Free Motion Friday - Triangle Scales

This is the last free motion pattern from my April quilt for the always fabulous Island Batik Ambassador's Adventurous Applique challenge.  I'm calling it Triangle Scales.

Start by making a triangle with sides 1 to 2 inches long.

Stitch over 1/4 of an inch and then echo the triangle on the OUTSIDE of the original triangle.  When you get to the top make a circle of any size you'd like.  Mine are about 1/2 inch or so.  

Travel to where you want to start your next triangle and repeat.  You can see a whole bunch of them all put together here.  

And the final quilt before binding!  The Triangle Scales go all the way around the outside edges.  They were fun to do and very modern, something I'm trying to embrace more of late.

If you love free motion be sure to stop back tomorrow where I'll debut my new quilt for May's Island Batik Ambassador Challenge....it has graffiti quilting!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Pentaflora Finale

If you've been patiently waiting to see the final quilt, well here it is in all it's glory!  Pentaflora.  It took me about a year to hand applique (no wonder I do mostly machine now!).  

The quilting was designed to go over and under the applique and is filled with a variety of quilting patterns.  I had a ton of fun with it.  The judges may not have been totally pleased with it, but I am and that's what counts.  Right?

One rough spot in this project was the time I waited between marking the quilting and actually putting the layers together.  It hung on my wall for about a year and had to be remarked with my trusty blue water soluble pen since I couldn't see much of the lines (must be the humidity!).

All's well that ends well.  More pictures will be forthcoming once she's back from Utah.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Tulip Inspiration

It's Tulip Time here in Minnesota.  They are one of my favorite spring flowers and I snapped a few pictures of my mother's tulips this weekend.  I have to try to recreate these amazing colors sometime!  The real question in my mind is whether to try with fabric or with fabric paint.  Decisions, decisions.

What are your favorite flowers?

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Pentaflora Part 4

Here's the final progression of Pentaflora.  More on the quilting next week.  She was at her first show in Utah this week and did not ribbon.  The judges marks were not flattering on her.  But I lover her, so oh, well.  Sometimes you have quilts that don't do well.  On to the Minnesota Quilter's Show and we'll see how she does!

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy

Free Motion Friday - Tail Circles

Welcome to Free Motion Friday!  It's supposed to be an amazing 74 degrees here in Minnesota today!  I'm excited....if it weren't for all the fruit trees blooming and my crazy allergies I'd want to spend the whole day outside.  I made some serious progress on my new series for this blog yesterday.  I can't wait to share it with you.

But for today, it's Free Motion Friday and this design is called Tail Circles.  I call it that because it looks like puppy tails inside the circles to me.

Start by making a circle 1 inch or so in diameter.

Next, stitch a tail inside the circle.  Then travel along the outside of the circle until you get to where you want to start your next circle.

Here are a few all stitched out.

And the final design.

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

Pentaflora Part 3

Here are the few layers of Pentaflora, my new show quilt.

The ring that is thicker below is the only one that hasn't been stitched yet.

Adding in the orange and light green background.

I hope you get to quilt today!

Suzy

Carpet Inspiration

Yes, I am one of those crazy ladies who loves to take pictures of carpet in hotels.  Here are a few favorites.

I hope you get to quilt today!
Suzy