Little Practice Quilts

From the beginning of my machine quilting journey I disliked the muslin practice pieces every book and instructor seems to recommend. Sure, I can see all of my stitches, often in all their awfulness, but that's not very inspiring. I also find practice on muslin boring.

The benefit is in testing tension and getting the mind wrapped around the process. I simply don't like working on muslin practice pieces more than a few minutes.

This past weekend, while scouring through my stash to find something a little less boring I came across a panel I had purchased several years ago. The vegetables were bright and offered many options for free-motion quilting. I pulled more fabrics from my stash and began to cut 2 1/2" strips. Adding them to the sides gave me practice quilting a quarter-inch seam at a comfortable speed.

The result is 11 little quiltlets. I've started working on them by workin with purple sections first. To gain speed and stitch control I'm focusing first on free-motion stitching in the ditch. Then I work on straight lines. I'll move to outlining. Finally I'll move to free-motion stippling and border designs.

There's enough variety to keep my interested and focused. Best of all, I can see and feel improvement in my control and stitching. Today I'll work on finishing the purple areas before moving on to another color.

If you find practice boring take a panel, cut it to pieces, and add border strips. Then add batting and a backing. Pin or baste the layers together. Have fun!

Taming the Wild Juki

A selling feature of the Juki TL-98Q is that it can stitch 1500 stitches per minute. That's 25 stitches per second! Far too many for me to contemplate ever using.

I'm accustomed to my Baby Lock Quilter's Choice where I can regulate speed with a sliding switch or my Viking 1+ where I can set speed to fast, medium or slow. The thought of the Juki suddenly taking off at 25 stitches a second is scary!

One solution (other than hours of practice) is a speed control. They're available for about $50. Impatient as I am I didn't want to wait for an order to arrive so I decided to build my own. Plans for building a speed control are available on the Juki or Brother Yahoo groups. Parts are easily available at any RadioShack store. Cost for everything, including an inexpensive soldering iron, is about $25.

Many years ago I built my own Ham radio station. I've also done silversmithing so I'm familiar with using power tools, cable strippers and soldering irons. The speed control is simply a potentiometer connected between the machine and the foot pedal.

Putting the control together was a good evening's work and a terrific distraction -- I was waiting for calls from my son to tell me how my daughter-in-law was progressing in her labor.

My Juki can still stitch wildly but not as frighteningly. Learning to sew at a slow, controlled speed isn't easy but I feel I'm learning faster with my speed control than without it.

Finally Finished!

My grandson Lukas is now four and two-thirds years old. His brother Nikolaus not quite a month. Both finally have the baby quilt I started five years ago. It's one that has hand applique and embroidery. The quilting is hearts and loops. It's the quilting that began the frustration.

And now, the joy.

I wanted to give the quilt for Lukas' birth. Instead, I realized there was no way I could machine quilt it. I simply did not have the skill.

The quilt was put away and I vowed to learn to quilt by machine. I took classes.I bought books and videos. I fumbled my way through a few small projects. I made lots of tops and that's how they've remained. Every New Year I make the resolution to finally learn to machine quilt. Every year I have failed. Miserably.

The baby's quilt was a glaring symbol of my failure. A growing collection of tops mocked me. I'd either have to learn to machine quilt or accept that I would spend my quilting career as a topper.

I focused on doing something I hadn't done before -- sitting down at my machine and practicing for an hour or more every day. I don't like muslin samples that all the books recommend so I started making placemats. The cat loves them. Leaves and loops. Easy to transition to hearts and loops. Finally I began on the baby's quilt.

In this photo it's finished except for the binding.

I discovered I really enjoy machine quilting! So much so that I gave myself an early Christmas present: a Juki TL-98Q. It's a straight stitch machine with a wide throat. Perfect for machine quilting.

Now the real learning begins!

Merry Christmas!

Did you realize it has been an entire year since I last wrote in this blog? I didn't. I thought about things to blog and wrote them out mentally. Just never put fingers to keyboard.

This year - 2009 -- has been an odd one. I was blessed to have a seasonal position while many friends were jobless. I discovered taxes are endlessly fascinating, so much so that I began studying to become an Enrolled Agent.

My seasonal position was to end April 20. Given the recession, I wasn't hopeful I could find another job quickly. I had battened down the financial hatches and was confident I could survive until the job market improved...or until tax season arrived again.

Much to my surprise and delight I was approached shortly before the seasonal position ended and offered a full-time position in another department. Wow! What a relief!

