Free Motion Quilting Challenge April & May with SewCaGal

This display was an effort to kill two birds with one stone. Having been 3 months behind with SewCaGal's Free Motion Quilting Challenge. I used this piece for April's and May's Free Motion Quilting Challenge of the month.

Don Linn was April's instructor who shared a new way on transferring a quilting motif on a quilt being prepared to be quilted. Though I didn't use Don's particular motif I did use a motif from "Follow-the-Line Quilting Designs Volume Three" by Mary Covey. I used the continuous line feather pattern which became the stem and leaves for my large hexagon flower.

Don's method of transferring is a nice way of drawing a motif. He traces the pattern on tulle that is placed in an embroidery hoop. He uses permanent ink (Sharpie) to draw on the tulle. Once that is done the ink is set by placing your iron on nylon heat temperature. From there the drawn motif now can be traced onto the quilt with an water removable marking pen.

May's FMQ Challenge instructor was Leah Day. Her Free Motion Quilting tip was creating a curvy line and going back over it with stippling. Leah terms this as foundation quilting which I used for the background of my project. I love how this looks. It is a fun and easy free motion quilting motif. I like the idea of just going for it and not having to draw a design on the quilt top. This to me equates to being free. But for now and until the day comes that I perfect my free motion quilting skills - which I think will take another 150 hours or so I may need to rely on drawing my quilting designs on the quilt top.

I will be using this piece as a part of a wall hanging which is becoming even more improvisational than originally planned as I now have deviated from my original layout design.

I haven't sewn it together yet, but here is a picture that shows the pieces side by side.

Now I need to think about June's. Almost there.