May I Recommend?….The BIG Practice Sandwich!

58 responses to “May I Recommend?….The BIG Practice Sandwich!”

1. My copy arrived Tuesday! Just in time to help my plan how to quilt Tula Pink’s 100 block challenge. It’s on the frame today. 🙂

   1. Woo hoo! Cant wait to see Mary!

2. what a great book, and a perfectly wonderful price too!!, Lori. I have it on my Amazon wish list.

3. Can’t wait to receive mine! I pre-ordered it from Amazon!

4. While I understand your idea to practice on large pieces, I’ve taken lots of my small “test” pieces and made them into zipper pouches! They are so cute and it’s fun to try to design a bag around the design stitched on the fabric! They make great gifts too! 🙂

   1. That’s a great idea!!! I’m going to make some zipper pouches this weekend!!! Thank you!

5. My book arrived yesterday….I can’t wait to get started practicing these awesome designs and thank you for the autograph Lori. This is one book I will treasure and use quite often. Thanks again

6. Received my autographed copy yesterday and am going through it slowly. LOVE the pictures and commentary. Will make some quilt sandwiches soon, so I can get started! Thank you, Lori. I think this book will be a big success!!!

7. I just received my autographed book. Thank you for the encouragement. This Is one of my New Year’s resolutions, to improve this skill and FMQ more of my own quilts. I’ve been practicing on a large piece of muslin. I don’t know if I love it enough to make something from it but I’m getting lots of doodle time. Maybe next time I will use a pretty piece of fabric. Thank you Lori!

   1. Oh! You know that thought excites me Jackie! I love to paint on fabric and that would give me a wonderful pre-quilted canvas!

8. My order came yesterday! I am so looking forward to sitting down to choose my next project. I am sure my sister will love her (surprise!) copy too! From the first quick look through, I know this will be a go to book for my projects!!

9. I pre-ordered from Amazon.ca and my ship date is April 6-26. Nothing like a finite date. That is SOOOO far away. I sure hope it is April 6. Amazon has a tendency to give longer times than it actually takes so…fingers crossed.

   1. I bet you will get it sooner!!

10. My copy is supposed to arrive next week – LOVE the idea of a big practice sandwich (I’m forever falling off the edges of the little ones).

11. My copy is due to arrive next week – REALLY looking forward to it. And the idea of a big practice sandwich is very appealing. (I always fall off the edges of the little ones).

12. Congratulations Lori!! Love what you do. I was enchanted with Zen Tangle and with quilting, and you pulled the two together for me. Just wonderful!!

13. My copy arrived today! Very well done and great value. Guess the housework can wait a few days.

14. My copy has been here for about 20 hours now…My whole sewing room perked up! Lori, This is a beautiful book. I love the fonts, little decorations all through it, the arrangements on the pages, the colors chosen, etc… can’t say enough good things about it! I don’t know which were your choices or those of editors, but y’all nailed it in my opinion. I even must say the texture of the paper chosen for the pages is pleasant to touch.That is no small thing for some one with tactile neuropathy.
    Thank you again and again..OK, too much time typing when I could be sewing.. LOL

    1. Thank you Marta, and thanks for noticing all the details. I will send your note along to Martingale—they will appreciate it!

15. My copy arrived testerday and I just love all the designs. AND I love the spiral binding! Great idea!

    1. So excited!

16. My book has also arrived. Absolutely love it.

    1. Woo hoo!!

17. Can’t wait for my copy to arrive!! I have a suggestion for practice pieces: make pet beds for your local SPCA. I stuff mine with scraps from my cutting board. (I keep a pillow case clipped to the edge and just sweep left-overs directly into the case. When the case is lightly stuffed, it’s time for another pet bed!)

    1. Great idea!!

18. Quilting on a BIG piece is SO much more difficult than a little piece……working on a big piece now…..and I’ve been doing this for many years!

    1. I agree. So dont go too big. But its great practice.

19. I am anxiously waiting for my copy! But since January 1st I have been doodling, doodling and doodling! I have also learned not to “fear” quilting and have quilted several quilts. Thank you so much Lori for all your advice and encouragement as well all of you who post comments. Quilters are such nice people!

    1. Doodling really helps! and I agree–quilters are such nice people!

20. Looking forward to my book! And I’ve been doodling like a good girl….

    What about taking those large practice squares, treating them like quilt-as-you-go, and making a quilt? One of my first quilts had pretty large piecing, so I challenged myself to do a different motif in each section. It was my first attempt at non-stippling, and I hadn’t heard of doodling, so it’s not very good, but my whole family loves it, and it really doesn’t look bad if you’re not looking for imperfections.

