QUILTING: Making Connections Workbook Review


Continuous Curved Quilting by Anorina Morris @ sameliasmum.com


Quilting! Some people love this part of the process and some people just don't. Personally, I love the free-motion quilting process. In saying this, my go-to quilting has generally been stippling or loopy meandering designs. I'm not overly adventurous and tend to stick with what I know and am comfortable with. This past few weeks, I've had the opportunity to learn a new (to me) way of quilting, which I absolutely loved and plan on using regularly.

Welcome to my stop on the Making Connections Blog Hop. Dorie Hruska has released a wonderful new book "Making Connections: A Free-Motion Quilting Workbook" published by C & T Publishing. This book breaks down continuous curve quilting and makes it possible for anyone to have a go at this fun quilting technique.





The book goes through a series of worksheets, beginning with a simple design and working along to more complex quilting designs - all starting with that initial quilt design. 

I decided to piece a simple table runner with some of my favourite floral fabrics in pretty colours. It's spring here right now, so a new floral table runner was just what I needed to make.

I started by making a set of coasters (4 x 2.5" squares) to practice quilting. After quilting those first continuous curves along the edges of the squares - following along with Dorie's numbered quilting order - I discovered how simple it really was, so I then tried a few more more designs. 

I really liked these elongated loops within the curved squares and decided that was to be my quilting design. I love how this design create a secondary 'flower' motif. I absolutely love how this quilting turned out and I want to make another simple pieced project, just to have a go at the quilting using Dorie's method.


Continuous Curved Quilting by Anorina Morris @ sameliasmum.com


I've enjoyed this opportunity to learn a new quilting technique and certainly recommend this book to anyone wanting to broaden their quilting skills. You can purchase a signed copy of the book, directly from Dorie Hruska by clicking through the link.


GIVEAWAY: If you'd like the chance to win a copy of Making Connections: A Free-Motion Quilting Workbook, please leave a comment telling me your favourite quilting design. 


You have until 5pm Friday 15 September 2017 (AEST) to leave your comment. The winner will either receive a hard copy of the book or an electronic copy of this book depending on winner location.


Check out these other creative people who're participating in this blog hop (and don't forget to enter their giveaways too!!)

Friday September 1st 
C&T Publishing Blog: http://www.ctpub.com/blog/   IG:ctpublishing 

Monday September  4th 
Holly Anne Knight Blog: https://www.stringandstory.com/ IG: stringandstory 
Susan Arnold Blog: www.quiltfabrication.com IG: quiltfabrication 

Tuesday September 5th  
Becca Fenstermaker Blog:  www.prettypiney.com IG: prettypiney 
Teri Lucas Blog: www.generationqmagazine.com IG: genqmag 

Wednesday September 6th  
Sherry Shish Blog: https://poweredbyquilting.com IG: poweredbyquilting 
Pam Morgan Blog: www.mysweetlittlestitches.com IG: sweetlittlestitches 

Thursday September 7th  
Katy S Blog: www.katyquilts.net IG: katyquilts 
Laura Piland Blog: www.sliceofpiquilts.com IG: sliceofpiquilts 

Friday September 8th  
Suzy Webster Blog: https://websterquilt.blogspot.com IG: websterquilt 
Bernie Kringel Blog: https://needleandfoot.com IG: needleandfoot 

Monday September 11th 
Jamie Mueller Blog: www.jamie@sunflower-quilts.com IG: sunflower_quilt 
Nancy Scott Blog: http://masterpiecequilting.blogspot.com IG: masterpiecequilting 

Tuesday September 12th  
Sherri Noel Blog: www.rebeccamaedesigns.com IG: rebeccamaedesigns 
Anorina Morris Blog: www.sameliasmum.com IG: sameliasmum 

Wednesday September 13th  
Yvonne Fuchs  Blog: https://quiltingjetgirl.com IG: quiltingjetgirl 
Barbie Mills Blog: https://thequiltingmill.blogspot.com IG: thequiltingmill 

Thursday September 14th  
Afton Warrick Blog: www.quiltingmod.com IG: quiltingmod  
Kathy Bruckman Blog: https://kathyskwiltsandmore.blogspot.com IG: kathyskwiltsandmore 

Friday September 15th 
Susan Arnold Blog: www.quiltfabrication.com IG: quiltfabrication 
Dorie Hruska Blog: http://www.forever-quilting.com/blog IG: foreverquilting



Giveaway winner is #22 - Congratulations Christine M




57 comments

  1. I love your runner. Good job.

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  2. Would love to win this as it may give me the confidence to give it another go. I do love feathers and love loopy loops. If only mine looked like it.

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  3. Спасибо за предложение. Я начинающий квилтер, стежки только учусь и было бы приятно иметь хороший учебник. Вдруг повезет:)

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  4. The runner is very pretty. My favorite quilting design is free-motion "squiggles" or loops :)

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  5. I like to meander and quilt pebbles.

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  6. I haven't mastered FMQ yet, but I keep hoping I will! I mostly use gentle curves with my walking foot.

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  7. Orange Peel is one of my fav quilt designs! mumbird3(at)gmail(dot)com

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  8. All I can do at this point is straight lines or maybe wavy lines. Would love to learn to do even loops...takes practice, I know!!!

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  9. I like to use a swirl design. For me curvy designs seem easier to do than straight lines when I'm quilting.

