I am celebrating with Amanda Jean from Crazy Mom Quilts as she kicks off a blog hop for her new book "No Scrap Left Behind". Amanda Jean is such a generous person and has freely shared so many wonderful tips, creative ideas and quiltalongs over the years. So when she publishes another book, I want to support her! As soon as I heard about the book I pre-ordered it and have enjoyed reading her new ideas and seeing her fabulous scrappy quilts. Click here to see the blogs on the celebration tour and enter the daily draws for free copies of the book.With one week left to the finish line, my April UFO (which started with a Crazy Mom Quilts quiltalong!) has been pin basted.
This quilt insisted that the quilting design had to be the spiral pattern, which is also something I learned from Crazy Mom Quilter Amanda Jean Nyberg from her tutorial here. I have quilted this design once before and remembered that the beginning of the spiral is a little tricky using the free motion foot, but when you change to the walking foot, it's a little easier.
However, you are shoving half of the quilt continuously through the harp of your sewing machine, around and around, trying to keep the curves smooth. Shoving the quilt through the machine and repositioning it constantly means that your shoulders and hands will be aching, but it's the price you pay for leaving it to the last week and trying to finish it before the end of the month! LOL
An important spiral quilting tip - always make the spiral go clockwise, or the bulk of the quilt will accumulate to the right of the needle in the harp of the machine, instead of to the left of the needle and you will not be happy!
15 comments:
I very much appreciate how much effort has gone into this quilt! It looks great and the spiral quilting is a great finishing touch. I'm glad you gave in to my gentle coercion and made a scrap vortex quilt!
This is such a fabulous scrap quilt. Great hint about going clockwise - i never would have thought of that!
looks great! I tried spiral quilting for a quilt once but took it out and started over again with a different design the center kept wanting to pop up like a tent - I don't know what I was doing wrong but I rarely machine quilt so it was me I know
How will a spiral design fit on a rectangular quilt? Can't wait to see.
what a wonderful scrappy quilt. Good luck with finishing it this week.
Such a perfect quilting design for the Vortex! Have fun swirling around this week.
great way to do it!
your spiral is working so well, the quilt is looking so good love a scrappy quilt. Will look out for the book though last night whilst I could not sleep I promised myself no more fabric or books as I have house full and the books seem to get bought and put on the bookcase and are rarely looked at might have to break my promise now though!
Ohhh love it! You are so right...no scrap left behind, for sure!
I have her book and it is wonderful--hugs, Julierose
That is a lot of quilt to maneuver thru the sewing machine. One thing you forgot to list as a prerequisite before beginning quilting and one which can take a lot of frustrating time is setting the tension so the FMQ goes smoothly and evenly. AARRGGHH!
Haven't tried spiral quilting. MUST give it a try!!
I don't really understand what you are saying about spirals going clockwise or counter clockwise...I'll have to try it out and see what you mean.
That is really fabulous.
Great tip. I really need to practice my machine quilting. I have gotten into the walking foot wiggle rut.... but hey - some quilts are getting finished! Love the Vortex. Good luck and maybe a massage as a reward when it is done?
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