Free Motion Quilting and a Finished Quilt.....

Since the beginning of the year I have been practising hard at my free motion quilting.  I have several Craftsy classes which I have been following along with.  I have been keeping a free motion quilting diary and, I have been making blocks for a 'quilt-as-you-go' sampler quilt.  The details of the sampler quilt appear in the book 'First Steps to Free Motion Quilting' by Christina Cameli and, I am very pleased with the progress that I have been making.

So pleased in fact that I decided it was time to try out my new quilting skills on an actual quilt! 

Block two, a section of block
 one and block three

I had been reminded a few days ago of a quilt that I started work on back in July 2013. It was a quilt that appeared in a magazine.  I completed the first block back in 2013 and the second block in 2014 but, then the magazine was not issued again until 2015 when, I was able to complete the third block.  Sadly, there seems to be no sign of the magazine being issued again and, as it is a shame to waste the blocks already completed, I decided to go ahead and piece them together into a wall hanging.

The bottom section of block one which will become the label

The three blocks one below the other seemed too long and unbalanced, so I decided to unpick the bottom section of what had been the first block and, I then stitched the other two blocks one to the top and one to the bottom of the smaller section that I now had.  I am going to use the embroidered section of the piece I have not used to make a quilt label for the back of the quilt.  I then set about very carefully free motion quilting the wall hanging.

I quilted it quite lightly so as not to detract from the applique and embroidery work on the blocks and, I am really quite pleased with the results.  It is far from perfect but I am very satisfied with the finished quilt! Here are a few closer pictures to show the quilting....

And a couple from the back.....

I am going to continue practising my free motion quilting working on more blocks for my FMQ sampler quilt and, I am joining in with a free motion quilt-a-long being offered by Lori Kennedy over at 'The Inbox Jaunt'.  I'm determined to become confident to use my free motion quilting on future projects too!!

I am linking this post to the stitchery link up at Super Mom - No Cape! and Design Board Monday over at Bits'n'Bobs why not pop and visit to see who else has linked up!