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  10. I like feathers the most, but I am not good at doing them. Love the design you used on your runner. Will have to go thru my UFO's and find (and finish) one I can use it on.

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  11. Working on my machine quilting skills has been on my things to do this year. I would love to win a copy of this book to continue on my learning goal.

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  12. Oops forgot to tell you I currently love straight lines or just all over stippling.

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  13. Orange peel is my favorite quilting design if someone else is doing it; if I'm the quilter, I stick to gentle wavy lines.

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  14. I'm quite new to FMQ so have only tried very basic all over meander so I think this book would be just what I need to try out something new

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  15. I love FMQ and ruler work but still need lots of practice. I think my favorite quilting so far was a continuous spiral I did on a baby quilt. I love your table runner, so sweet!
    cathylouwilson@gmail.com

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  16. Thanks for the book review. I'm always look for ways to improve my FM Quilting. My go to design is echoed spirals beacuse they have a lot of flexibility when filling tricky areas. sjvonfumetti at yahoo dot com

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  17. This looks like the book I need to move from stippling! That is about all I'm comfortable doing when FMQing! Your table runner shouts Spring! Thanks for the chance to win!

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  18. this book looks great I love wavy lines or echo quilting

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  19. My favorite design is waves or feathers but I haven't tried it yet! Your table mat is very pretty! angielovesgary2 atgmail dotcom

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  20. I only sew straight lines or zigzag but I love scallops. Some day I will try FMQ.

    Thanks

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  21. I haven't done any FMQ myself but love the quilting my wonderful quilter does. We usually choose something that enhances the quilt top. I really don't have a favourite.

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  22. I don't really have a favorite design. This book will help me get out of the meandering rut.

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  23. I love the dot to dot quilting patterns. I am always looking for more information to learn.

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  24. I'm getting better at meandering feathers but still have a long way to go.

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  25. I always find your work so enjoyable to look at and it's so inspiring! My go-to quilting design is a wavy organic line. I also like a cross-hatch, but it's sometimes hard to keep those lines straight on a large piece.

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  26. I'm too much into practicing still lol..stipple/meandering is getting better...and stitch-in-the-ditch is still my best motif. :/ Guess I need this book alot! giggle... Thank you for chance to win one! :)

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  27. I don't have a favorite because I am still learning but I am getting better at everything I think.

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  28. I enjoy sewing up the quilt not so much the ironing and cuting...I do tie alot of my quilts for the simple fact not so good at the free motion part.... happyness04431@yahoo.com

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  29. I'm so new to quilting I still don't have a favourite quilting design.

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  30. I love straight line quilting because it's all I can do and it's modern and looks different depending how close together the lines are. I have never successfully quilted a top before though! I am going to try something different for a Harry Potter quilt I am making as a gift. I thought I might Stitch the map from the book into the quilt as the quilting. Not sure if it will work but it looks fantastic in my imagination!

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  31. I love loops, like those daisies!! Since I'm not very experienced with machine quilting, I find straight or slightly wavy lines are easy but can add beautiful texture to a quilted piece.

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  32. I like loopy meandering but I've never done it myself. I usually just do straight line, but I'd love to learn!

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  33. I love feathers but haven't mastered them yet!

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  34. I'd love to say a particular design but the truth is free motion quilting scares me a bit and so far I have only done stitch in the ditch. I would love to overcome my fear though and this book sounds amazing.

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  35. Such a cute table runner and fun quilting! My favorite quilt design is Debbie Brown's version of ribbon candy. It can be adapted in many different ways and is fun to do! Took me awhile to master it and has become second nature.

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  36. I love anything with feathers!

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  37. Hi, I enjoy doing hearts of all sizes;to me they draw easily.Can add swirls between them to join. Thanks for sharing! msstitcher1214@gmail.com

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  38. My favourite quilt motif is feather, in borders. Colourful table runner. Happy Quilting:)

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  39. My favorite quilting design is feathers. I did them once on a friend's long-arm machine and they were beautiful. However I don't have a long-arm and use my Janome 6600 to do my quilting and I've never tried feathers on it.

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  40. I love every FMQ design. I love making every time another design. Most easy for me is stippling of course.

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  41. I like mixing straight line quilting with curves.

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  42. I enjoy meandering with throw ins like hearts, crayons, stars or flowers.

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  43. I have been doing a loosely straight line quilting and love the look and ease of doing this on quilts.

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  44. So far I have been doing straight or wavy lines with a walking foot. I have a new sewing machine and so badly want to learn FMQ. This book looks great, Thanks
    djcutting2(at)gmail(dot)com

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  45. Feathers and swirls. Love loops but I need to have more control at the start and end of my design. Thanks.

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  46. I like straight line quilting since that's what I'm comfortable doing but I really like your elongated loops. It looks great on your table runner!

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  47. I love swirls, but am sooo challenged with FMQ! Would love this book to learn more....

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  48. I really like the Baptist Fan pattern but am sure I'll never master it.

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  49. I often loop-de-loop with little motifs inserted into the sewing line, depending on the theme of the quilt. Ie I add hearts, leaves, bugs, stars, suns etc to the all-over meandering.

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  50. I love the look of feathers.

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  51. My favorite quilting designs are those that create secondary designs within the pattern of the quilt.

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  52. I like making loopy, continuous stars. They are the easiest for me! trotskyn@att.net

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  53. I love pinwheels but am always stumped about how to quilt them. I think this book might help! Thanks for the giveaway! Cotten.gloria@gmail.com

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