2015 Free Motion Quilting Challenge from Quilt Shop Gal

When I saw the pretty pillows people were making for the challenge, it got me motivated to take this challenge! 

      

 If you click on the pictures you'll go to the individual blogs of these participants.

I sketched out some ideas and then used a Frixion marker which "erases" with heat (ironing) to mark my fabric.  

I began to FMQ.

I was so excited to do some FMQ so I could iron it  and erase the marks to see how it looked.

I pressed the heart and feathers in the center with a hot iron.  The material is polyester and luckily it didn't scorch but it got very flat.  You can see that I stopped pressing any more to avoid that flat look.

After finishing up the FMQ -- a rose bud and leaf/vine motif at each corner, some feathers at each side, some cross hatching and small stippling for the background fill in, I rinsed it out in water and threw it in the dryer.

This did help to unflatten the fabric and batting and pop up the feathers in the heart a bit and the heat of the dryer erased away most of the blue frixion pen marks.  For the remainder of the marks, I carefully took the point of the iron and carefully ran it over the rest of the blue marks.

I thought about adding little white beads or crystals (displayed) to the cross hatching, but decided to wait until my skill is a little better before going to the extra work.

Here's the finished pillow.

I'm so glad for Quilt Shop Gal's challenge for incentive to practice and also her instructions and links to Experts in the field who offer tutorials, advice, and books on the subject.

 I'm linking up with Quilt Shop Gal.  Stop by to see the many other beautiful FMQ projects!

Also linking up with Crazy Mom Quilts.