During this past year there were many weeks when my studio work was neglected. My focus was on survival during this recession.

I realized I'd better get busy quilting for the arrival of my second grandson. That's a separate story so I will end here with a smile and a wish that everyone has a Merry Christmas. As with last year, my Christmas Eve was spent enjoying my family via Skype. What a joy to see my older grandson dash around opening and enjoying presents while the newest edition, born December 5, was part of our circle of family.

Now it's time to head out for Christmas dinner with friends!

Virtual Christmas

Christmas had a twist this year! I was able to share it with my son, daughter-in-law and grandson "virtually" via my laptop computer and Skype.

Skype is a program that has the capability of serving as a telephone (though the definition of phone has changed over the years) and as a video chat. I installed it on my DDIL's laptop and we've been using it since August to have family chats. It allows me to be a presence in my grandson's life between visits.

For Christmas Eve the laptops were at the ready. My DDIL set hers to give me a view of the tree and all the presents. I had the joy of watching them open their presents and they saw me open mine. From time to time their cat walked through the scene and I had to hold up "So-gent" for my grandson to see.

Other than not being able to actually reach out and touch, this was amazingly like sitting in a chair in their living room watching my grandson zoom around with delight as he opened his presents.

And I was thrilled when my son gave his wife a progressive gift. That was something I used to do ... have him follow clues or open items in sequence until the actual gift was received. For my DDIL the gift started with a babysitting certificate and ended with almost front row tickets for the Nutcracker! Seeing that was one of her family traditions and I'm delighted my son is continuing it for them.

Christmas is a blending of traditions that grow as the years pass. I know now that when I can't be with my loved ones "in person" I can be there virtually.

May you and yours have a blessed Christmas and a Happy New Year. Whatever holidays you celebrate this season we share good will toward all.

-- Joanna

The Best Things....

When sending a new acquaintance a link to my blog I realized it has been a very long time (too long!) since I have written. I really didn't intend to leave this as a downer with the thought of being unemployed.

The day after writing the previous post I received a call offering me a seasonal position at my employer. I turned in my badge August 1 and had three weeks of unpaid "vacation" before entering training for my new job. I used part of that time to go to Colorado and spend a week with my dear son, daughter-in-law and grandson. For the first time, I took Sargeant with me. He has turned out to be a terrific traveler!

My new job is a combination of what I did in the past as well as learning new things. There are things I miss, such as my former 4-10 schedule with Friday, Saturday and Sunday off. There are things I really, really like, such as interesting work and a paycheck. I'm also learning tax preparation. No matter how bad the economy, we're going to have to pay taxes!

I've taught a few classes and worked on a few projects. I've rekindled my interest in doing really good photography. My cashing out a a few shares of company stock (sell or lose them) at a market high gave me the funds to buy a Canon G10. Egotistic person that I am, I believe I purchased the first one sold in Tucson. I like firsts!

My delight this Thanksgiving was to drive to Colorado, again with Sargeant. That's my favorite holiday because it is the time to give thanks. I have so very much to be grateful for! Among my blessings is my grandson. You can see how we enjoyed sharing a laugh in the photo.

Driving home was quite an adventure and one I would have happily avoided. However, I know that it isn't the easy things that are remembered. So I shall always remember this as finding the "good weather" report turning into 8+ inches of white and fluffy. I thought I was being smart leaving at 5:30 am to drive home. It took 3 hours to get past Colorado Springs! And 18 hours total to get home. Despite that I was at work my regular time the next morning. It's been years since I've driven in snow. I'd just as soon avoid it, but I'm glad I haven't forgotten how to drive in it.

There's Nothing Like a Retreat!

That's my friend and retreat roommate on the right. Lynda and I are taking a break from quilting to enjoy a prickly pear cactus margarita at the Tanque Verde Guest Ranch. If you click on the link you'll see photos of the ranch and, much to my surprise, the room we had! I also went on a Sunday morning breakfast ride into the beautiful Rincon Mountains. What a great time! I hadn't been on a horse for almost 15 years but quickly remembered how to ride.

Later this week I'll be posting photos from the retreat to a Webshots album. For the time being I'm focused on finishing my projects for the Fast Friday Challenge. The link has a photo and the story of the challenge.

At the retreat I regained the creative spark that has been missing for more than a month.

The company where I have worked for the past 5 1/2 years has experienced a reduction in force of 7%. I am one of the hundreds of employees impacted. I turn in my badge on Friday. So this week contains both sadness and joy.

-- Joanna