Thanks for all the encouragement!

Betty Jo, based on what you've showed us in your work, you are capable of doing anything! That includes solidifying your expertise in traditional quilting patterns. It's mostly a matter of practice, as we all know

I also love watching Ricky's quilt finishing DVD where he quilts feathers. they just seem to flow out of the needle!

Kathy

Hi Betty Jo - Working on the marked feathers is an excellent way to work towards the free-motion ones as it builds muscle and brain memory for the feathers. So I know you're well on your way to getting beautiful free motion feathers. I agree with Kathy, Patsy's videos are kind of zen-like and I love them. I have several and I think they are well worth the investment.

Nancy

Kathy, My feathers stink, so I usually don't quilt them without fully marking them, but it's one of my challenges to myself to get them better. I think you're right it's hard to turn a quilt a lot so I will endeavor to include quilting in multiple directions as part of my quilting improvement (One of my goals for this year is to really get better with my traditional types of quilting).

Hi Betty Jo, I have one of her feathers DVD's and also her feather book. She really shows you how to make feathers of all types! After a while, it's hypnotic watching the DVD- i figure it's being imprinted on my brain. From my experience, drawing my quilting design on paper, even if it doesn't end up looking like my drawing, helps me figure out proportions and where the trouble spots are before i get into trouble on the sewing machine. I do love drawing feathers.

When watching patsy's DVD. I notice that she turns her fabric frequently. On a real quilt that's not practical. I learned to quilt in every direction so it's easier to keep the quilt oriented the same way for that area.

Yay feathers!
Kathy

pamo65 wrote: I don't like drawing them first either. I'll check out her DVDs. Didn't know she had them...thanks for highlighting that. Cheers.

I've made a sample feather this afternoon and I am ridiculously pleased with it even though its got lots of errors.

Thank you for the info, I'll have a look at her website and blog.

Pam I had a look at your Lone Star Rose quilt. It's beautiful and I can see your beautiful feather quilting

rehak wrote:
Patsy answers her blog site. I agree that she makes you understand feathers and other designs I like her style so much that I have all of her DVDs. She helped me learn to quilt feathers when others didn't get thru my brain. Maybe it is because I don't Iike to draw them first!

Hi Wendy - You can also contact Patsy at her Web site -- patsythompsondesigns.com. She has a great blog and sells all of her stuff. Her feathers book is the most beautiful book I own, and I'm a shameless collector of books (I probably have twice or three times as many books as my local guild).

Nancy

Wendy I found these classes so useful too when I joined last year. I doubt that Patsy checks the forum but you could send her an email via her profile here on TQS. If you look her up as a member when you scroll down the page there is a box where you can send an email to a member. I didn't see this thread before or I would have commented about it. As for cording, well I have been having fun using Carol Ann Waugh's technique from the las show too.

I've just finished watching them just 2 years after you Betty Jo. I'm itching to start free motion feathering when my sewing machine is back from being repaired. She makes it all look so effortless and beautiful. I've tried in the past and end up with a botched job but now I feel I have the tips to make a reasonable job of it. I'm going to prepare some sandwiches ready to make into a book of freemotion designs for my reference and practice.


I don't know if you check here Patsy but thank you

I just watched all of Patsie's available free motion classes. They are really interesting. The latest one is especially neat...I never thought of using heavy braid as a design element. I'll really be interested to see how she ends up quilting the beauty she just demonstrated on. Thanks, Patsie!