"Just Go For It!"

Yesterday in my inbox I received an email with a couple of pictures attached.  I recognised the display name  - Carol -as belonging to a friendly customer from North Yorkshire, UK.  We had had several emails back and forth and I knew she was intending to enter a guild challenge with the quilt she made from one of the purchased patterns.  I was prepared to see a pretty version of Roundabout Again in blue and white...and I did. 

What I was not prepared for was the second picture, and the words she wrote.  Read on, and prepare to be amazed: (I have Carol's permission to share!)

Hi Karen:

A while back I bought the New York Roundabout Again pattern from you. My intention being to make it using blue and white fabrics. I could then enter it in our quilt groups bi-annual show in the”Blue and White Challenge section”.

Well the pattern was a challenge for me. With your help (you sent me details of fabric requirements and placements of light and dark in the pattern) I picked my fabrics.

I have never completed any curved piecing before but it went like a dream with the minimum of un – picking necessary. Paper piecing makes it so easy to get good results.

The quilting was my next obstacle. I stitched in the ditch around the blocks and then I wanted to free motion it all but had never tried the technique. Well I made up some quilt sandwiches and started practising. I wanted feathers around the edge so that is where I started . I soon became bored practising and decided to “just go for it” I used some coins as templates to draw round to  give me the curves needed on the feathers.

This worked really well and I carried on filling the shapes with FMQ. I even began to enjoy doing it, and am so pleased with the end result, although there is a lot of room for improvement.

The good news though is I won the Blue and White Challenge at our quilt show.

Thank you for a wonderful pattern.  Carol

Carol's first attempt at free motion quilting, done on her first curved piecing project and she came through like a seasoned veteran - wow! For those struggling with free motion quilting, Carol's words are great advice:  just go for it.  Our applause to you Carol for a job well done;  can't wait to see your stitching in a year's time!  

The pattern for Roundabout Again is available here