How to Quilt Plenty of Sunshine-A Background Motif
January 8, 2019
Good Morning, Quilters!Where have YOU been?I know, I know…YOU were here….I was not!I took an unscheduled break from blogging while my family was in town for Christmas. Then I took a little more time off to get my house back in order.Then a little longer while I put my tired brain back in order (no small task)!Pretty soon a lot of time went by without blogging.Isn’t it interesting how easily we can be tossed off our routines?Well, it’s time. Time to get back to routines like doodling, quilting and writing and maybe even exercising!?Let’s get started with an easy machine quilting motif, Plenty of Sunshine!To begin this background or allover motif, stitch a circle. Don’t worry if your circle isn’t perfect! We are creating a hand-drawn look, not a ruler-perfection look.Closely echo stitch the circle two or three times.Stitch a jagged line all around the circles.Add a short straight line and another circle.Stitch around the circle two or three times and add the rays around the circles. Tuck the rays into the previous motif to keep the design cohesive.What is the best thread for machine quilting?I have several favorite threads for machine quilting, but one of my favorites is Aurifil 28 wt cotton. 28 wt thread is a slightly heavy weight thread so it is visible. Your quilting motifs will shine when you use heavy weight threads. (Use lightweight thread when you want to create texture only.)This spool, color #3920 is variegated which adds a bit more interest to this design.What is the best bobbin thread for quilting? I think it’s best to pick one thread for the bobbin and use it all the time. Choose a thread that your machine likes and is lightweight (50, 60, 80 wt). My machine loves Aurifil 50wt cotton. I always use it in the bobbin.I’ve got sunshine on a cloudy day…What about YOU?Are YOU back to YOUR routines?Is YOUR house clean and YOUR head clear?Are you back to your quilting routine?Have YOU been doodling?Do YOU need a little sunshine?
Why thank you for this sunshiney idea! I just finished a top I’m going to call “Good Morning Sunshine” and I was just starting to look for a design for the FMQ. I’m glad you’re back in the swing of things, it always feels good to get back to our good routines.
Thank you so much for the suggestions on thread for quilting. I call my Bernita 820 The Diva and it can be finicky about threads. Also the suggestion about finding what threads work best for your machine is terrific. Don’t know if you covered this or not but could you have tips and suggestions about using metallic thread? I love the sparkly ones but do have troubles with thread breakage. Live in New Bern NC and Wednesday it was in the 70’s and today we woke up to a with a temperature of 27. A day without some quilting is a gray day indeed!
I have been spending my time this week reorganizing my sewing room as I lent out one of my sewing tables. I may not want it back! I am hoping that I can start out strong next week with my sewing again. I miss it. It’s been weeks and I have two projects that must get done soon! Thanks again for the reminder to always use the same thread in the bobbin. I had forgotten that… obviously I’m not machine quilting as much as I should so once my two projects are done I hope to get at that again. I love this pattern, too, btw, and I feel it is something I can tackle.
My darling mother used to call it “decompression time” – to breathe and come back to the real world after a long work week, or an emergency, or the holidays – you get the idea. It’s a good thing and I’m glad to know you take time for yourself.
As for me, well, I’m barely back to my routine. I’m still decompressing! My house is only semi-clean, my head is as clear as it ever gets (not!), I’m currently making pillows to go with my new recliners and cushion covers for my sofa. And all of this while I’ve got several UFO’s sitting around waiting. Shame on me.
But I’m having such a good time with all of it that I don’t care! God is so good, He’s given us a new year to worship Him, live, be with family, help others and sew! For me, it doesn’t get much better.
The sunshine motif is adorable!!!!
May this new year bring you and yours many blessings.
Thanks so much for the helpful thread info! I’ve not gotten myself moving since the holidays, sewing area is a disaster since making room for and receiving my new Koala studio, I NEED to make myself get it organized so I can get back to creating. That will give me the energy I need to get moving in the other tasks I desperately need to tackle.
Love your motifs and teaching style – very easy to follow! The beauty of using smaller wt thread in the bobbin is your bobbin lasts so much longer! I use Superior Threads Bottom Line thread, it’s 60wt, and I don’t have to change the bobbin thread so often. Loving it!
Good Morning, Back quilting trying to finish a quilt for my Mom before l leave on Holiday, end of the month. Getting the house in order for my dog sitter while l am away.
UFO’s for sure finished seven last year, need to finish more this year. Hard to stay focused because there is so many new ideas floating around in my head. Love the “SUNSHINE” motifs.
So glad to see you in my inbox today 🙂 I am back to routine – teaching these kids, cleaning, activities, but it seems to be coming together slowly. Trying to get a bit more organized so I’m not so frantic so often 🙂 Loving the sunshine quilting!
