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Your Comfort Zone

We discussed recently how we liked to stay in our comfort zone. Well. I've just shoved me out of mine. It was not easy. Didn't ever think it would be so difficult. Usually, with the crib quilts, too much dazzle is never enough. If one bright color and print is good, three or five is better. Not so this time. The precious Robert Kaufman 'Curious Kitties' called for a setting completely out of my mindset. It didn't want anything, any color, any motion to detract from the kitties. They needed to be what you saw when you looked at the quilt. The colors I used are a cold blue, a boring beige and a gold that's pretty close to muddy. The 'fill-in' blocks are quiet 4-patches. No pinwheels, no pizza checks, no ants crawling or butterflies flittering. It almost killed me and I walked away to fun stuff like paying bills pretty often. But! Ta-Dah! I've done it. Success is very sweet. I want all of you to jump out of your comfort zone. Growing is painful sometimes but you can do it. Bungee Jumping may be going too far. How about some FM feathers or a pineapple? Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther
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I stepped out a couple of weeks ago while making a display for my shop. The blocks ended up being about 3.5" with some pieces 3/4" of inch when sewn in. I finished the wall hanging. Almost quite half way through but I had to go on as it is showcasing a new ruler that I am selling. I quickly discovered that anything smaller than a finished 4" square is not my cup of tea.

Marilyn

ant all of you

Reply to
Marilyn

There's another place I haven't been. Maybe, maybe I can persuade me to make a tiny doll bed quilt for a Christmas gift. Tell us about the ruler. What's new and special about it? Polly

"Marilyn" I stepped out a couple of weeks ago while making a display for my shop. The blocks ended up being about 3.5" with some pieces 3/4" of inch when sewn in. I finished the wall hanging. Almost quite half way through but I had to go on as it is showcasing a new ruler that I am selling. I quickly discovered that anything smaller than a finished 4" square is not my cup of tea.

Marilyn

Reply to
Polly Esther

I'm not so sure I could have resisted putting in just one tiny gray mouse to be found some where in the quilt.....Yer a better woman than I, Miss Polly!

Val

Reply to
Val

And you are a bad influence. I just may have to do that. Just a tiny gray one? Yessss. Polly

"Val" I'm not so sure I could have resisted putting in just one tiny gray mouse to

Reply to
Polly Esther

The ruler is call the x-block ruler. You create a 9 patch then put the ruler on the patch and cut around it. When squares are put together, it will give you a zig-zap look to your quilt. One of the ladies in our quilt group brought it up from Maryland as she hadn't seen it before where we are. Here is a link to a finished quilt:

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There are different size rulers ranging in size from 3.5-7.5"

Marilyn

Reply to
Marilyn

Hi Polly,

Good for you! I'm like you, if one beautiful fabric is great, more is better. I've had to learn to use solids, blenders, etc. Toning down some parts of a quilt really does make the rest stand out. But it's soooo hard! You're a good woman to make such a dramatic leap. :-)

So when do we get to see a picture?

Reply to
Michelle C

Hi Polly,

Good for you! I'm like you, if one beautiful fabric is great, more is better. I've had to learn to use solids, blenders, etc. Toning down some parts of a quilt really does make the rest stand out. But it's soooo hard! You're a good woman to make such a dramatic leap. :-)

So when do we get to see a picture?

Reply to
Michelle C

Something else I've not tried is variegated thread for MQ. Wonder which one is best? There are so many that look good enough to eat but I imagine some are more easy-going than others. Polly

"Michelle C" Hi Polly,

Reply to
Polly Esther

Polly, on the variegated threads one thing to watch for is the color change. Some change randomly every 2-5 inches- 2 in. green, 5 in. blue, 3 in. red, 4 in. yellow, 5 in. orange, 1 in. purple, etc.---- and others are very orderly- 5 in. pink, 5 in. red, 5 in. burgundy, then the pink again. I tend to prefer the more random ones, but the evenly spaced ones are pretty on repeated quilting designs- you'll find the pink is always in the same spot on every quilted motif- or not if your quilting isn't very consistent! They are lovely for stippling and other background quilting without that situation/problem. I love the Sulky Blendables in 12 or 30 wt. for MQing.

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

You are perfectly right, Val! Of course! What is a quilt without its little bit of whimsy?

Reply to
Carolyn McCarty

Leslie, 30 wt is quite a bit heavier (I think ?) than I'm used to. Do you use a green-band 90 needle with that or what? What do you use in the bobbin? Polly

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." Polly, on the variegated threads one thing to watch for is the color change.

Reply to
Polly Esther

I tend to use size 12 or 14 embroidery or metallic needles for quilting everything- I just like them, no other particular reason- unless I'm using the 12 wt. Sulky cotton thread. Then I use a general sewing use size 18 needle. I use a 40 or 50 wt. cotton in the bobbin most of the time, but I also have used Bottom Line poly thread for the bobbin and I like that, too. I can't report on the longevity of using a fine poly with a heavy cotton, but many of the 'famous' quilters love the Bottom Line threads from what I have read. I also loosen the top tension a bit since the thread is rather heavy/thick. Just my thoughts and theories!

Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Reply to
Leslie & The Furbabies in MO.

Thank you, Leslie. We'll want a progress report on the furbabies, especially Sweet Teddy. Does he look loved yet? Polly

"Leslie & The Furbabies in MO." I tend to use size 12 or 14 embroidery or metallic needles for quilting

Reply to
Polly Esther

I came across these feathers the other day. Sort of a quick tutorial. I have been adding brights to my stash. I tend to do muted stuff all with too little contrast. I am trying to get out of my comfort zone. I like to add honey bees to quilts whenever I can, just for fun. Don't have any ants around here except the live ones. Taria

Polly Esther wrote:

Reply to
Taria

Oh boy! This is not just going to be outside your comfort zone, this is going to re-write it completely. I would bet 'quite a lot'! that, once you have used variegated, you will be first in the queue for every new colour group that is brought out; you will need a new cabinet for storing them and you will wonder how you ever lived without them.

I love Aurifil, Sulky and King Tut. . In message , Polly Esther writes

Reply to
Patti

That's a really fun effect - good advertising for a ruler :-)

Hanne > The ruler is call the x-block ruler. You create a 9 patch then put

Reply to
Hanne Gottliebsen

Do you have a picture? I was looking at this fabric the other day and thought attic windows maybe.

L>We discussed recently how we liked to stay in our comfort zone. Well. I've

Linda PATCHogue, NY

Reply to
WitchyStitcher

Attic windows would be great, Linda, but you couldn't put it together in a hurry. Every one of the blocks in the panel is a different size, no measurement we're used to and slightly wonky. Other than that . . . you have to put your brain into a boring mindset. Polly

Reply to
Polly Esther

Oh boy, I adore variegated thread! So many gorgeous ones. YLI makes BIG cones of cotton, so you don't run out. I like King Tut. Then there are the stunning hand-dyed ones (best to use the thicker #30) from Valdani. Plenty from Sulky, decent quality, work well.

The great th>Something else I've not tried is variegated thread for MQ. Wonder which one

Reply to
Roberta

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