Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Help!!!!! WIP Wednesday

Another completely different week this week, and quite a bit of progress.  Firstly my math is not very good and last week I completely forgot about McFlurry when doing my stats. So I'm going to have to adjust the figures. Who am I kidding, I'm just going to ignore it and try and remember to put it in this week.

I have a question to ask. I bit the bullet this week and went back to working on Tiggly Winks.  I was NOT looking forward to doing the raw edge applique on my Pfaff, and my reservations were well founded.  I have two different feet for FMQ and both of them are, frankly, crap.  The one that would be the best because I can see where I'm going just played up from the second I started. The other foot is the original foot and is thick plastic that makes it very difficult to see what you are doing. Consequently I have to turn the fabric all the time so that I can see where I'm going. Something that you are not supposed to do when FMQing. It doesn't matter whether I'm doing raw edge applique or free motion quilting it still has the same problems.

Does anybody have any experience with FMQing on a Pfaff Quilt Expression 4.0?

If so, do you have any tips to make FMQ easier?

I hope you can help, I really like the Pfaff for everything else, I don't have any other problems with it, but it is rather ironic that a specifically designed quilting machine is crap at FMQ straight out of the box.  I've been looking at Leah Day's blog and think I might try a couple of things that she does when quilting.
Firstly change the needle plate.  Second, try and cut the original foot so it is U shaped instead of square so I can see where I'm going. I'm also going to try a super slider and leave the feed dogs up and not change the settings to FMQ. Has anybody tried any of these ideas, if so, were they any better?

Now on to my progress for the week.

Tiggly Winks

I finally pulled Tiggly Winks out of the bag it was hiding in, and put it up on the design wall.
The raw edge applique is finished. I forgot to do the binding strips for the stems so I  have to embroider these instead. I was going to start on the embroidery last night, but I decided to trapunto the applique. Is that a sentence in English?  - Trapunto the applique. -  Anyway, it took me ages to cut away all the batting. I was constantly freaking out that I was going to cut the background fabric by mistake. Amazingly I finished it without cutting the fabric at all, miracles do happen!!!!
I also started the sashing and finished the first column on the left.
I'm not feeling the love for this. I wanted to use up a couple of charm packs I had, Martinique and Oasis. I'm going to finish it and if my parents don't like it (I was thinking of giving it to them as I previously made two quilts in Martinique for them) I'll give it away. I probably should just stuff it in a box and forget about it, I might still do that!


Another couple of starflowers have been paper pieced and I've started joining them together. Unlike Tiggly Winks, I love this, it's a pleasure to sew in the evenings and I love how each fabric looks so different cut up and pieced back together. The starflowers  are just over 9 inches across.


I broke down and started a new quilt this week, you can see the design and the process here. In a nutshell, I won a Baby Go Cutter and used it to cut the HST's, a dream!!
Fabrics for HST quilt.
Fabrics pulled for this project, more have been added.
I wanted a really scrappy look and didn't want the stars to stand out too much while using a limited palette, so I'm not worrying about the value of the HST's, I'm more concerned with the overall effect of the colours and prints. The only constants are the four light HST's in the centre of the star and the off white points of each star. I started with Hometown by Sweetwater and went through my stash to find some co-ordinating prints, most of which I have no idea of what they are as I don't have the selvage and  some I've had for ages or they came in scrap packs. The blocks are 16 inches, for some strange reason I kept on thinking they were 12 inches. Math is obviously not my strong point at the moment.
Three blocks so far.

In the mail this week, another BOM. I'm crazy but, what the heck, I love love love this and I just couldn't say no to joining in. You can never have enough circles to piece, lol.  I told you I was crazy.
Beautiful, gorgeous, luscious fabric to use for the first block. Love the colours. I haven't started this yet so I'm not adding it to my stats, yet, I'm just drooling over the fabric instead.



The statistics this week:

Worked On This Week
English Paper Piecing -  two more starflowers and sewed some together
Tiggly Winks - finished the applique and started the sashing
New HST Project - (It doesn't have a name yet) cut the HST's and pieced three blocks

Sitting On The Sidelines
McFlurry backing needs to be made
Floral Bouquet need to finish top
Plume Quilt - at the long arm quilters
Circle Game BOM hmmmmm
Mystery Quilt - trying to decide which star to use on the next 7 blocks - I AM NOT GOING TO PAPER PIECE THEM!!!!

Waiting Patiently For Me To Show Some Interest
Jacobean Flower - quilting
Don't Look Now cushion - quilting

Weeks Statistics
New Projects - 1
Completed - 0
Worked On - 3
Put To The Side This Week - 5
Hyperventilating Over - 1 (Circle Game BOM)
Ignoring - 2

Linking up with Lee at Freshly Pieced for another WIP Wednesday.

WIP Wednesday at Freshly Pieced

26 comments:

  1. I won a Go!Baby too, I'm pretty excited (and got that die as well) I love what you're doing with yours, it's a great colour scheme. I also really love the joining colour for your stars. Sometimes I find choosing that fabric really hard, you want to pull it all together but not overpower, tricky, tricky. So nice work!

    ReplyDelete
  2. Wow - and phew! Congrats on your new baby! Love those cool Sweetwater blocks, very cosmopolitan.
    Think you should have a new heading in your lists entitled "Techniques I hate but have to master"!

    FMQ - a good foot does help - mine is shaped like a wee horseshoe, open at front & metal. I have a plastic one that I can't see thro.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I'm in the same Pfaffing boat as you. My next plan in to try the single stitch plate. Really hoping that magically works. Im really in love with your half triangle blocks!! I think your pinwheels are pretty too and your parents will love it!!