Im right there with you! January is my month to recoup doing for everyone else for the holiday season. We all have to do for ourselves once in awhile. Always love your work!
Lori, taking a break for yourself makes you a wonderful role model for us! So much wiser to do that than make yourself stressed out and maybe get sick. Glad you took some time off from the blog, and now very glad to have you back!
Welcome back…missed you but understand perfectly (my tree is trying to tell me it’s
time to be recycled…sigh).
?? Got an email from Sulky that you were having some sort of contest with them
thru your blog….is that true??
Welcome back! After traveling for Christmas, I worked my last three days. January 1 began retirement! My husband and I took a weekend trip to Pigeon Forge, TN, where he played in a chess tournament, and I made good progress on a block of the month I’ve been working on for over a year! Now back at home, I need to clean up my sewing room and figure out how to make good use of my new found freedom and not just fritter away my days.
We’ve been dragging into piles the branches and small trees blown down during the “storm of the century” on the Thursday before Christmas. It hit Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands on Canada’s west coast pretty hard. We were very lucky to have our power back within 24 hours (and all our beds were full), but several areas of our island were without power for 8+ days. A very welcome bevy of Hydro workers came from across the province and country, to bring us light, and heat. Now that the Christmas fouferah is over and the sun is out, we can see the damage done. At least five huge trees uprooted in the 70-90+km winds, and luckily, incredibly, none of them hit our house. Chainsaws and generators were the background music of our island for several days, and the chainsawing continues. Luckily we found where our skylight flew off to, and it has now been replaced. Amen! We’re looking forward to spring.
Oh Maureen! I’m so sorry for you! That sounds scary! Sorry about your trees–it’s like losing a friend I imagine! Good luck with the clean up! Thinking of you!
I went back to work for 2 days then off with tonsillitis, so nothing getting done here. Looking forward to a workshop tomorrow to learn how to make a Hawaiian quilt – just what the doctor ordered!!
37 comments
Jodi
Thank you so much for your posts, Lori! Welcome back! What type of piecing designs do you recommend this motif with?
MJ IBARGUEN
Why thank you for this sunshiney idea! I just finished a top I’m going to call “Good Morning Sunshine” and I was just starting to look for a design for the FMQ. I’m glad you’re back in the swing of things, it always feels good to get back to our good routines.
Scrappy Chris
Thank you so much for the suggestions on thread for quilting. I call my Bernita 820 The Diva and it can be finicky about threads. Also the suggestion about finding what threads work best for your machine is terrific. Don’t know if you covered this or not but could you have tips and suggestions about using metallic thread? I love the sparkly ones but do have troubles with thread breakage. Live in New Bern NC and Wednesday it was in the 70’s and today we woke up to a with a temperature of 27. A day without some quilting is a gray day indeed!
Lori Kennedy
I would love to talk about metallic threads!
Marta
Will watch for that!! A sparkly sun would be so welcome in Feb, even down in our South.
Gertrude DeBoer
I have been spending my time this week reorganizing my sewing room as I lent out one of my sewing tables. I may not want it back! I am hoping that I can start out strong next week with my sewing again. I miss it. It’s been weeks and I have two projects that must get done soon! Thanks again for the reminder to always use the same thread in the bobbin. I had forgotten that… obviously I’m not machine quilting as much as I should so once my two projects are done I hope to get at that again. I love this pattern, too, btw, and I feel it is something I can tackle.
Suzanne
My darling mother used to call it “decompression time” – to breathe and come back to the real world after a long work week, or an emergency, or the holidays – you get the idea. It’s a good thing and I’m glad to know you take time for yourself.
As for me, well, I’m barely back to my routine. I’m still decompressing! My house is only semi-clean, my head is as clear as it ever gets (not!), I’m currently making pillows to go with my new recliners and cushion covers for my sofa. And all of this while I’ve got several UFO’s sitting around waiting. Shame on me.
But I’m having such a good time with all of it that I don’t care! God is so good, He’s given us a new year to worship Him, live, be with family, help others and sew! For me, it doesn’t get much better.
The sunshine motif is adorable!!!!
May this new year bring you and yours many blessings.
Lori Kennedy
I love that–Decompression Time! That’s exactly how it feels–time to let the air out!
Angie Terry
Thanks so much for the helpful thread info! I’ve not gotten myself moving since the holidays, sewing area is a disaster since making room for and receiving my new Koala studio, I NEED to make myself get it organized so I can get back to creating. That will give me the energy I need to get moving in the other tasks I desperately need to tackle.