    1. Lori- EEK!
       Is there any hope for me? I’ve been a faithful follower of yours for a long time. I have to confess- I haven’t doodled or seriously gotten into FMQ on a large scale. I’ve made small quilt sandwiches and have FMQ’D some lap quilts. I have all the right equipment, so when your book arrives, I’m turning over a new leaf! (Is that a pun?).
       I like the idea of making a large quilt sandwich because it will help use up my stash.

       1. Yes!!! YOU can do this! Doodle…stitch….doodle….stitch–It’s a magic formula!

    2. Your quilt sounds fabulous! and that is our goal–to have family love it!

21. I am looking forward to mine. I took a detour to Iowa before coming back to Minnesota, hopefully a short detour, I am excited to start. 🙂

22. I love FMQ too! So excited to receive my copy of your fabulous book…. it may take a few extra days to England! What a great idea to make one big practise sandwich… I have always made small pieces which I tend to throw away (when I can’t get past them!! LOL) Thanks Lori for the great idea!

23. I received my autographed copy of your wonderful book – LOVE IT! I have followed your blog for awhile now and was happy to see so many motifs presented in the book. I just ordered a Kindle version as well so I can take it with me!

    1. Im thrilled you like it!!!

24. Lori, I very eagerly waited for my autographed copy of your new book! I loved that you put a personal message in there for ME! That’s so sweet! Thank you!
    I look forward to practicing doodling and beginning my fmq adventure! Thank you so much! I love, love, love, the book!
    Congratulations! You deserve it! From NW Florida

    1. Woo hoo!!! Thank you for ordering from me! I truly hope you love this book for a long time!

       1. I know I will! I love Angela Walters…she was my first inspiration. But then I found you. You do the type of quilting I have always thought fmq should be, but didn’t know it could be!!! Lol! I know your book will be my first line of “go to”!!! For all designs! Thanks so much for book form too. It’s so much easier for me than looking it up on a blog. I love following you and your blog, but just flipping through and studying a book, there’s nothing like it! Love you Lori! Thank you for all you do! And all you freely share with us!

       2. Thank you for the kind words! It really means a lot to me! Did you read the dedication at the back of the book?

25. Oops! No! I just glanced at it, I’m sorry to say! It looked awesome as I expected!…however, it’s spring break in our neck of the woods and have been busy spending time with my dearest grandchildren…I will have to look at that!!!

    BTW…I was shocked to see something recently that you had a grandchild! I thought you were in your 20s!!!

26. Mine has not arrived yet, New Zealand is a far place to come.

    1. Dear twemyss, Thinking of you as you look in your mailbox every day. You are far away from south Georgia, USA, but remembered. I can imagine the big smile you will have when it finally arrives ! Blessings !

    2. It is indeed! But isnt it cool that quilting and the internet brings us together? Thanks for ordering!!

27. Hmmm, I’m looking at that stack of small practice pieces in your photo above. Stick some velcro along the edges of them. The grandchildren can stick them together for a play quilt and rearrange the colors/designs at will. LOL… My husband says that idea is almost as bad as when I suggested we fill sleeping bags with helium. He asked me if I was going to volunteer to carry the helium tank out into the woods ! BTW, if you decide to sell any of those zipper bags, I like the aqua one up on the right side.

    1. Noted! And I always love your ideas, Marta!

28. Yes! In addition to being useful for something, a bigger practice sandwich is actually easier to handle than a small one, particularly when you’re not yet experienced with FMQ.

    1. You are right–the edges get pesky!

29. Hi Lori, my copy of your book arrived today and it is soo good! I love the fact that my favorite designs from your doodles are in it and that it is organized so well. It is already on my sewing machine waiting to be used as a great reference. Being a new fmq all the designs will be put to use as soon as possible. Like others that comment here I have more than several tops waiting for me to get up the nerve to just do it and this book will go a long way towards that goal. Thanks too, for the signature sent just to me. How you do all you do, I don’t know, but hope you keep doing it!

    1. I’m thrilled to hear you like it!!!

    2. I love to hear that you have it right by your sewing machine!!

30. My book has arrived and I’m thrilled !! Thank you so much, I’m so happy that you autographed it. It will be well used and cherished for years to come. thank you for putting such a great tool together.

31. Pingback: How to Use those Practice Pieces | The Inbox Jaunt

32. Your book will be here Tues. from Amazon. I just made a large quilt sandwich to practice. I can’t wait. I love your blog and designs. I only stipple, and that is getting very old. Thank you for the book, bog and your generous spirit.

    1. Thank you! I cant wait to see what you create!

33. I forgot to ask, would you start practicing in the middle of a large quilt sandwich? Thank you.

    1. Anywhere