Thursday, February 2, 2012

OKAY, DON'T LAUGH!!! I WON'T LAUGH AT YOURS!!

I got my dry erase board out to practice the tear drops for feathering....trust me, I need a lot of practice. This has to do with the FMQ Challenge over at Sew Cal Gal's blog.


Now don't laugh. I tried to do it her way but I am just having a hard time with it. Okay, so I am laughing....but only I can....

This is me getting frustrated....good thing I am not a cursing woman.... I just started doodling all over this fabric, even over all ready stitched areas.

I can only get halfway decent ones this way.... I understand Diane's reasoning about doing a double stem, so you don't have a lot of thread in the middle but I just can't wrap my head around it. So...more practice for me.

I practice in between projects....so off I go again....ta ta!!
at

37 comments:

  1. Denise :)February 2, 2012 at 3:45 PM

    I'm feeling fairly certain that my first attempt won't look this good. LOL! I got the heart table topper -- it's *beautiful*! I'm getting ready to upload a post about it now!! Thank you so much, Barb!!! :)

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  2. Vroomans' QuiltsFebruary 2, 2012 at 3:52 PM

    Oh, I won't laugh as I do the same angry doodle when I lose control. My left to right movement is wonderful, it's the right to left flow that just goes awry.

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  3. DebbieFebruary 2, 2012 at 4:06 PM

    Not laughing, but sharing your frustration! I have been drawing all morning with little success. One side is acceptable and the other is going somewhere else. More drawing practice for me before I try it with thread.

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  4. FionaFebruary 2, 2012 at 4:32 PM

    you are giving it a go.. that thinner gentle curved one looks pretty good.... I think we have got ourselves on a forever learning roller coaster... it was a very good tutorial...
    Hugz

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  5. MelindaFebruary 2, 2012 at 4:50 PM

    Barb - it took me a long time to get comfortable with feathers but one day (after practice, practice, practice) it just clicked. I love feathers!

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  6. LynetteFebruary 2, 2012 at 5:13 PM

    hehe I think we're all in the "I won't laugh at you if you won't laugh at me" boat. :D

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  7. FreddieFebruary 2, 2012 at 5:26 PM

    I tried FMQ last year and even booked myself onto a course. It was doomed to failure when I realised I couldn't even draw the designs with pen and paper. I think your effort is way better than anything I could manage.

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  8. TammyFebruary 2, 2012 at 5:49 PM

    oh Barb, I'm so glad I'm not the only one struggling with these feathers. Diane's feathers are absolutely gorgeous! Mine are more of a lob-sided uneven variety. I've been drawing pages and pages of feathers Diane's way trying to get the tear drop shape to flow smoothly along the stem. This is really challenging. Your feathers on the single stem look really nice.

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  9. Quilter KathyFebruary 2, 2012 at 5:55 PM

    It will get easier...your white feathers look like they are lovely!

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  10. beaquilterFebruary 2, 2012 at 6:45 PM

    you'll get the hang of it, feathers take lots of practice, on the dry erase board also draw the spine and the practice going back down and doing the feathers attached to the spine, like you do when you quilt, you don't have to do the echo back down, try to do the feathers from the top and down on the other side, some people make easier feathers that way, you just have to play with it :-)

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  11. AnnieFebruary 2, 2012 at 6:54 PM

    Ok, not laughing. I avoid fmq'ing at all costs. I don't like doing it. So, more power to ya for all that practicing! I'm sure it will all be worth it in the end.

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  12. Kelli Fannin QuiltsFebruary 2, 2012 at 7:10 PM

    No laughing here.. I admire your courage. I am still too chicken to do much FMQ. Great job! xo

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  13. sandraFebruary 2, 2012 at 7:14 PM

    I would never laugh at anybody who is making a good try at doing this because it is much better then I can do. Keep practicing Ican see improvement. Blessings

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  14. Gene BlackFebruary 2, 2012 at 7:42 PM

    I am not laughing...I can't make a feather, I can't even draw it right!

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  15. RachelFebruary 2, 2012 at 7:43 PM

    Looks pretty good to me, Barb. It just takes some practice. Put classical music on and FMQ to the melody - I'm not kidding. Hey, if I can do feathers, anybody can do them!

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  16. Jackie's StitchesFebruary 2, 2012 at 7:59 PM

    I haven't made my first attempt yet. I can guarantee that your efforts are far better than mine will be. I like the idea of practicing on paper or on a white board first. I really need to do that! You're a beautiful quilter!

