative.

Kay

OBX Quilting

Ult. I, I/S Turbo

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Judy,

Thanks so much for your faux trapunto advice...I'm gonna give it a whirl in the borders......can hardly wait! Your McTavishing looks great and I'm trying that also for the first time.

To everyone else who doesn't think their work is good enough........we have ALL been there and we still ALL are at times I betcha! There are some of my quilts I absolutely love when I'm done and some where I think, I could've done better! But it always looks better when it's done and off the frame.....and you will continue to surprise yourself. I used to admire machine quilters and think, "I could never do that" but now I am! I'm not an artist by any means but if you can imagine it, you really can do it. Just find the resources you need and practice, practice, practice....can't say it enough! You will improve and increase your confidence with every quilt!

Happy Quilting!

Selah:D

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Guest Linda S

Hey Judy - I think you're pretty famous, or at least you're on your way! You've had some fabulous quilts recognized and once your patterns get out in wider distribution, you'll be well-known too. You are a very talented quilter!

Linda

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