anita Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 OK...tell me honestly...how long did it take you to get any good at feathers? I get discouraged every time I try...granted I don't get to quilt very much since I only quilt for myself and work full time. I do practice on paper. And I'm not that bad on paper. But I stink when I try actually quilting feathers. Of course I blame it on other things...like it seems like I have drag when I'm actually sewing, but not when I'm just moving it around without running. So...I'm sure it's me. Probably just UPTIGHT...work has that affect :-). What are your best feather hints in addition to PPP? Do you use SR? Just needed to whine...I'm plugging thru this quilt though I have the urge to frog it and do a panto or something. I made the top over 12 years ago and though I don't hate it, it's not so dear to me that bad feathers will matter much to me. Anita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
doodlebug Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 honestly, it took me about a year to get 'happy' with my feathers....that means alot of scrap fabric and charity quilts got sacrificed for my first feather attempts...but keep it up PPP but my #1 piece of advice: DO NOT get discouraged....that will only prohibit the flow and learning process. just have fun, shrug off your 'not so great' attempts and do it again... remember, fall off the horse, get up and get back on.... also try a different way: bottom up, top down, bump bump....maybe one of those ways will seem more 'natural'.... there's a lot of blood, sweat, and tears between dreams and success.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dtreusch Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Anita, Are you doing longarm feathers or bump, bump feathers? The longarm feathers are much more forgiving when you are first learning because you don't have to worry about the backtracking. When I first started learning, it really helped me to think of the as "half hearts". Also, are you drawing them on paper very small? If so, try drawing them full size and with your wrist off the paper and pretend that your pencil is the needle. Get your arms involved as you are drawing so your muscles learn the motion. I use a white board and a dry erase marker to practice. Scrap cotton batting is great for cleaning off the dry erase marker. Something you could try at the macine that may help is to draw your feathers on the quilt before you quilt them. You said that they look pretty good on paper. I drew them all the time in the beginning. I still do sometimes 4 years later. Once you are comfortable with quilting them from your drawings, then just mark the outside boundaries and the arc over the top of the feather. Then move to just marking the outside boundaries. I will probably always mark the boundaries becuase it helps me to keep the feathers flowing and consistent. I don't know if you do pantographs or not, but I've heard people say that feather pantographs helped them learn the motion so they could quilt them freehand. I hope these tips help you. Hang in there, PPP and pretty soon you'll be feathering all over the place and loving every minute!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anita Posted July 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Thank you, Shannon...I really needed to hear that. Particularly to try different methods. That didn't occur to me while standing in front of the machine...though I've read that here before. Funny...I do one feather I'm ok with, then the next really stinks. I appreciate the encouragement...I'll quit shortly and start fresh tomorrow. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 I totally agree with Sannon, plus, there are also lots of styles of feathers to try. Some people are better at one style, than another. There are heirloom feathers, custom feathers, longarm feathers, hooked on feathers, and probably ones I can't think of just now, plus many variations of these. Keep trying and I think you will eventually find at least one style that works for you. Someone suggested to me to buy a feather panto and keep going over it with just my laser light to get the flow of a feather. Do you have any DVDs on feathers? There are quite a few out there, too. For me, a DVD is very helpful, or buy a book on feathers. I think you will get lots more suggestions here from more experienced people than myself. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anita Posted July 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Yes...that does help Debbi. They're not bump bump feathers...I guess they're longarm. the feathers get long and stand too straight...the next try they're better. I did find going faster helped round them up a bit. On paper (actually transparencies with dry erase), I drew the blocks actual size...but I'm sure I had my wrist down instead of raising them off the paper, which would be more like quilting. Great idea with the feather panto...that should help get the feel. OK...thanks ladies...I'm off again to PPP! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Okay, ladies, I know what bump bump feathers are (they backtrack at the top, correct?) and I know hooked on feathers, but what are heirloom feathers, custom feathers, longarm feathers? I think I need pictures.:o:o Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hawaii Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Anita, I have tried all kinds of feathers, but am most comfortable with the bottom up, backtracking on the top of the feather. When I first started out my feathers looked pretty disgusting, like hot dogs or chubby fingers; and I was pretty discouraged, but not discouraged enough to quit. I am still very fascinated and intrigued by wonderfully feathered quilts! And I am always looking for ways to improve my feathers. There are a lot of good teachers out there, many wonderful books, DVD's and tools for different types of feathering. I must have the bulk of them. But I end up going back to the techniques that I am comfortable with (after much practice) and look halfway decent (far from perfect). One "tip" for the feathers that I enjoy doing - bump bumps - that may help you is "to drive in towards the stem, the intersection where you finished up your last feather". This light bulb moment came from a class I took from Irena Bluhm, whose "colored" wholecloth quilts are just amazing! It really changed the way my feathers looked. Try google some of her quilt pictures - it is hard to explain without seeing an example of it. In the meantime, keep practicing on paper and on cloth. And even with our imperfect attempts at quilting feathers, once done, the quilt is a quilt (not an unfinished top) and that is an accomplishment in itself! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sandra Darlington Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 One you need to backtrack the whole feather, the other just bump-bump at the top. These would be the heirloom and the custom feathers. The longarm feathers don't backtrack at all; there's a small space between each one. And the style Sally Terry teaches, the hooked on feathers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Neher-in-law5 Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 so do I, even the bump, bump ones. Thanks. