Love those double spines but need a little help getting them done? The ProEcho line of rulers by Quilter’s Groove (😉 That’s me) makes them a little easier! Check out this quick video for on how!
Love those Double Spines!
quilting
A Little Border Basic
When I first started machine quilting back in 2004, I looked all over for a mathematical way to figure out borders. Something that would work all the time on every border. Unfortunately, I could not find one. I thought I would share with you how I figure out an undulating spine that goes around the entire quilt. I have found that it is best to mark these before you load the machine on the frame.
Click here for the video of how I figure out this spine!
You can use this spine for ferns, flowers, feathers… really any thing or maybe just to divide up your border or space to do different fills on either side. I’d love to know how you measure and mark your borders. Leave it in the comments below!
Keeping your Quilt Square!
Once you load your quilt, you may think that’s all that is needed to keep your quilt top square, however that may not be the case. When you quilt and depending on how heavy you quilt…. the top can pull in on the sides… this is why we have those side clamps!
My fabulous student, Janis, gave me and the other members of Quilter’s Groove® Tribe her secret and I thought I would pass it along to you.
This is a piece of bungee cord that I got on Amazon. My frame is 12′ so I bought the 25 yards. The little pink things, these are cord locks. I line these up with the seams in the quilt as well as the outer edges so that every time I advance the quilt, I can make adjustments if my quilt has shifted.
At first I tried to just tie the cord to the end of my machine but when I advanced the quilt it would drag. So off to Lowes to try and figure out what to do. I have a BERNINA Q20 on a frame and this is how I attached it.
Bought two of these, they were around $2 a piece.
I pulled back the black piece on the end of my machine and slipped the nut through while it was attached to the bolt. I then tightened it all up. Once I found what I needed, it was a very simple process.
Let me know in the comments how you keep your quilts square!!
A little R & R and Feathers!!!
I missed my FB live last week as I was on a much needed vacation to South Carolina! For the most part, I completely unplugged from work is a first in a while. It felt great to sit in the sun, play some golf and get to know my significant others family! Took a beautiful walk along the inter-coastal waterway.
Back at work this week…. who doesn’t love feathers??? I know, it isn’t me but there are some who don’t. I have had many requests for another video on how to do the Jelly Feather Fill, I did not want to disappoint! So here ya go!! Enjoy!
Am I the Only One?
I’ve been in this business for a long time… I started piecing in 1997 and started longarming in 2004 as a business. It quickly became a love… I couldn’t wait to get my piece on the longarm so I never really stretched my piecing skills. Now my longarming skills… that’s a different story. It didn’t take me long to start teaching…. 2006 and I love every minute that I spend with my students. With that being said… I do suffer from Imposter Syndrome at times. More so when I first started teaching but there are still times when I’m waiting for people to realize that I am not as good as they think I am.
When we first start on this journey most of us have no idea what we are doing and you know what??? That’s normal! If you think I knew what I was doing, you be crazy! I had no clue and learned by trial and error. What I learned is that if you aren’t failing …. you aren’t growing, see we learn more from our failures than our successes. There are still days where I am waiting for people to say… hmmmm, she isn’t as good as I thought she was. The difference between now and then… I’m ok with that. I know I love what I do and I love sharing it with as many people as I can.
Fast forward to today…. as I sit here and type out this blog. My business sure has changed a lot since I started it back in 2004 and when the pandemic hit… boom… my business model was sunk. Since I traveled to teach… it came to a screeching halt. (now the timing couldn’t have been worse since I had just gotten a divorce and needed to support myself) Over the past year and a half there have been many ups and downs in my business, when the downs hit.. I wonder maybe this is “someone” telling me I should be doing something else. But then I would hit a high… and think… I’ve got this.
Imposter syndrome hit and it hit hard. I needed to figure out how to survive with trying to teach online. I am not a techie person so the amount that I learned this year while putting together Quilter’s Groove® Heirloom Academy and Quilter’s Groove® Tribe was astounding. Hard, yes but oh so worth it but I had to keep telling myself.. you can do this, you got this. Not always the easiest thing to keep that mantra in your head.
Why am I telling you all of this? Well, there have been many new quilters that have reached out with doubts… they have had their machines for a while and they use it as a coat hanger or some such thing. I want you all to know that whether you are new at this or experienced… we almost all go through the same emotions of “what am I doing”. I can’t do this… I don’t know what I was thinking. I am here to tell you… you can do this! If I can do this… you can too. Remember we all start in the same spot and the key here is to not compare yourself to anyone!
