PPP Paying off finally!

This may not look like a big step in improvement but it's exciting to me to finally be able to see improvement in each practice & starting each succeeding practice session at a little bit higher level of skill.  I thought this fabric would be a perfect piece to practice precision.  I have a hard time hitting my mark on this powerful longarm sewing machine.

My first session (but after 4 hrs).  I admit to being discouraged at not any improvement in 4 hrs.

Then I put my needlebar out of alignment when the bobbin did not go in securely & I was trying to fix that all May, every weekend.  My longarm dealer Jeff Benedict finally saved my life & fixed it.

So the rest of that weekend Jeff fixed it I practiced some more & then had migraines knock me out for the next 5 days.  Stops & starts have been the routine for the past 2 years & the reason I think I can hold the title of longarming's longest beginner.  But I am finally making progress so there's something to dogged persistence.  I'm figuring out little formulas to do this without the ability to stand up at my stand up machine.  So here's this weekend's practice.  This is still wonky but I can definitely hit my mark most of the time.  This is SO encouraging to me!  (don't you love this fabric?!)

 

When machine repairs make you go Ugh, Take a Break & Make a Mugrug

I spent a good part of Saturday & Sunday trying to make a repair on the longarm & made a mess of it.  When I finally get the needle bar adjusted, the biggest challenge is to get it all back together again.

So Sunday night being frustrated by the lost weekend, I had to redeem a little bit of the weekend by making a birthday gift.  A mugrug.  I've been wanting to try some of Lori Kennedy's wonderful free motion designs at http://theinboxjaunt.com/2014/04/22/a-is-for-apple-a-free-motion-quilt-tutorial/.
I love how this turned out.

Patti Practicing Pantos for Perfection

Well no perfection yet but I love practicing pantographs on fleece.  I love the luxurious texture.  I wonder who had this idea?  (double click for closer view)

Last Monday in April, Scroll Flower Continues

I think this is the last week for the Scroll Flower on Amy's Free Motion Adventures.  I really appreciate having several weeks to concentrate on one design.  I'm learning that it comes eventually but I would have not pursued it this long.  Of course, I can't spend a month on everything but it is confidence building that it will come.  You can see Amy's site by clicking  on her button to the right.
I want to stitch this out a couple more times but this is the balanced design I wanted.  Thank you Amy for the second video.  It was the missing link for me.

 

 

New all over design to learn

This past Monday Amy http://www.bloglovin.com/frame?post=2648296251&group=0&frame_type=a&blog=4987215&link=aHR0cDovL2ZyZWVtb3Rpb25xdWlsdGluZ2FkdmVudHVyZXMuYmxvZ3Nwb3QuY29tLzIwMTQvMDQvZnJlZS1tb3Rpb24tbW9uZGF5LXF1aWx0aW5nLWFkdmVudHVyZXNfMTQuaHRtbA&frame=1&click=0&user=0started a new design for us to practice on.  I just had time last week to doodle it on paper.  Again, I find my first attempts cramped & I tend to get stuck without an easy flow to the next flower.

 

So I tried to loosen it up & for now bigger is smoother for me.

 

Last week of McTavishing Quilt Along

This is the last week of the McTavishing Quilt Along at Amy's Free Motion Quilting:  http://freemotionquiltingadventures.blogspot.com/2014/03/mctavishing-monday-5-free-motion-link.html
This week  I found some smoother curves & lines.  I'm so glad to finally see them!

 

 

Week 3 Amy's Free Motion Quilt Along

"http://freemotionquiltingadventures.blogspot.com/p/blog-page_16.html"

This week I tried to loosen up which made a bit of improvement.  This first picture is the finishing of one of last week's practice sample. This is on my domestic machine. 

 This next pictures is my first attempt on the longarm