A PRACTICE PIECE TURNED PILLOW...

Today is a ME day.  There are no doctors today (5 this week) and Dear Hubby has to go to a dinner meeting after work.  So I can stay in all day and don't have to think about anything other than my Aunt's quilt!  Good thing, too, I really need to pick up the pace if I am going to accomplish everything else on my Christmas Gift List!

I have finished the walking foot quilting (parts were a BEAR) and I may try to perfect my FMQ straight lines so that I don't ever again have to fight with turning a quilt through the small throat of my machine!  After a while I started pulling the quilt out and feeding it in the other way, but it is EXHAUSTING! 

I had four more blocks where I had wanted to put an embroidered/quilted shoe.  Nothing colorful or detailed, just a shoe used as the quilting in the block.  I learned the hard way (don't ask) never to do anything on my good piece until I have tried it on scrap material and know that the size, shape, color, etc. is exactly what I am expecting it to be, lol. 

So, as usual, I drew out blocks the size that are on my quilt and did a few samples.  It turned out that I liked the sample piece so much that I added some more embroidery  and a bit of FMQ.  I just pulled it out of my machine and I AM LOVING IT!  I still have to wash out my markings, iron it and make a back to turn it into a pillow cover but I'm thrilled...and I'm becoming more and more comfortable with FMQ!

So...what do you think? 

I love the way the tight FMQ almost gives it a gathered "ribboned" effect.  Had I known I was going to make a pillow with my practice shoes, I probaby would have alternated the colors.  But, I love it just the way it is, and the parts most likely to get dirty from resting her head on them are the darker color.  The picture really doesn't do it justice...it sorta looks all fuzzy, and grayish etc...which isn't really the case in person.  It's a solid dark black!

Oh, in case you don't know (or don't remember) my Aunt's quilt is named, "Call Me Imelda", hence the royal shield in the center, lol. 

I think I am going to try to do a tiny bit of FMQ on the quilt after I am done eating dinner.  Leftover Chinese for me...no prep, which will get me back to my sewing room quicker!

Have a great evening!