Your journey is unique to you. Embrace the ups and downs, figure out what you can learn when something didn’t turn out the way you thought it would! Most of all….. ENJOY yourself, be kind to yourself… the things we say to ourselves in our head matter!
So as Mel Robbins says…. look in that mirror and give yourself a high five today! YOU GOT THIS!
I would love to hear from all of you…. have you ever felt like an imposter? What do you do to motivate yourself when this happens? Leave it in the comments so I don’t feel like the only imposter out here. 💕
Avoiding those Thread Nests!
They are unsightly and no one wants nests or boogers on the back of their quilt! So how do we avoid them…. this video will show you how to avoid them when starting to quilt. The key here…. you MUST hold on to both top and bobbin thread before you hit the start button!!
If you are interested in Quilter’s Groove® Tribe, there is more information here. If you want more Quilter’s Groove® Short Takes.. subscribe to my blog and let me know!!
It’s always a good thing to review!!
I haven’t turned my machine on in a couple weeks and I am getting ready to load one of my UFO’s.
Can’t wait to get started on it. So I have my quilting plan and it involves some continuous curves. I realized its been awhile since I’ve done CC so I thought I better practice. Since I needed to practice… I thought maybe I wasn’t the only one. LOL.
Here is a quick video… If I want precision… I will use a ruler to do these simple CC but in a busy fabric… it’s all freehand!
Here is a little worksheet for you to practice on! https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0254/5644/3471/files/continuous_curve_-FC.pdf?v=1624312681
If you find this helpful… leave me a comment and I’ll post more things like this!
Have a fabulous day!
Lisa
It’s Done! Finally!
I feel like I have been starting all my blog posts with…. it’s been a while. I promise I will try harder to not let that happen!
Here’s what I’ve been up to!
The past 6 months I have been feverishly working on a comprehensive online course! And guess what??? It is finally done.
I had 32 fabulous students help me create this class and their input was invaluable! To all of you…. my biggest thank you!
The nerve wracking thing about creating the class is that as the students were hard at work on one week… I was working really hard on the following week. So I was only a week ahead of them. But I will tell you… if I had waited and created all the content before getting my beta group… the class would likely still be in my head. The process was very fluid which meant that if the students gave me feedback on providing more explanation… it was easily done.
This class took me out of my comfort zone which is something that I tell my students all the time. One of the aspects that I loved most about the class were the Zoom meetings. It was so great to see all of the faces and have productive Q & A’s! We became a little family. The students were super engaging on the private FB page. It was wonderful to see them supporting each other.
The great news is the lesson are prerecorded so you can learn when it is convenient for you! And the best.. you have lifetime access to the class.
Enrollment is now open, however, it is only open til March 28. As the first lesson is available March 29 and a new lesson will be available each week. If you sign up before Mar 22, you will receive the Perfect Plumes class as a bonus!
For all the details… click here! Don’t miss out, this is the only time the class will be at this price!
Don’t hesitate to reach out if you have any questions
Virtual Classes added!
Hi all,
I am adding virtual classes to my calendar! So make sure you check it out! Next one is a 3 day feather bootcamp. If you have ever wanted to learn how to execute feathers… this is the perfect class for you!
We will spend 3 days together from 10am – 2 pm EST drawing and stitching out various kinds of feathers. This is the perfect class for a beginner! Save your spot today!
The first 3 day design retreat was such a success that we’ve added another! Sept 8, 9 and 10! Check out what one of the students accomplished in the first class!
Did you know that I have added quilt coaching, Individual Insight, to my site? You might be thinking what is quilt coaching. Well, it is private one on one virtual sessions with me! Whatever you want to learn…. just ask away. There are different packages to choose from so one will surely fit your needs. Click here for the details.
Hope you all have a fantastic weekend!!!
Lisa
Private Quilt Coaching!
I am so excited that I can barely contain my excitement! The past few months have been challenging to say the least. We are all in a similar boat… our quilt shows have been cancelled which means that all of those classes that we all signed up for just went POOF! So what’s a quilter to do… we turn to our online options. Sometimes these are good and other times not so good. I have the perfect solution!
Private quilt coaching… you are in your studio, I am in mine and we come up with a game plan specific for you based on your own skill level. So if you have a special project that has been lying around for a while because you don’t know what to quilt on it…. this is perfect for you! Or maybe you just bought a longarm and are a little afraid and don’t know where to start. This is perfect for you! Maybe there are numerous things you want to work on or learn… again… everything is tailored to you. It doesn’t get any better then this!
What’s even better is that the first 5 people to respond…. get a free 1/2 hour coaching session! Limited spots so don’t delay!
Lisa H Calle's Blog 