Making Marks for Determining a Quilting Design

When I want to quilt a pattern on a quilt quickly I go with a simple design like a straight line or a meander and I don't do too much prep work.  Just the basics.  Sometimes not much at all, if you know what I mean!

I am Queen of the Throw the Quilt On the Frame and Get It Done In An Hour Club.  Of course that is why I have 28 million quilts waiting to be quilted.  Right?

But sometimes I have the desire to do a really nice quilt that begs for more thoughtful quilting.  One that combines what I learned when I took that class at QuiltCon with Krista Withers with the books from Angela Walters and Natalia Bonner and listening and watching my friend Patty the Quilt Lady work.  It is a unique learning set that had a bit of this and a little of that mixed with some of this other thing.

Here is one of the ways I decide what pattern to quilt in the blocks of my quilts.  I thought I might show you one of the tools I use.

I got this piece of plexiglass from Lowes.  I asked them to cut it to the size I wanted, which was 16 x 24 inches.  I wanted it to fit inside the arm of my longarm bed so I could make marks on the area I was getting ready to quilt.  Auditioning the quilting.  but I think I might get a few more smaller ones like a 12 x 12 and a 8 x 8 maybe.

The first thing I did, well, I did it as an after the fact thought, was to tape the edges in blue tape so I could see them.  I say after the fact because I ran off the edge (a few times before I wizened up enough to put the tape on the edges).

You will need some markers.  Wet erase, not dry erase.  A spray bottle of water. Some  paper towels.  A quilt.

I test draw a few things, if you don't like it, just wipe it off!  If you do like it, take a picture of it!  no stress at all!

These wet erase markers are NOT to be used on your quilt!  Only on your plexiglass!

I did some swirls here, might be nice.  I would use white thread in the white areas, so it would blend in so much better.  And there are no white markers, so we have to just imagine.  But we quilters are very good at that, aren't we?


 Here are some leaves for the background.  This bird is in the trees.  Maybe some branches would be good in here too!  You can get creative with the markers because you can draw and erase here.   Whatever you can think of,  PLAY.

You can't do that with your sewing line!  Well, you can.  It is called RIPPING!

 Here is a billowy cloud background.  And a different wing treatment.  His body is one of my favorite motifs, circles. 





and I think the HSTs might need to be hand quilted with large stitches.  And that might not make the deadline to be competed by Tennessee.  But we will see how far we get.

OK.

So get you to the store and get a plexiglass. 

Sneak Peak of the BE+1 quilt

I got it partially quilted last night before The Good Wife came on.  I love that show.  She is so 'every woman' in the part she plays.  Some of the things her egotistical husband does to her, well, she is as saint. I love her.  And I love the new guy they introduced last night!

Don't You Love Her Madly will be off the frame today and I will have a binding ready for tonight.  

It is my own design, all from my mind, no pattern, no copy from anyone, all mine!

I have severeal things to work on, I need some finishes!  All the work I did in Sept (and all the problems I had), need to evolve into productivity in October. 

I am looking forward to an exciting meeting.  However, this is a very traditional group, so we shall see what my design says to them. 

Designing A Block No One Has Ever Seen Before

Designing a block no one has ever seen before is easy as pie!

I knew what I wanted to do but needed some information inspiration.  Pinterest!!!!!!  My new best friend.

And Craft Paper!  From a friend. (Thanks Tracy!)

And Help From a Friend........Frank! I just needed him to hold the dog leash while I drew lines and to say "Oh, you are SOOOOOO smart and beautiful AND talented!" 

Hey, wait, dog leash???  you ask, incredulously.  Yes, a dog leash.  You will see how perfect it was.

I have been looking at Pinterest at pictures of oil derricks for the last few days.  They are pretty much alike but from different angles.  I narrowed down an idea in my mind:  full frontal view, minimal lines and maximum height.  I needed to be about 4 to 4 1/2 feet tall and not too wide because I wanted them to be tall and thin, in an exaggerated way. 

And Industrial.  Very industrial looking.  I have big plans for this baby. the first one will be my test block. 

I wanted it in black and white.  Like I said, very industrial looking.

Measuring my paper, I decided on about 36 inches overall height.  I sketched out a basic plan.  It will by default, be a bit larger, but I am counting on that.  I sectioned off the scaffolding sections getting smaller as it went up, but in a natural looking way.  When I had what I thought would look good, I measured it off on the paper.

I needed a slight angle for the sides.  The only thing I could find that was long enough was a dog leash.  So I asked him to hold one side, while I pulled the other side straight and drew a long line exactly where I wanted it to be at the exact angle I needed.  That way I could see what angle I needed on each side.  He wanted to go outside and get all these tools and angles, but a do leash worked perfectly well.

Then I had to decide on a pattern for each segment of the rig scaffolding.  And tomorrow I will test it to make sure my thoughts are accurate in the way it will work.  I am pretty sure I am correct in what it will do when I add the strips.  And I also realized that I need to add the strips in a particular order to get the look I want.  That did occur to me at some point. 



 As you can see, I am not afraid to work outside the box.  This will be way cool, and I won't even say IF it works, because I am SURE it will work!  LOL. 

Yes, we shall see tomorrow.  Yes, we shall see..........