I started a quilt with pinwheels..ended up with only 6 and not enough to make a full size quilt, so I made it into a doll size quilt. I figured I'd practice the pinwheels, and FMQ stippling and give it to my girls to play with. It is 2'x3'.

THe pinwheels came out okay...need tad bit more practice, but I get the procedure. Now..today I tired my hand at stippling...and it isn't that hard! I know I need more practice, but I was expecting it to be so hard. It isn't...just need to pace yourself iwth the speed of the machine.

Tips I have figured....go faster than you think you "can". I found that if I went slow, like your intuition tells you too....I was pulling and pushing so hard! No feed dogs, so I didn't understand why it was so hard...but seemed the faster I went, the easier and smoother it went. And it was easier to set pace for same length stitches.

I didn't find the "perfect" way to go...up, down, across, but still...instinct tells me to stop and turn and go down. It is hard to make myself realize...I can go any way I want to! I don't have to stop and turn and start again..I just go that way without stopping! BUt I did feel that going upwards seemed to be "easier"..odd as I couldn't see where I was going, but in matter of "pushing/pulling" up seemed easiest.

I used the matching color thread on top of the pinwheel and white on the bobbin thread cause the back is all white and I didn't want those colors on the back...now thinking that might have been pretty nice looking to have those colors just "stippled" around on white....but...the tension was fine as I had black on top, white on bottom and hardly saw any of the black on the botton except for irregular stitches...being my fault. I remmber a discussion about this a bit ago....if the tension is good, seems the top color won't go through to the bottom. I used green on top, white on bottom etc.

But..my only problem was... I didn't have a pattern to stipple. I just did the movements on my own, again, trying to learn and practice the motion and movement.. Problem was...oddly enough...I'd get to where I didn't know what to do...which way to go and got kind of hung up trying to figure that out! But with a pattern to follow that will end next time. But I just did loops and curves and circles which is the motion I was trying to learn.

It all came out pretty good for a first try....literally just since I have been onthis forum...I learned about stippling. Didn't know about it before. Part of me likes it, part doesn't. The problem on this quilt now that it is doen with stippling...is the quilt is to stiff. 2'x3' isn't that big, but the stippling made it really stiff...as in not floppy or wrap up-able. I think it was cause my stippling is to small...and to tight. I FMQ'd the insdie of the pinwheels, the white sashing they were stitched to and the purple middle sashing that is between all white blocks. I haven't put the binding onit yet, but I think next time, a pattern to follow and not make all the stitches so close together. My stitches were pretty good (for first time) as far as equal length, but I think I just did to much, to close together.

But I am a fan of FMQ now. And intend to find good patterns....question...only patterns I have seen are stencil style...you must need a fabric marker kind of pen to chalk it on and then it will brush off? What do you use for stippling patterns? I'l post pic soon as I finish it.

And if you nave never tried it...try it! It really isn't that hard as it seems.