FMQ Challenge Recap - March 2012

First, I want to recognize and formally thank Ann Fahl, our March FMQ Expert for her wonderful tutorial. 

Ann shared insights with us on the basics of FMQ (feet, thread, needles, marking, batting, notebook ideas, etc.).  She also shared insights about the machine quilting process (hand positions, blocking/basting, tips for practicing and for challenging yourself).  She also shared insights on FMQ designs that work for overall quilting and fillers of detailed FMQ designs.

To help express appreciation to Ann, I am taking the liberty to share a few comments and observations that I've seen this month, from the participants in this challenge:

Everyone had fun learning and/or improving their FMQ skills using Ann's tutorial.

Anne Powell Cowan shared on Facebook "I actually think that I am getting a little better with the free motion tutorials!! I have done several quilts this month and have enjoyed using the designs shared with us."

Tina Gilley shared on her blog (Quilting for Enjoyment) photos of her practice sandwiches with the March tutorial, as well as how she applied some of these designs to make a beautiful quilted tote.

Quilters of all levels, from all over the world, are participating in this challenge.  While some have experience doing FMQ, many are quite new.  But, we all enjoyed Ann's tutorial very much! 

Per Ann's request, her March tutorial will be removed shortly from the original tutorial post.  It was her intent to provide the free tutorial to those participating in this challenge, for the designated month only.  And, we all appreciate her sharing her insights with us, through this tutorial.

On behalf of all the participants, I want to extend a special thank you to Ann for providing us such a wonderful tutorial and inspiring us to learn and improve our free-motion quilting skills. 

THANK YOU ANN!

There are over 2,000 quilters that have taken the Pledge to complete all 12 tutorials in 2012, which is a requirement to win a Grand Prize. And, there are many more quilters that are participating, but have acknowledged their schedule won't allow them to complete all 12 tutorials. At the time of writing this post, there are 175+ quilters that complete the March tutorial and took time to enter it in the monthly challenge, to win a Monthly prize.  To clarify, everyone that completes the tutorial and enters via the link is automatically entered to win a monthly prize.  The winner will randomly be selected and announced on the main page for this challenge, early April.

The objective of the 2012 Free Motion Quilting Challenge is to encourage quilters to learn and improve their FMQ skills, as well as gain more awareness to various FMQ Experts, opportunities to learn, tools that are helpful for those doing FMQ, all on a home sewing machine. While the focus is on learning, and SewCalGal does not want the focus to become all about winning prizes, I'm also delighted that many generous sponsors have donated wonderful Grand Prizes and Monthly prizes, that will be awarded to participants randomly. It doesn't matter how good you are at FMQ, what matters is you take time to learn and improve.

Details on how to win a monthly prize will always be shared in the same post for the monthly tutorial. Details on how to win a Grand Prize will be shared later this year, but hte basic rule will be that you will need to complete all 12 FMQ tutorials "anytime" in 2012 to be eligible to win a Grand Prize.

SewCalGal is proud to recognize our
GRAND PRIZE SPONSORS
for this challenge.

 

Sponsor(s)	Prize(s)
The Fat Quarter Shop	Six prizes for Grand Prize Winners: 1 - $250 GC 1 - $150 GC 1 - $100 GC 3 - $50 GCs
	One lucky winner will receive a $200 gift certificate to The Stencil Company where they can pick out their favorite continuous line stencil designs that are perfect for quilting
Dream World	One lucky winner will receive a Pieceful Holiday Quilting Package, which includes: a Steady portable tables, a Travel/Storage Bag, Sew Straight Guide, Spinner Tray and Polish Kit estimated value: $149.99
The Electric Quilt Company	One lucky winner will receive a copy of EQ7 Retail price: $189.95
June Tailor	A bundle of June Tailor products, perfect for free motion quilting, with an estimated value over $100
	A bundle of books, perfect for those interested in free motion quilting, with an estimated value over $100

SewCalGal is proud to recognize our
MONTHLY PRIZE SPONSORS
for this challenge.

 

Sponsor(s)	Prize(s)
Aurifil -	sampler pack of 5 threads (12) Silk Stars Thread kit, with 12 spools of 40 wt threads:
SewSlip	SewSlip has donated 12 SewSlips!
Sewline:	Trio Three Color Fabric Marking Pencils with an extra refill package.
Quilters Touch	Quilters Touch has donated 12 bundles, each with a value of $27.95: pair of Machingers quilting gloves value $8 each Sew Precise Sew Fast Machine Binding DVD (retail $19.95),
Electric Quilt	winners' choice of Quiltmaker Quilting Designs software from Volume 1-7

The Prize Bundle for this Monthly Challenge includes:

• a sampler pack of 5 Aurifil threads, donated by Aurifil.
• a SewSlip, donated by SewSlip

Quilters Touch has donated a pair of  Machingers quilting gloves value $8 each



And, Quilters Touch donated a Sew Precise Sew Fast Machine Binding DVD (retail $19.95),




Sewline has donated a Trio Three Color Fabric Marking Pencils, with an extra refill package.

There is still time to enter to win a prize, simply visit the March tutorial for more information. But all entries for this monthly challenge need to be submitted in March, so this is the last day you can enter to win a monthly prize. This post will be updated by mid-April, to announce the March winner. And, an email will also be sent to the winner.

The April tuturial will be released on April lst. An email announcement, with additional information, will also be sent to those that signed up for optional emails for this event. If you didn't sign up for such emails and are interested, click here to sign up.




Don't forget that you can find Ann Fahl at:
http://www.annfahl.com
blog: http://annfahl.blogspot.com/
Facebook:  https://www.facebook.com/#!/profile.php?id=1537707467

You may also want to let your Quilt Guild and/or local Quilt Shop know that you'd like to have Ann Fahl come give a presentation and/or workshop.  They can contact Ann directly to schedule a program on free-motion quilting, applique', or one of Ann's many specialty programs.