The Mystery Quilt-a-Long-Waves of Progress
Good Morning, Quilters!
Our Mystery Quilt-a-Long Continues….and is really taking shape this week!
How are your quilts coming along? Please post your photos to Instagram #mysteryQAL @theinboxjaunt.
Also, if you’ve signed up for either of my Craftsy classes, Divide and Conquer or the new class, Doodle to Design, you can post your photos on the class platform as well! We would all love to see them!
By the way…here’s what they are saying about Doodle to Design:
I really enjoyed this class. Even though I have been doing free-motion quilting for a few years now, I learned many new motifs and some good techniques I didn’t know before. Lori explains the designs clearly and shows how to draw them and how to sew them. Excellent class!
Thank you, Cynthia–and all of you who have written reviews!
STITCHING FOUR ROWS THIS WEEK
Last Tuesday, we stitched Rows 6 and 10 HERE
This week we will be stitching Rows 3, 5, 12 and 13.
Rows 3 and 13:
Add three wavy lines to fill the space. Stitch whatever wave comes naturally to you…it might be seven waves like mine, or it might be larger or smaller–we all have a natural movement pattern which determines our natural wave size. Whichever size is natural to YOU will be YOUR smoothest and easiest stitching line. (It has to do with the size of your hands, the length of your arms, how flexible you are, etc.)
Stitch the first line, then echo stitch two more lines, tying off after stitching all three lines.
Use my Flourish or Curlicue Knot to begin and end the stitching.
Stitching Direction
On a small quilt that is easy to turn in any direction, you can stitch from left to right or from top to bottom. Try both ways and see what you like best…Thinking about these things and trying both will make you a better quilter!
You won’t always have the luxury of being able to rotate the quilt easily, but when you do have the choice, make the most of it!
For Rows 5 and 12:
For Rows 5 and 12–Wavy lines with optional circles.
Stitch the first two rows of wavy lines. As you stitch the third row, add a full circle to at the high point of each wave.
If you aren’t ready for circles, just stitch a plain, wavy line again–it will still look great!
That’s it for this week!
EASY!
Remember to DOODLE FIRST!
Doodling makes all of your quilting better--and helps you find YOUR natural movement pattern!
Can’t wait to see what YOU create! Post photos!
Lori
PS…All tutorials, images and information are the property of Lori Kennedy at The Inbox Jaunt and are intended for personal use only. Feel free to re-blog, pin or share with attribution to The Inbox Jaunt. For all other purposes, please contact me at lckennedy@hotmail.com. Thanks!
Hey Lori… Did you just sneak in the name of this years quilt-a-long.. or have I not been fully paying attention??? .. btw.. I am loving this..
I think you are right!
Just finished. It is starting to fill in now! Looking forward to the next row. ???
Love your use of emojis!! Lol
Ooops – made a little mistake on the placement of last weeks row. Actually realized that I was in the wrong row half way through [after counting correctly, I had an interruption before starting – don’t ask :)]. Decided to follow the advice to accept and not unpick, which, believe it or not, a bit of progress for me. Have decided to embrace it and call it a design decision. Quite happy with the way my stitches are improving, but still working on over all designs. Thanks for the design inspiration.
Oh I did the same thing and left a message on the face book page. Just went to see if there was a reply and came back to this post to see if I could ask the question here. I did the same thing! I put the backing on upside down :-(!!!! So, of course the first two didn’t matter. I didn’t get a chance to sew last week, so Wed. started with the third row and it’s on the wrong spot….I’m debating and waffling and of course, nothing’s getting done! Story of my life :-(. Should I just forge ahead? I can change the chalk rows, but I will have my scallops in the wrong row. I have to check if they are upside down yet. Someone please just tell me what to do ROFLOL…I’m frozen in indecision!!!
Leave it! It will be fine! I promise!
Lori, Which of your Craftsy classes would you recommend doing first? Or is there a logical sequence?
Divide and Conquer includes more on thread, marking and machine set up so maybe that.
Lori, when quilting long lines such as today’s waves, I always have trouble after stopping to move my hands, with getting the next stitch to be straight and in line when i start again. Do you have any hints?
Great question! I have been quilting so long I forget how hard that was to learn! When I first started quilting, that was the biggest challenge…it takes lots of practice! When you stop, make sure the quilt is free to move again (this is more for big quilts–they often get caught on an edge when you readjust). Then place your hands in the “ready” position–generally hooping the needle area-and make sure the fabric is a bit taut—then CONCENTRATE–(seems obvious–but the first three stitches really require attention) and slowly hit the gas pedal…while you begin to move.
It’s really a matter of timing and foot/hand coordination–Just focusing on those first three stitches – each time you stop–and being aware–will help.
Hope this gives you some ideas…Let me know.