Just when you think you are almost done...

I really want to share my quilting knowledge. So, I thought that I would post a tutorial (these samples were made purely for this "tutorial", wink-wink). Above is an example of what can happen when you are quilting late at night, maybe after a crazy day, maybe you are just trying to pound out the stitches....what-have-you....

I am going to continue in a step by step format, because I feel that it will be more obvious to beginners about how these problems can and do happen... and how if you are "experienced", such as myself, how to AVOID them.

1)When free-motion quilting, make sure to sew faster than your eyes can see. This enables you to sew through any number of layers of fabric and not even feel it.
2)Make sure that you have lots of floppy extra fabric so that when you are sewing at top speed, it can fold over and create neat pseudo-reverse applique effect.

3)Make sure that you do this to at least 2 corners of your project, and don't notice it all at once. This way you can use your seam ripper on the first corner. You will release all of your pent up swear words. Then when you see the second, much worse corner you will be able to expand your technique to little scissors and thread pulling.

4)Make sure that you are listening to a podcast while you are perfecting your fabric destroying technique. (Something crafty is preferable.)

5)Laugh at your mistakes....ALOT. It helps also to remember that, it will happen again, maybe not today, or tomorrow....but most likely on a project that you are trying to finish on a deadline.

Everyone needs to just try free-motion quilting, you might like it!

:)

***Helpful hints***

At the quilting stores they have these "fancy" gloves with traction fingers and super-grip and stuff. DON'T BUY THEM! They are like $12.99, and they are the EXACT same things as the ones sold for the "dudes" at the home building store (Like Home Depot...) I think that I paid between $2.50-$4.00 for mine. (OK, I know that mine are black and the ones at the fancy quilting store are lavender...black is far more slimming!) This incarnation of the "dexterity" gloves is the best so far. They are thin, non-smelly and have GREAT traction. I have tried just about everything else...the little finger condoms, baggy knit gloves with the dots...they all are simply trash as far as I am concerned.

Don't get ripped off because you don't know, go to the tool section and get yourself a pair of sticky gloves.

My kids were so cute this morning...my husband has been off hunting this week and I am not a morning person... but the oldest one smiled for the camera and the youngest had on a "ducky-Moses" headscarf... How could I stay grumpy when faced with these mugs?

JMB