Thread: A FMQ Feathering Ponderable ............

Here's a suggestion .... it's Summer in Australia so take your quilt to Anael

Seriously ... MaryKatherine hit the nail on the head. What feels best to you? Do it on paper every which way you can and see what works best. I simply cannot do a "double bump" feather (where the traveling is just on the outer "bump" of the feather). I have to travel the entire length of each feather edge.

While at work, on the phone (on hold usually), or in meetings (boring), I flip over my steno pad and doodle feathers. I force myself to make feathers in every direction. I have tried and tried to do the "double bump" method and I just can't. I also prefer to do both sides of the spine as I go. I find it more difficult to mimic the shape/angle of the feather if I do the right side then the left side.

Get that paper and pencil out and doodle!!

DHM, I don't live in Ozz, that's Mirabelle. Here where I am it's winter also but not as cold as where QuiltE lives! Still, she's very welcome here

Originally Posted by Anael

DHM, I don't live in Ozz, that's Mirabelle. Here where I am it's winter also but not as cold as where QuiltE lives! Still, she's very welcome here

Sometimes it would help if I read things ... like the locations in Avatars. Sorry Anael ... you'll have to wait for Summer for QuiltE to visit

Originally Posted by luvspaper

I can't do double bump either and do whatever is comfortable for me on the quilt> If I don't have a large spine, I do both sides as I go, but if I have a spine (say one with pebbles in it) I tend to go one side at a time. So I guess I do both!

Brings up a good point. If I have a double spine, I have to do one side only, but I will do the feathers in the same direction.

In other words ... I sew one side of the spine downwards, I quilt the feathers upward along that side of the spine, at the top, I quilt the other side of the spine downwards, then quilt the feathers upward and meet the top of the spine, I then start at the top inside of the spine and quilt the fill (if any). But in each case I HAVE TO do my feathers starting at the bottom of the spine and working up the spine (regardless of which way the feather faces).

Great conversation, here is how I do feathers.

Mark my spine, starting at the top and stitch my spine to the start of the feather. I feather the left side first using the bump method then travel (very slowly) back down the spine and feather the right side.

There is no right or wrong way to do feathers, it is what is comfortably to you
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKlMTl4XwSY

I hope this link works but if not watch Patsy Thompson on youtube, she makes it look so easy

Tineke your quilt is beautiful, wow that was a practice piece.. so beautiful.

DogHouseMom the weather is not that great where I live in Aus, at the moment it is either threatening rain or 80% humidity yuk yuk yuk. Not so much fun living in the tropics at this time of year

Sorry folks, I wasn't ignoring you ... I got right into the FMQing zone yesterday and then didn't get back.
Then today, WORK ... but tonight, I hope to finish off the runner I was working on, and will post pics when I do have it done.

I really appreciate all the different ideas as to how you do yours. I know, it's whats right for you, but when I am learning, I like to hear the different ways others accomplish the same end, so that I can try ones I hadn't thought 'about.

I had two sections with feathers, so the one, I did the left/right feathers as I went up. The second one, I went back to the way I did them before doing one side of the spine, then the other. Now here's the twist ... I was happier with the feather shapes, when I had it effectively upside down. Meaning, I was working up the spine, but with the top of the spine facing towards me. I think most have the bottom facing them when they do it. Yea? Nay?

MaryK ... yes, you did hurt my head, making it think!!!!!!!! ... First to translate terms, I "think" what you meant was this ...
preset spine ... a row of stitching that you then work your feathers against
spine with dimension ... thinking this is two rows of stitching parallel, to make a "quill", where some leave it hollow and some might fill with pebbles, etc?
If so, then yes, I get what you are saying.
Now the further question ... Do some do feathers without a stitching a spine? Guess that would be called "spineless!"

Anael ... OMG, that is a beautiful quilt!! So soft, delicate and feminine. And only a practice one? Sure! Looks like a sampler of feathers, with different designs. I bet your final ones were pretty impressive with all that practice. Good idea! RE question above, I think you just answered it, that sometimes you do a feather without a spine? BTW you got me seasick with all your up and down trips!

PPrincess ... I'm with you .. I like the free look of individually made FMQing instead of the programmed patterns that can look just too rigid at times.

Tartan and LauraJBR ... now the two of you have me wondering if I made hot dogs? I'll let you answer that when I post the photo.

DHMom ... Aus or Ned, I'd be there in a flash ... if only I could! Both of them could handle the task!! Yes, I should doodle more. I tend to do it when I get ready to FMQ something ... but not as as time filler doodle!

MiraBelle ... thanks so much for the link. I haven't watched her videos for sometime. They really are well done and with good ideas. Will have to get back on that track and spend more time with Patsy, now that I am doing more FMQing. Neat bendable ruler ... do you have one?

Looks like MiraBs link answered my spineless question!
That's what's really great about discussions like this ... we can learn so much from others.

THANK YOU ALL .... and please continue with more discussion!
Together we can all benefit ... and learn!

The runner is finished and I took my pics so I could hsow you ... and disastrous (yet again)!!
You can see the runner, but not the quilting to any extent.
Heading back to try for some more.