FMQ or Eyeing the Line

I'm quilting again.  Got my mystery quilt fixed.

I had washed the flannel back after I had cut it down (bad girl) and it shrunk on two sides.  Since I was doing this QAYG, I didn't notice till I had three rows on (the batting was bigger so I couldn't judge by that).  So I added a pink border all around it to make the back big enough.  Here's what the front looks like:

While I did assemble this using QAYG and row by row - I didn't quilt a lot of it because, surprise! - I can now more easily quilt a 42" top.  I'm making progress!  Because this had so many strong diagonal lines, I decided to quilt it on those lines.  The top picture shows my first line - a diagonal from corner to corner.  

I call this eyeing the line because I'm not going to mark the lines with Frixon pen or chalk lines.  I'm going to eye the line ahead of the needle to the next small block.  Even though I'm using my walking foot, I'm guiding it, so to me it's sort of like free motion.  I wouldn't have been able to do this if I hadn't watched Leah's video on straight line (or SITD) quilting.  To me that is still harder than stippling or a meander.  Hope you got a chance to quilt today!  I'm linking to Leah's Free Motion Project on Friday and Sarah's Can I get a Whoop Whoop. Congrats, Leah, on your finish,  and to Sarah for getting her longarm back running.

Hexagon Friday

Got another flower made for my part 5 Soupcon and some more prepped.  Thought I'd have a lot of sit down time, but I didn't.  So the only one I got made was one at the Opthamologist office while I waited for my mother. That took 2 hours, but the time flew as I was doing hexies.  I've decided to change threads when I sew different parts and I like the finish better. Takes a little more time, but worth it.

I stumbled on a blog post about using a hexagon punch to make the templates out of insert cards in magazines.  I checked Jo-Ann's and Michaels and they both have it - just not willing to pay the price they want for them.  So I went to Geta Gama's blog and found templates for my next hexie project.

I looked through a couple of magazines and pulled out those insert cards - they're just the right thickness for hexagon pieces.  I printed a page from Geta's free pages and cut out a template and then used it to cut one from thin teflon.  I  got five hexagon pieces from one card!  I love recycling.  Now whenever I go through a magazine I'll be saving those cards to make more hexies.  Maybe when that punch is 50% off and I have a 15-20% off total purchase coupon, I'll buy one. 

What have you been up to? Would love to see your eye candy - hexie or otherwise, new, old or in dreaming stage. Linky below.  Ends Monday, midnight.

An InLinkz Link-up

I'm linking to Richard's Link A Finish Friday and TGIFF. Have a look.

Applique Tuesday

Lunch break from Jury duty saw me get to here:

It pays to have some parts done. Now have to pick a different green and red for the center.

And a pause from the rushing to admire my husbands latest bouquet:

Isn't it beautiful!  Love, love cactus flowers.  This is Echinocereus adustus.
What are you doing right now? Please leave a comment so I can come to your blog/photostream and check out your eye candy later tonight when I'm home. I'm linking to Esther's WoW and Connie's Linky Tuesday.  Also click here   to see this linky party.  More flowers there.

Bye, for now - onto the next to-do on the list.