Book Review - Machine Quilting With Style

What do you do when you love quilting but don't actually like to do the quilting part? I have to admit it's not the part of the process I enjoy the most and I'm often stumped on what to do with my completed tops. I like the fabric, design, piecing and even binding! The quilting itself can be a challenge for me and definitely an area with room to grow. So I was very happy to get my hands on fellow-Martingale author Christa Watson's book Machine Quilting With Style: From Walking-Foot Wonders to Free-Motion Favorites.

All photos courtesy of Martingale/That Patchwork Place.

You may know her from on-line as Christa Quilts or the Precut Store. She has so many great ideas for quilting with both the walking foot as well as free motion.

The book includes 12 complete projects that provide not only beautiful projects themselves, but great ideas for some very do-able quilting ideas that you can do on your own domestic machine.

I really appreciated all of the info Christa shares about batting types and thread. Hints for successful basting (often another challenge altogether) as well as some really beautiful designs.

I love this scrappy project called Facets. The best part - she's even doing a quilt-along on this pattern as we speak!

So I was happily inspired to drag out a project I had been procrastinating on and give some of her tips a try. I pulled out my completed top for Cavanaugh Crossroads and decided to give the serpentine stitch on my machine a go for some nice, overall texture.

And success! Super happy with it. The quilt measures 54" x 54" and took me about 7 hours (split into two days.)

The best news yet is that Christa has another book coming out later this Spring with Angela Waters that I can't wait for - The Ultimate Guide to Machine Quilting....to be continued! Christa is super involved with the Modern Quilt Guild and you can also find her on Instagram @christaquilts .

And guess what? You can find me there too! @tonyaalexanderquilts.

Happy stash quilting,

Tonya

New addition to the family...

I have a lovely new addition to my family...of sewing machines, that is! A Featherweight 221 has been on my wish list for quite a while now. A friend of mine recently had a quilters' garage sale (the very best kind of garage sale!) and had several machines all lined up, ready to go to new homes. This little beauty had a halo of light behind it as I came up the driveway, I swear!

My very-new-to-me 1946 Featherweight 221

If it could have sung the Allelujah Chorus, it would have. It was just meant to come home with me. And the very fact that it came from a good friend's family (thank you V. and M.!) and has been much loved and much used over the years makes it even better. The details on it are beautiful.

I love the Egyptian Scrollwork design on the faceplate.

So I have been studiously pouring over Dave McCallum's must-have book The Featherweight 221 & I and learning all I am supposed to know about this perfect little gem. Now I'm torn between the beautiful, classic black or something a little racier like this...

Future makeover?

Well, I'll have to save up some more pennies for a custom paint job like that so I have more time to mull it over anyway! So for those of you that may be counting (my darling husband...), that puts the inventory total at 4 machines (down from 6!) I think I'm good for a while...in the meantime...

Happy summer stitching,

Tonya