Wonky Stars Spiraling Out of Control

I've been dying to try spiral machine quilting. There are so many lovely examples on the web. After reading a tutorial or two, I decided to give it a shot with this quilt top that's been been sitting around my sewing room for way too long.

My wonderful sewing machine has one major flaw - the walking foot does not have a quilting bar/guide. Not good for spiral quilting. Actually, not good for straight line quilting, either.

If any of you out there own a Juki 2010Q (or similar Juki), please let me know how you manage this. Did you find a different walking with a guide? Do tell.

Sans guide, I simply eyeballed the spiral. I drew a little circle with a fabric marking pencil as a starting point and went for it. All the tutorials say to start very slowly. They aren't kidding. 

Here's the finished product. Wonky spirals to go with wonky stars!

The perfectionist in me is going nuts, but the realist says let it go.

Wow, that quilting looks really bad. Funny bad!

At least it's sorta okay from a distance...

Practice makes perfect, right?

Happy sewing,

-Annik

Buried Under a Pile of WIP's

Do you ever feel like you can't finish anything? That's how I've been feeling lately. My WIP pile is so large it's threatening to bury me alive. When I get stuck in one of these ruts I like to make (and finish) a really small project. Mug rug to the rescue!

I'm dying to finish up the Four's a Charm series, but I'm still getting to know my new sewing machine. Here she is. Isn't she a beauty?

It's been an adventure getting used to the thread cutter on the foot control, but I think I've got the hang of it now. I miss my 1/4" piecing foot on my Janome, but I'm sure the seam guide will start to feel second nature soon. So far I've pieced a placemat and a mug rug with the Juki. Then I did a straight line whole cloth quilt with one of my favorite fabric prints of all times. It's called "Around the World" by Alexander Henry. I found this piece in the remnants bin at Bolt in Portland, Oregon. I knew right away that I couldn't go home without it.

Last night I stayed up late meandering on this placemat -

This machine quilts so beautifully. The stitches are just so dang perfect!

This afternoon I practiced more complicated free motion stuff while my daughter napped. I clearly need some practice.

Please don't judge. I'm no expert.

I definitely see a few more mug rugs and placemats in my future before I hit the giant WIP pile.

If you need me, I'm buried under a pile of fabric.

Happy crafting,
-Annik

Eager Anticipation

I'm all itchy and twitchy today. Want to know why? Today my new sewing machine arrives!! I've been dying for a new sewing machine for some time - specifically one with a larger harp for machine quilting anything larger than a small throw. Then last week my husband said, "I think you should order that machine." He was probably sick of seeing a photo of it every time he opened up the laptop. Ha! So what am I getting?

Drum roll please....

A Juki TL-2010Q

Oh, I might collapse in excitement when the UPS truck pull up to the house this evening!

In the meantime, my Viking is in the shop getting a tune up so it'll be in tip top shape for it's next owner (hopefully to be found quickly via word of mouth or Craigslist).

We're supposed to get a big snow storm tomorrow (I've really missed the white stuff this year). No better time to hunker down in the sewing room and learn about my new machine. Thanks, Mother Nature, and thanks to my dear hubby.

What's your dream sewing machine and why? I'd love to hear all about it.

-Annik