Green-Red-Blue FMQ

After mulling it over for way too long, I finally decided the FMQ pattern I would use on the primary colored large stars of my Whirligiggles quilt (earlier prepping post dated 11/23/17). The larger exterior points of the star would have three softly curving lobes each. The inner point of the star would have half-points alternating between two arcs or fill-in lazy loops. I numbered the sequence so I would not forget the path for a continuous loop from one star point to the next. Stitching the central large lobe first helped me judge the space best to fill in the two smaller lobes on either side. I established the chant, lobe (1), lobe (2), lobe (3), curve out (4), squiggle in (5), curve out (6), working my way clockwise around the six points.

Then I needed to decide my thread color. Having spent hours upon hours picking out white thread, I was not going to put that back in. I chose gray for the back. I had a light gray and a darker gray. Ideally I would have liked a tone in between these two but decided on the darker one would be satisfactory. The lighter was too close to white and brought back painful-picking memories.

But what color to use for the front? Initially I considered variegated options but there was no red/green/blue combination thread... only red/white/blue (too patriotic) or red/white/green (too Christmasy), or combinations that include orange or yellow or purple (colors not present in top). Also stitching with variegated thread occasionally fades in and out of visibility depending on whether the thread matches or contrasts with the fabric. There are five full stars in the quilt top and two partial stars on the edges with five out of six points. I decided I would use red OR blue OR green thread depending what would look best on that particular star. The central full star would have blue thread and it was surrounded by four stars and two five-sixths stars in either green or red thread. Partial bow-ties of the zig zag border on the bottom would be in blue and partial bow-ties of the zig-zag border on the top would be in green. I drew myself a chart to remember these color choices outlining the secondary pattern of large stars in black and labeling their thread color as R or G or B. The red would be a pure red and the blue would be a royal blue. I decided to start with green since that is near a quilt edge and not smack dab in the middle. My FMQ gets better as I build my muscle memory so I did not want my less practiced patterns to fall in the center. I would do that later when I was better – theoretically speaking.

The green needed to be decided and I had three choices in my thread cache. The top was too olive and muted. The middle was decently bright and pure and a good match with the greens, but the lightest one at the bottom would show up best on the red and blue.

I chose the middle one, now on the right, because when set next to the pure bold red and blue threads it seemed to complete the trio best. The lighter one on the left was a tad too yellow in comparison.

I finally got brave and did my first star. This green threaded one is on the edge with five points instead of six.

Here is a closeup of one point. From left to right, star center, lazy loops in half of the inner star point and three large lobes in the outer star point. The quilting does not jump out; it is subtle. So subtle in fact I wonder why I fussed and agonized so much. Perhaps those three lobes should be echoed for a denser quilting but for now I am going with this design for the other two green stars.

To avoid confusion when I moved on to another star, I marked my thread color choice for each star with green, red, and blue safety pins. It was just coincidence that those colors came in the package.

I'd completed the green thread stars and did the partial fill-in triangles on one end. I did not spend a lot of time figuring out what stitch to do in these two triads that seem to form a bow tie. I repeated lazy loops and formed two lobes instead of three since this was a smaller area. My hand is not as steady as I'd like it to be in these edge areas but it is passing. I hope that galloping horse moves swiftly as it carries its rider past.

Next up is the red-threaded stars. My first one on the edge (partial star) went well and I was in the swing of producing my chosen three lobe pattern and lazy loops. When I unfurled the quilt to take a photo of a completed red-threaded star, I was bummed. Unfortunately, I had caught one corner of the quilt underneath and quilted parts of three lobes through it. Dang! I thought I was being careful but my skill at this FMQ business has lots of room for improvement. Back to picking out – again!

My long-arm Heidi is a sit down Handiquilter Sweet Sixteen where the quilt itself is not mounted on a frame. Here is my set-up. I try to extend my work area with an ironing board and concentrate on one quilt section at a time but, even so, these goofs are possible and do creep in.

Once I removed those stitches that held the folded under corner, I was left with this remainder of the lobes still stitched. I went ahead and removed these lines also, so I could have a continuous stitch when I put the three lobes back in. The faint perforation lines remain from the removed lobes but they were good guides for me. On a positive note, I do like how the red lazy loops show up on the blue with green dots.

I noticed on the back side that Heidi had burped a wad of lint at one point. I am fortunate that Heidi is pretty forgiving. When she occasionally barfs these up, like a cat producing hairballs, it does not throw off her tension. I hear a sound and I am learning to train myself to be more attuned to her language when she talks to me.

 Undaunted – though admittedly slightly discouraged – I resume FMQing the final red thread star. 

Here is the final, full, red-threaded star completed. I know, I know – the fabrics are busy patterns so my stitching barely shows up. The lobes show up and draw the eye outward but the red lazy loops on the red /white pezzy print are kind of lost. But I know they're there.

I have the central blue star and blue edge inserts remaining to FMQ, but I will save them for another day. It is night as you can see though my window. I have my color key taped up where I can see it and to help me keep my "eyes on the prize."