Wednesday, January 8, 2014

KISMIF BLOG BUTTON

Modern Tradition Quilts

Tuesday, January 7, 2014

KISMIF #7--LEAVES

Stay tuned....next week will be the opening day for a new Giveaway!

Modern Tradition Quilts

YAY!  I finally got a working blog button.  I couldn't get the "copy and paste"-"fill in the blank" method to work, BUT...I did find a cool free app on the internet called the "Grab My Button" Code Generator.  As long as your image is at an accessible URL (one of the mistakes I kept making), it works PERFECTLY and the textbox's color is even customizeable!  I love it!  Thank you!

And now... for the weekly Free-Motion Quilting (FMQ) thread-path tutorial.  Remember to Keep It Simple & Make It Fun (KISMIF).

HOW TO PRACTICE (If you're a regular reader, you can skip this paragraph. :)  As with all of my pantographs, the starting point is marked with a red star and the exit is marked with a blue smaller star.  Trace the panto in the order of the numbers following the direction the arrows indicate.  To practice them for long-arm style machine quilting, trace the panto initially, then repeatedly sketch until you're comfortable on a dry-erase board.  If you use sit-down or domestic style machine quilting, have someone hold a dry-erase marker vertical and in the same spot for you.  Then move the dry-erase board around repeatedly until you feel comfortable with the motif.


Note, to view a thread path for a Holly Leaf vine, scroll down or click Holly Leaf & Poisettia.  It was previously featured.


Here is my thread-path for a basic leaf vine.   It is one of my most requested vines and looks great on just about everything!








To quilt this thread-path, start at the red star and go in (1) and create a small stem.  Back-track out (2) on the same line, or as close to it as you can.  Sometimes I miss the EXACT line, but it still looks great, KISMIF!  Follow the basic leaf shape around (3) and finish at the base of the leaf, then travel over (4) and do the next leaf.  I like to have the leaves alternate pointing up and down.  It is also helpful to have the leaves point at a patchwork seam as this often spaces them evenly without marking them.

Here is a fun option if you'd like to add swirls and loop the loops to your vine.  It is so simple to quilt but looks AMAZING!



You can even drive it off a long-arm vine to increase its effect and coverage area:




The oak leaf thread-path is very similar:






To quilt this thread-path, start at the red star and go in (1) and create a small stem.  Back-track out (2) on the same line, or as close to it as you can.  Sometimes I miss the EXACT line, but it still looks great, KISMIF!  Follow the basic leaf shape around (3) and finish at the base of the leaf, then travel over (4) and do the next leaf.  I like to have the leaves alternate pointing up and down.  It is also helpful to have the leaves point at a patchwork seam as this often spaces them evenly without marking them.

This fern leaf uses the same thread-path and looks awesome on tropical quilts with batik fabrics:

 I hope you enjoyed this post!  Until next time, remember when machine quilting, keep it simple and make it fun!  After all, it's your project!

Now it's your turn to share something "FUN" you've been working on this week.  This is my first linky party and I hope to continue it every Tuesday throughout the year!  I can't wait to see your projects!

 

Monday, January 6, 2014

2013 Finishes

Hello again!  I hope you're having a Happy New Year.  Before I get  to my weekly KISMIF (Keep It Simple, Make It Fun) thread-path post, I'm jumping on the bandwagon.  I've noticed a lot of quilters have posted their 2013 finishes and I thought I would share some of mine!

2013 New Patterns & Connecting Threads fabric sponsor. All of these patterns can be downloaded from my Etsy Shop, Modern Tradition Quilts, Pattern Spot, Connecting Threads and Craftsy (a scroll craftlet app is on my LHS side bar).


  Visit shanmodtraditio's Craftsy Pattern Store »
I was featured for first time ever on Moda Bake Shop and then a second time!  What a surprise!








And of course, more machine quilting customer quilts.  (This is an incomplete list as I don't photograph or have permissions to post all of my customer's quilts.)