Finally, Some Actual Quilting

Look what I spent Sunday morning doing! 

It's been a long time since I did any freemotion quilting at all. The last thing I did on Mom's machine was the Nancy Drew quilt. I do like the longarm, especially the part where I don't have to crawl around on the floor and pin baste, but I always got better results on my Janome.   I've usually stuck with my own machine, except for projects that were too big to comfortably handle on my own machine.

Hopefully this is the first of many quilts I'll get done this year, either by driving up to use Mom's machine, or by getting the Janome fixed, or switching to another of my own machines. Not quilting at all isn't working for me. 

Quilting With a Modern Slant

When I decided that I wanted to make quilts, my sewing machine was packed away where I couldn't easily get at it. I spent months hauling home every library book I could find, looking at patterns and reading about different techniques. I'd sewn clothing before, so I was sure that I'd be able to make a quilt. A lot of what I read went straight over my head, but a lot sunk in.

I wish I'd had Quilting with a Modern Slant by Rachel May! This book would have been a great help to me back then. It talks about quilters -- why they quilt and how they quilt. There are tutorials scattered through the book and they're not just beginner stuff. The book tells how to square up a quilt, how to dye fabric, how to piece curves, how to paper piece... even how to design your own fabric line. There are also a few patterns included.

As if that wasn't enough, there are profiles of dozens of quilters including Kaffe Fasett, Anna Maria Horner, Amy Butler, and  Chawne Kimber (She's the quilter who came up with that F word quilt. I still haven't figured out my reaction to that quilt besides being glad that I never saw it hanging at a quilt show and had to try to explain it to my children, but I do love reading her blog.) and Kaffee Fasett, Anna Maria Horner,  Amy Butler...

I love that this book tells you to use the sewing machine you already have (if you have one) and any fabric.

If you don't consider yourself a "modern quilter" don't let the title scare your off. There's information and inspiration here that will help anyone who makes quilts.

Disclosure -- the publisher provided me with an electronic ARC.