Yes I can FMQ and other updates

As I've mentioned earlier, I haven't had time for any sewing over the last couple of weeks - just a little bit cross-stitching while waiting for a slow Internet connection.

Some weeks earlier - when I made this quilt - I also decided to make two table mats for the kitchen and dining-room.

The table mats are small, and after reading Michelle's blog and post about FMQ (Free Motion Quilting), I was determined to try it too! Thank you Michelle, for posting about FMQ! You have encouraged me to jump into it too! :)

My camera doesn't take the best closeup photos, but if you click on the photo you should get a better idea how my first attempt on FMQ went. It went better than I had expected, but I realize I need a lot of practice to manage an even movement on the project I'm quilting to get the same stitch length.

I consider buying this Free Motion Slider - is there any of you using it? Do you use gloves when FMQ? I believe the most important is a right sitting position, where hands and shoulders are relaxed. After doing these two small table mats, I felt pain in my shoulders and elbows...

In this post Michelle recommends a couple of books for FMQ. I have purchased the books, but won't get them until middle August - I have to wait for another book that is not published yet.

The table mat for a small corner table in the dining-room.

Table mat for the kitchen cupboard.

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Saturday last was like Christmas Eve - if not even better! We hadn't been to the post office since Wednesday noon - and this is what DH brought home;

As you can see - Birre-Liten doesn't bother about the parcels!

And this is what was inside the parcels;

The three light fabrics are tone-on-tone cream and white, while the others are batiks. Before you ask me what I'm using it for; some of the batiks are for the NYB blocks while the blue ones in the middle are for a bed cover. The tone-on-tones are: just good to have! lol

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This is what has kept me busy over the last couple of weeks;

grouting!

When the tile layer did our floors 3 years ago, his assistants didn't do the grouting as it should be - the joints were too deep - according to me. Everyone knows what too deep joints mean; dust collectors! :(

Last year I re-did the joints in the kitchen- and dining-room and now I've done the TV-room, stairs & corridor and the main bathroom. I didn't have this tool they use for grouting; I used the kitchen spatula - and the grouting was done in a jiffy! LOL!

The worst was the cleaning afterwards! Fine grout dust everywhere, and even if we have cleaned the floors several times already, I feel there are more of this fine dust...