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  17. Mary L.February 2, 2012 at 8:00 PM

    I always thing of the feathers as question mark shapes. That helps me keep them the right shape. Don't give up..you'll get better each time you do it.

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  18. CarolFebruary 2, 2012 at 8:44 PM

    I still have to give this a try. I can see improvement in your feathers between the first picture and the last -- good job!

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  19. TerryFebruary 2, 2012 at 9:34 PM

    I've not even tried feathers, but I imagine yours look a lot better than mine would!

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  20. ktquiltsFebruary 2, 2012 at 9:48 PM

    I haven't even tried yet. I must say I am not looking forward to it. I have also had the worry that if it is this hard now, how am I ever going to make it through the year?

    I am not laughing, but when I post mine, I promise I won't mind if you do!

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  21. JoannaFebruary 2, 2012 at 11:10 PM

    You won't catch me laughing; we're in the same boat. But I can see real improvement in that last picture. That stitching looks good. By the end of the month you'll be a pro.

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  22. Wacky WomanFebruary 2, 2012 at 11:28 PM

    I'm scared of feathers. Really scared.

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  23. SewCalGalFebruary 2, 2012 at 11:59 PM

    Did you sneak into my sewing room and take photos of some of my practice quilt sandwiches? Seriously, I know I've created feathers like this before.

    You are doing a great job, but this design does take practice. Doodle. Close your eyes and visualize the movement. Try one feather plume only until you feel comfortable with it, before you worry about the multi plume feather. Just don't give up. If I can learn to do this, I'm confident you can.

    SewCalGal
    www.sewcalgal.blogspot.com

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  24. SusanFebruary 3, 2012 at 7:48 AM

    I am not laughing I can't draw or stitch that well. My hands shake too much and the sewing machine or quilting machine goes crazy. But then that is me and I love what I do. I am not looking for perfection. I do what I do out of love. Your feathers are lovely
    Hugs
    Susan

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  25. Carrie P.February 3, 2012 at 9:13 AM

    Well at least you are trying. Your last photo actually looks great to me. I hope to give it a try next week.

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  26. Jean(ie)February 3, 2012 at 10:06 AM

    Keep at it.. you can do it!!!!!!!! Just keep trying. Your white ones are beautiful!!!!! Channel that energy and do it again!

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  27. SashaFebruary 3, 2012 at 11:09 AM

    I think that looks amazing for your first try!! I don't think I'll ever be able to even FMQ that well!!!

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  28. SnoodlesFebruary 3, 2012 at 1:24 PM

    I'm not laughing, OK? Smiling, yes. Laughing, no. I'm smiling because you are funny. :) You are way more brave than I, and I think that is really looking good in that last photo!

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  29. MargaritaFebruary 4, 2012 at 5:30 AM

    I am not laughing either Barb, I am trying it too, and I cant draw either. You are doing well. I think it is extremely hard to get your hands/foot and the sewing machine all working together

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  30. HilachasFebruary 4, 2012 at 9:30 AM

    Sorry, I'm laughing because yours look just like my first attempts. Your end result is terrific.

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  31. Jean February 5, 2012 at 12:00 AM

    keep trying, practice makes perfect!

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  32. MCFebruary 5, 2012 at 6:22 PM

    I haven't managed to draw the teardrop shape on paper properly yet, so way to go on your first practice piece!

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  33. JJFebruary 5, 2012 at 9:42 PM

    Feathers are not the easiest design to master. I can do one direction okay but the other way just turns out odd looking. More practice is in order I guess.

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  34. Marjorie's Busy CornerFebruary 6, 2012 at 5:12 PM

    Don't feel one bit bad about this.....mine look exactly the same...you're brave to post yours...not me...not yet...lol
    I can't even draw it on paper to look like a feather....darn!!!

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  35. Diane WildFebruary 7, 2012 at 2:24 PM

    I feel your pain. My sewing machine is in the shop for a tune up so I'm only able to draw feathers on paper. Mine are a bit wonky. I've done feathers before but not like Diane's and my memory muscle is confused. Keep practicing.

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  36. KristaFebruary 9, 2012 at 1:21 AM

    It's O.K. if you laugh at mine too! It's nice that you don't take yourself too seriously and are having fun (It is fun, right...?) =)
    Your post on this was refreshing. I was getting depressed (or maybe jealous) of everyone else's perfect feathers! Yours don't look that bad at all!

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  37. KerstinFebruary 21, 2012 at 10:14 AM

    Im not laughing. I feel with you. Im to st... to do it her way also. I can't follow a drawn line. So I just went for it with out drawing it first. I get better with every try. (there are still a lot of trys needed for me. lol.

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