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ferret Posted July 5, 2009 Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Well over a year. I find patterns with points a lot easier so I did pointy feathers, they worked much better for me. It may not be a shape that comes naturally to you. It will come in time but it may take longer for some people. Ferret Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anita Posted July 5, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 5, 2009 Lots of good tips and encouragement...glad I asked. I've had my Millie for a couple of years but not ventured too far from pantos. I'm determined to get past my ewgly feathers this time. PPP, that's the ticket...I know I can, I know I can, I know I can. :-) Anita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltmonkey Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 Anita, I think in short time after PPP you will start to make feathers you like and you will feel good. However, for the next year or so you will see a "progression" in how your feathers look. I have been doing feathers for over a year now and even for me I look back on feathers I did just six months ago and I can see a difference in how they look. I am sure in six more months my feathers will look different, too. I think the key is to relax, don't try to make them too long. Shorter feathers look better when you are starting to learn. Do you have some pantographs that are feathers? These are good to use to PPP. Look at the free videos on Sharon Schamber's web site. Also get Sherry Rogers-Harrison's book or Darlene Epp's book on feathers. These are great books to PPP. Also Kimmy Brunner has a great way to teach the bump feathers on her DVD. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Front Porch Quilting Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 Anita, I too am PPP feathers. I started with the Long arm feathers, really not so good at. Then at the show I got Kimmy Brunners Whirly Twirly Feather DVD and it has helped me alot. I get a much better shape with bump bump feathers. Mine are not perfect yet but I am getting better. The best advise I got recently was to slow down, and to look ahead not where you are sewing and it helped. I learned on a non SR machine and I find myself going to fast and have to remind myself to slow down with my SR ( Thanks for this advice Bonnie) Good luck:):) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hollyc Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 I took a day long class with Karen McTavish in her studio, she also sold me my Millie. Listening to her and then looking at how she does her feathers are just purely inspirational. I was doing feathers on my DSM prior to getting the long arm but it isn't an automatic transfer. I took me about 6 months part time. First I got the shape, then I got the back tracking which is still a work in progress 1 1/2 years later. Don't compromise, if you want to do heirloom feathers, practice heirloom feathers. I think switching from feather types is hard. Take a twin size quilt and do nothing but meandering feathers. Ebay has great tops for pretty cheap. Then donate to the shelters. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bodgie Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 It took me a long time, but I finally realized you have to draw, draw draw and it is better if you can get some DVD an d watch and then draw or draw while you are watching Hope this helps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anita Posted July 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 Things are looking up this morning. After sleeping on it, I decided movement and stitches weren't right and I should call APQS after I checked everything I know to check. Having adjusted the wheels lately...I cleaned everything, checked for threads...then verified timing. Everything looked ok. Hmmm...checked the wheels again...one of them was off. Must not have tightened it adequately...that helped a lot. Stitches still aren't that pretty...but at least it moves without suddenly dragging. So, with a clean, adjusted and happy machine, my feathers are a bit less ugly and I'm not discouraged. It's up to me now...PPP, PPP, PPP. Thanks for all the advice...it's good to have voices of experience to encourage and advise. Anita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PatSchafer Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 All of the responses really gave me a boost. Perhaps in a year from now I'll feel competent. I tend to do contemporary quilts and have no need to do much feathering. However, after watching this site over the past year, I've become enchanted with feathers and should be able to do them on charity quilts competently. Pat Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ramona-quilter Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 Honestly, I was quilting for over a year before it finally clicked how to quilt feathers. I did pantos with feathers which helped me with the scale but the mechanics of it did not come easily. I would start fine but crash and burn in a scribble. I read a Fons & Porter article with Marilyn Badger that unlocked the secret. She said to think about tear drops. So I started doodling feathers on everything and I got better. I can do longarm feathers in my sleep. I took many classes on feathers and Dawn Cavanaugh teaches that some of us are top down feather-makers (like Lisa Coker) and some of us are bottom up featherers. I am a bottom up. I can do them everywhich way but I prefer the bottoms up. And I like to echo the outside of my feathers....it hides lots of flaws. Bump-bumps require me to slow down and concentrate but they look good. There are also feathers that I call Jodi Robinson feathers which make a feather-echo combo by making a hook over the top of a previous feather. Here's her book called Less Stress Feathers. Its a different look. I like to have lots of options depending on the style of the quilt. Practice does help. I bought a Doodle Pro kids toy with the magnet drawing pencil. I can draw and swipe to erase and do it again and again. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nora123 Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 Hi Anita, It took me almost three years BUT!!! I was doing them wrong. Get a base expander and this will create drag. Just enought drag to help you make feathers. I can now do bumpbump feathers, hooked feathers and freehand feathers. I start by making the spine and putting the one feather at the end and then I backtrack to the begining and do the left side and backtrack to the begining and then the right. I would load a big piece of muslin and PPP til you find the right thread path for you. Nora Millennium Washougal WA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chickenscratch Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 Anita, I have been practicing with my machine for about 5 years now, and I'm still not good at feathers. If I draw them on and really take my time I can follow the marks and they look good, but my freehand feathers end up all uneven and wonky. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iedquilts Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 thanks for posting that question Anita. I like the helpful tips and suggestions from everyone. always room for improvement. Ied Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
quiltaholi_518 Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 I use a dry erase to PPP and it's funny you bring up this topic. I look at the feathers I did a couple years ago and think they looked divine at the time, but now??? Yuck! So, in a couple years more will I feel the same about what I am doing now? Interesting thought... Surround yourself with people that encourage your creativity! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
anita Posted July 6, 2009 Author Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 I'm very encouraged! Everyone is different...so hearing everyone's experiences helps me realize it may take longer than I expect. LOL...I can even see improvement from yesterday! But there's a long way to go, that's for sure. Anita Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JustSewSimple Posted July 6, 2009 Report Share Posted July 6, 2009 My feathers aren't that good yet but I am bottom up also. Funny.....what does that say about us Linda Card? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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