Feathers should ALWAYS stitch "clockwise" direction, if making waves of feathers
or circles of feathers or feathers following around the border, have them
flowing clockwise. And ALWAYS give your feathers a border, draw a line away
from your stem line, and run your loops out to that line to create your feather.
Also, leave a little border between the feather and the 'ditch' of the pieced
block, this allows the feather to pop/stand out. When creating feathers use 3
sizes in the loops, this is called Frackle/a repeated pattern. When doing
circles, the largest circle divided by 1/3s this is the sizes of the 3 circles
you should use for fill space (which is stipple). Circles always go to the
left, never back and forth like a figure 8. And if your circle isn't perfect,
do NOT restitch it 2-3 times trying to make it a round circle, just move on.
ALWAYS stop at a beginning point, never the middle of a circle or feather loop.
And always work back to the beginning before the next loop.
When using a contrasting thread or varigated thread, you must be more accurate.
Blended threads are more forgiving.
Judges will notice the border/binding and backing even more than your piece
work. Break up one large border feathering with caviots (diamonds or swirls) to
make it interesting.
When stitching "rays" always stitch the center, then the outer two, then the
inner lines.
Decide the width of your "echo" stitching, by using the foot, either inner or
outer circle width from the needle.
Never mark a quilt with chalk, these new Frixion pens work beautifully,
disappear completely with the iron. The pens are from 'Pilot', found at Office
Depot or Office Max or Staples.
When quilting, do your "free motion" stitching FIRST, then do your ditch work
frame stitching... this is opposite of what most have been taught, but keeps
quilt from puckering.
Stitch from the center out on blocks, and always one continuous line following
back to the beginning over stitches, why using an embroidery ball needle is
important, it won't cut threads like quilting sharp needles do.
I had learned before to do ditch stitching first...but what she taught made sense, and hey, she's the one winning awards, I paid to learn, right.