Practice, Practice, Practice

I'm beginning to think about preparing to start to commence studying a possible plan for quilting this recent Rocky Road to Kansas.  Yes, my brain is NOT focused, and every time I get on a direction, some diddly nothing changes my direction - what's with that???

Here are some samples, and disappointments, or I should say, "not yet successful designs."  I was thrilled with the first McTavishing  (diamond on the right) but by the time I got to the bottom, hypnosis seems to have taken over and I totally became "lost" in the design!  Yes, I remember about half-way finished, "perhaps I need to stop for a few seconds" but I didn't.

The diamond on the left is OK and I might use it, but in softer threads.  The wonky triangles in the top middle look interesting and not as difficult as I thought.

The wiggly lines in bottom center have the right "feel" for my scrappy stars, if I use a soft blue/gray thread.

I've not machine quilted since ??? spring -- hey, a person gets rusty!  It's amazing how much improved a design becomes with a little practice.

This second practice piece is almost a total loss!  The "wormy" thing on the bottom left has possibilities.  I was using my own imagination which has a mind of it's own every 2-3 seconds! Even poor practice results are better then no results at all.  If you are not appreciating my dark thread, remember that a thread that blends will alter your surface dramatically.

My practice pieces are saved in a 3-ring binder in page protectors, just like PatsyThompson Designs.com suggests.  Many times I can't think of any design, but that practice binder always has reminders.

I am also practicing designs from www.FreeMotionProject.com, by Leah Day.  I own her big beautiful book, and added a spiral binding to it.  Free tutorials of all her designs from her book are on her site. These two generous machine quilters have given so freely.

Waxwings and Practicing

When the Bohemian Waxwings swoop through I feel like it's soon spring.  They are here one day, and gone the next.  They come through in a bunch, flit about like crazy and always stop for water.   I took 7 photos - this was the only one where they stayed still long enough!  Have you ever wondered how they drink?  Do they suck it up like a straw or what???  One bird scooped it up, using it's beak like a ladle, tipped it's head back with it's beak open.  Glug, glug, glug. 

It may be spring, but our grass and iris bed is still yucky.

Today, I decided to practice quilting circles -- mmmm -- harder than I thought - I just couldn't stay on the lines, then I see I've changed my circles to squarish things and still not staying on the lines.   I think my circles will be easier with a thicker thread, and a thread that is a similar color to the background of blue strings.  We'll see.

Also, I tried practicing one version of Baptist Fans.  I need to keep them small for my hand movements, but I'm liking this as an overall background.   I save my practice pieces in a notebook -- just like PatsyThompsonDesigns.com suggests -- you never know when a practice piece will suggest just the right effect!