Saturday, February 7, 2015

Feather Boot Camp Week 3


Even though I have been busy with other projects, I have still been practicing drawing feathers as part of Feather Boot Camp (a free online class taught by Suzanne Earley.)  Tracing and drawing feathers a little nearly every day has helped a lot!!!  I have made so much progress in the shape of my feathers since I posted about Weeks 1-2.

For week 3, Suzanne covers deep curves and decorated feathers.  I really love the look of deep curves with the decorated feathers.  And after drawing them for a couple weeks, something finally clicked.  I was ready to try drawing them to the scale I want to quilt an upcoming quilt, so I pulled out my Ikea children's paper roll which comes eighteen inches wide.


I first divided the paper in half, then each half into quarters with my yellow marker.  I wanted to see how the zig zag feathers looked when the vine was contained in the center half (4.5 inches out of 9 inches.)  I even found out that my Ikea children's bowls were 4.5 inches wide.  I tried two different spacings with the bowls and drew my vine with a black marker.


Um, so pretty!  (Suzanne suggests using circles for spacing of vines during Week 5-Feathered Borders.)


Then I took another sheet of the paper, divided it in half, then divided the halves into thirds with the yellow marker.  Still using the 4.5 inch bowls I off set them to contain the vine in the center third of my stripe.  I drew the vine with a black marker.


Proportionately, I like it better with the vine only taking up one third of the stripe.


Here you can compare the different proportions side by side.


I am still working on my feathers in the deep part of the U, but when I step back and look at the whole appearance of the feathers I totally love it!  My favorite look is the green feather which had the circles half the distance of the stripe and the vine drawn only in the center third.  So that is what I tried out on my practice muslin sandwich.


So. Much. Fun!  I am now ready to try this zig zag feather on a real quilt.  I am starting with the one you see behind my sample above.  It is one of the eight baby quilts from my mindless sewing break.  

I highly recommend Suzanne's Feather Boot Camp.  It has helped me so much.  I also recommend drawing your FMQ designs the size you will actually quilt them.  I think I use this extra wide roll of paper more than my children.  ;)

Amy of 13 Spools, also has a great tutorial for zig zag feathers you can check out.

XX,
Jasmine

20 comments:

  1. Your feathers look good!
    I'm off to check the class out! Thanks for sharing.
    Carol

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  2. It looks like you have been doing these feathers for longer than that, good job! I too find the deep parts of the curve hard to do, put you will find that it all tends to blend when you are done with the whole quilt.

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  3. Wow! That looks amazing!!! Thanks for all the detailed pictures. I WILL get to this...it's on my list!

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  4. What you said, "still working on my feathers in the deep part of the U" made me go back and take a closer look... Having issues right there too myself, I get it. But you know? Until you said that, I hadn't even noticed, and the overall effect of all four widths and spacing is knock-out gorgeous. I'm a feather-lover, always have been from when I'd trace them on goldleaf tracing paper, pin to the quilt, painstakingly quilt on the lines, use tweezers to pick out the paper bits, lol. Angela Walters' feathers class really changed my feather(brained) life! Going to check out this free one, as well as the Ikea paper! I just got a pack of 8.5X11" newsprint, but the roll--I can see one in my future!

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  5. Thanks for visiting my blog, I will definitely think about buying a new chair. Your quilting is amazing, will read back through your posts over the weekend,
    Best wishes from Great Britain,
    Kind regards ,
    Sue

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  6. Thanks for the link Jasmine!! Your homework is really paying off...your feathers look fantastic!

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  7. Look at all those pretty feathers! Nice job- you are really mastering them.

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  8. Your work is gorgeous Jasmine! And I've pinned both of your references for "someday" so thanks for sharing them.

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  9. Your feathers look fantastic! I really agree that drawing full size and by hand helps *so* much.

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  10. These flow beautifully and have a lovely shape to them. They look far more confident than your earlier feathers. Fantastic! :-)

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  11. You are amazing!!!! I have been away from the computer a few weeks and you have so much happening in your blog. I LOVE your feathers. I am excited about the link you posted. I am so impressed with your tutorials and your mindless sewing is fabulous!!You go girl!!

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  12. Wow, Jasmine, your feathers are a-max-ing! And I love the blog makeover :)

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  13. Thanks for the tip, Jasmine, on the feathers boot camp. I'll have to check it out, because yours look wonderful!

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  14. Your feathers look so good! This class looks so helpful. Your practice is really paying off!

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  15. Your feathers are beautiful! Thank you for sharing.

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  16. Absolutely gorgeous,Jasmine. Can't wait to see the on your quilt!

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