Lori Kennedy
A new Koala studio!? That’s motivation indeed!
Gina Olive
Love your motifs and teaching style – very easy to follow! The beauty of using smaller wt thread in the bobbin is your bobbin lasts so much longer! I use Superior Threads Bottom Line thread, it’s 60wt, and I don’t have to change the bobbin thread so often. Loving it!
Lori Kennedy
Thanks for the thread tip! Always love to try a new thread!
Janet Licari
Happy New Year and a great motif for our cloudy, rainy and snowy days ahead. Looking forward to what will be on your blog this new year!
Joy Summers
Love the Sunshine motif. Does the Aurifil 28 wt thread come on a cone too? I really enjoy theinboxjaunt, thanks for all your doodling idea too.
Lori Kennedy
Yes. I do have large cones of 28 wt thread! Check Red Rock Threads or your favorite Local Quilt Shop!
Linda E Greenwood
Where do you buy the heavy wt
Thread you use?
Lori Kennedy
Try Red Rock Threads if your local quilt shop doesn’t offer it.
Janette
Good Morning, Back quilting trying to finish a quilt for my Mom before l leave on Holiday, end of the month. Getting the house in order for my dog sitter while l am away.
UFO’s for sure finished seven last year, need to finish more this year. Hard to stay focused because there is so many new ideas floating around in my head. Love the “SUNSHINE” motifs.
Edna
Lori, it’s always a breath of fresh air to read your blogs! Love the quilting ideas you post. They keep me motivated to try new things.
Joy Rodda
Thank you,Lorie. I do like this!
Elizabeth
So glad to see you in my inbox today 🙂 I am back to routine – teaching these kids, cleaning, activities, but it seems to be coming together slowly. Trying to get a bit more organized so I’m not so frantic so often 🙂 Loving the sunshine quilting!
Debbie Mallicoat-Dover
Im right there with you! January is my month to recoup doing for everyone else for the holiday season. We all have to do for ourselves once in awhile. Always love your work!
Bette
Lori, taking a break for yourself makes you a wonderful role model for us! So much wiser to do that than make yourself stressed out and maybe get sick. Glad you took some time off from the blog, and now very glad to have you back!
kate gypsybaker
Welcome back…missed you but understand perfectly (my tree is trying to tell me it’s
time to be recycled…sigh).
?? Got an email from Sulky that you were having some sort of contest with them
thru your blog….is that true??
Lori Kennedy
I’m not sure what the Sulky contest is…can you send the link? I’ll look too.
JEAN
Cool! We need some sunshine here in the mountains!
-Jean ❤
Karen P
Welcome back! After traveling for Christmas, I worked my last three days. January 1 began retirement! My husband and I took a weekend trip to Pigeon Forge, TN, where he played in a chess tournament, and I made good progress on a block of the month I’ve been working on for over a year! Now back at home, I need to clean up my sewing room and figure out how to make good use of my new found freedom and not just fritter away my days.
Lori Kennedy
Congratulations on your retirement! Happy travels and happy quilting!
Chris Reeske
Fritter a little, it’s good for the soul.
Lori Kennedy
Fritter is such a great way to describe it!
Maureen B. in B.C.
We’ve been dragging into piles the branches and small trees blown down during the “storm of the century” on the Thursday before Christmas. It hit Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands on Canada’s west coast pretty hard. We were very lucky to have our power back within 24 hours (and all our beds were full), but several areas of our island were without power for 8+ days. A very welcome bevy of Hydro workers came from across the province and country, to bring us light, and heat. Now that the Christmas fouferah is over and the sun is out, we can see the damage done. At least five huge trees uprooted in the 70-90+km winds, and luckily, incredibly, none of them hit our house. Chainsaws and generators were the background music of our island for several days, and the chainsawing continues. Luckily we found where our skylight flew off to, and it has now been replaced. Amen! We’re looking forward to spring.
Lori Kennedy
Oh Maureen! I’m so sorry for you! That sounds scary! Sorry about your trees–it’s like losing a friend I imagine! Good luck with the clean up! Thinking of you!
Rowena Gallagher
I went back to work for 2 days then off with tonsillitis, so nothing getting done here. Looking forward to a workshop tomorrow to learn how to make a Hawaiian quilt – just what the doctor ordered!!
Donna Belisle
“lazy-days” are good for the soul, lets one catch up on themselves.
Theresa
That is the best part of being employed by yourself. I always assume something is going on with my internet. Don’t want to lose touch.
Judy Chastain
That’s a great motif! Thanks, Lori. We’ve missed you.
Chela's Colchas y Mas
With a grandchild, so no routine and plenty of sunshine 😊
Comments are closed.