A few weeks ago two events occurred serendipitously: The final challenge for Project Quilting was “Conquer A Fear”, and a friend helped me try ruler quilting.
Practicing on a piece of fabric where mistakes can’t be seen!
In fairness, I tried ruler quilting a couple of years ago and decided it wasn’t for me–seemed like just FMQ (free-motion quilting) with complications. So maybe I was scared because I wasn’t immediately good at it?
Anyway, after some instruction from my friend I made several practice pieces, then this round quilt for Project Quilting.
It’s not perfect. Not even close. But good enough for now.
And then something else interesting happened. I had recently cut some striped binding at 30 degrees instead of 45 degrees and found that I got the same diagonal stripe effect with less of the stretchy-wobbly-crawly stuff that happens with true bias binding. It worked very well on this quilt:
So I had a little of that striped binding left and decided to use it on the Project Quilting circle. Turns out a 9″ circle really could have benefitted from fully bias (45 degree) binding.
Just look at all I learned in a 9″ circle 😀 Mission accomplished!
And one more thing…finding that striped binding reminded me that I never showed one of my favorite quilts from 2022:
Quilt Stats
Name: Rock Star Granny
Source: Rock Star Granny pattern from Crystal Manning, available here
Finished size: 62″ x 62″ (smaller than the pattern size)
Made by: me
Quilted by: Linda Nichols
Zippy Quilts 
It was Rock Star Granny that caught my eye! Are the motifs appliquéd onto white or is the background made of squares or ??? I couldn’t expand the picture enough to tell. Whatever way, the effect is good.
It’s all pieced. The points took a little work, but overall it wasn’t difficult. The colored fabrics are all Kaffe scraps, which makes it bright.
I’ve always wondered about ruler quilting. It seemed like it would be complicated. Your post is encouraging me to give this a try. I have some project in the works, and as soon as I finish, I may ask one of my quilter friends if she can help me on this.
That Rock Star Granny is one of my new favorites of your quilts.
Yep, I love Rock Star Granny. The name, of course, applies to you and me 😀
You know that I now have to make a Rock Star Granny quilt!😉
Want to see when it’s done!!!
Friends who help friends ‘conquer fears’ are friends indeed! A lot of discoveries came out of your conquering quest – I like it when that happens.
Here’s a thought: Perhaps you should have saved the MJ fabric to back the Rock Star Granny Quilt – just a little humor to get you to Monday morning.
😎
Yes! That fabric would have been perfect for Rock Star Granny! Ha!
I love your round, but then any kind of free motion machine quilting is on my conquer your fear list.
Well, I guess I’m not afraid of ruler quilting now, but still not sure I like it! At least I tried…
Are you using the ruler with a domestic sewing machine? And if so, are you using a special foot? I thought they were only for longarms, so I haven’t even thought about using them.
Yes, I’m using rulers with the DSM. Bernina makes a special foot for use with the rulers. I’m trying, but I’m really still thinking the rulers just complicate FMQ. The set-up with foot and rulers isn’t cheap, so I’m fortunate to be able to borrow from a friend. So far I’m not a convert!
That is awesome you gave the rulers another try!
Rock Star granny is a wonderful colorful quilt!
Thank you. Still not sure about those rulers, but no one technique suits everybody!
Love both the title and the quilt. Oh to be such rock star quilting granny!
That ruler quilting tool looks frightening! You are brave. And congrats on the circle learning curve
Thanks. I like Rock Star Granny so well I may make it again.