    ReplyDelete
  4. Great blog! I can't help you with Pfaff problem sorry! But I love your martinique quilt, and your stars, and the hometown fabrics! I love the Sue Ross BOM...I have done my blocks from a previous year...I am upto piecing the strip setting...too georgous

    ReplyDelete
  5. Particularly loving those HST blocks and those starflowers - fabulous!! The BOM looks great too!

    ReplyDelete
  6. I love your Tiggly Winks quilt! I am sure you won't have any trouble giving it away!! You have been very busy! Now that I see some of your star blocks joined I am even more determined to make these! And your HST quilt is to die for! I just don't own colours like that or I'd be making one of those tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
  7. I love your Tiggly Winks quilt! I am sure you won't have any trouble giving it away!! You have been very busy! Now that I see some of your star blocks joined I am even more determined to make these! And your HST quilt is to die for! I just don't own colours like that or I'd be making one of those tomorrow!

    ReplyDelete
  8. Great projects. Both star projects are gorgeous. Love the black you are using for the paper piecing project.

    I'm ready to hide Flurry in the closet. I'm tired of making borders. Just one set left.

    ReplyDelete
  9. Whew, you've got a lot of stuff going on! Love your starflower blocks! And I can't wait to see your finished quilt using Hometown. I adore that fabric, and your stars look very fun! That BOM looks, um, intimidating! It's beautiful though!

    ReplyDelete
  10. Wow you've been busy! Love your sweetwater blocks. Great colours.

    ReplyDelete
  11. I love that new BOM it looks a challenge and the fabrics are beautiful :-)

    ReplyDelete
  12. Can I just say, I love the fabrics you choose! Just gorgeous! Your starflowers are just beautiful. And I don't think anyone will say no to your Tiggly Winks quilt!

    ReplyDelete
  13. I'm pretty sure I didn't understand one word of this post! :) I really need to educate myself just so I can intelligently comment on your posts.

    I love the new fabric - can't wait to see the circles you make with it! The illustration looks ridiculously complicated. I bet it will be beautiful!

    ReplyDelete
  14. You've been busy girl - no idea about the foot, different machine. I love what you are doing though.

    ReplyDelete
  15. I'm sorry I can't be of any help with your foot problems! All I can say is, you do such beautiful work. Your machine doesn't seem to be slowing you down at all!

    ReplyDelete
  16. wow so much to see today!!

    I love love LOVE those new blocks! Can't say I blame you wanting to play with your new baby either.

    In regards to the fmq... I also had that same issue with my brother. I hesitantly cut out my (brand new!) plastic fmq foot so that it was "open toed" and I could see where I was going. Made the world of difference and I've NEVER regretted it!

    xx

    ReplyDelete
  17. Congrats on the new Go! Baby. I don't have a Pfaff, I use a 1951 Singer for all of my free motion quilting. I even do a lot of applique this way. If you can cut your foot so it is U shaped this will help a lot as far as seeing. When I appliquilt I stop (with the needle down) and turn my work so I can see better. Good luck!

    http://conniekresin.blogspot.com/

    ReplyDelete
  18. I LOVE your starflowers. Wow! And your HST blocks are a really fabulous combination of fabrics. I have a Go Baby, as well, with different die sets, but my friend loaned me her triangles so I'm anxious to try them.

    ReplyDelete
  19. I love those stars and your new blocks are wonderful. I don't have a Pfaff but I wonder if you can go to the store and ask them for help? Or is there an online forum on their website? I almost never drop the feed dogs anymore when I fmq and when I remember I put the super slider over them but even when I forget it seems to work fine. The horseshoe foot is best but there are ways to adjust the feet for fmq, depending on your machine so maybe that is also something you need to do on the foot that is not working well? Don't give up!

    ReplyDelete
  20. I LOVE those greyish red blocks...such a cool combo..and I´ll check to see if anyone over here ha an idea about your foot..

    ReplyDelete
  21. Love your star flowers! The little hexie in the centre is just too cute. Great idea.

    ReplyDelete
  22. Tiddly Winks is coming along nicely and those paper pieced blocks look fabulously bright and lovely.

    I wondered how long you could resist the pull of a new project and now I have my answer.

    How many BOM's is that now?

    Love the new project . Those colours and blocks are just amazing. It's going to look fabulous dar-link.

    ReplyDelete
  23. Those Amitie blocks and fabrics are just gorgeous!

    I will be interested to hear how you go with your suggestions from Leah Days blog. Just out of curiousity is your machine a top loading bobbin?

    The Tiggy winks is looking fantastic i hope you can get the FMQ sorted.

    Looks like youve got plenty to keep you busy, have fun Marg and enjoy your week!

    x

    ReplyDelete
  24. Tiggly Winks looks fantastic! That said, I totally understand about not feeling the love for a project.

    The starflowers are freaking gorgeous. I wanna do that! :-)

    Your new quilt is going to be a beauty too.

    ReplyDelete
  25. Start my new quilt thats all I ask!
    I'm thinking christmas present???? and not christmas in 2012!

    Lots of love BP

    ReplyDelete
  26. re the pfaff and its FMQ foibles. I hear you sister!! I have the same issues about not being able to see where I am going with it and also I intensely dislike the halfway mark with the presser lever. Sorry no solutions - can only sympathize. I must say I am totally in love with your star flowers. Di.

    ReplyDelete

I love comments, so please leave a comment and please make sure you have reply email set up so I can reply to you.