It can be extremely frustraiting when your go-to machine is sorta, outta sorts. Still, the screw will not tighten. Glues, wrappings, I am determined to find what works!
But in the mean time, I've re-attached the regular walking foot and am almost ready to sew everything that doesn't require any free-motion quilting (bummer). I say 'almost' because I've spent most of the last week sewing things by hand, just to change things up and try to calm my nerves about the FMQ foot.
I made some (very little) progress on the Flying Fish Mola, started the top layer stitching. This project is on my FAL 2014 Q1 list so I really need to spend more time working on it. It's going to be one of those time suckers as traditional appliques usually are.
Speaking of traditional applique, I've been seeing that it's gaining popularity amongst the online quilting world! Above are some of my favorite tools that I've inherited from my Grandmothers applique techniques. Straw needles are excellent in helping make tiny almost invisible stitches. I've been using needles out of that case of 16 for over 6 years now, they last along time. But a word of caution! They are sooooo tiny and thin, be very carful not to loose them or have a cat try and eat one (that's a story for another time!)
I also like to use that niffty little awl to turn under the edge as I go along. But you can use anything pointy like toothpicks or an ice pick or even a bookbinders awl. You get the point.
I'm working on an Introduction to Applique tutorial and possibly a class structured around the Mola style appliques I've been working on. Pretty excited about that!
Also in the hand work category, I've been doing some embroidery at night. These two pieces are really random stitching. I was going to frame them by themselves, but having them on the design wall made me think about adding some patchwork boarders and making them the centers of mini quilts.
And the horse doll prototype is coming along. Next up are the legs and then the fabulos details like hair, eyes, tails and of course a costume!
Back to work I go! Linking up with Lee @ Freshly Pieced WIP Wednesdays
