... I don't know what came over me ... I sat down, took a deep breath and voila. Some successful stippling! Free motion quilting has totally alluded me since I got Bernie - in fact it sent waves of fear down my spine and while I know I have a long way to go before I perfect this technique ... hopefully I'm on the right track now.If the idea of donning your darning foot, dropping your feed dogs and wiggling your fabric about to make pretty squiggles fills your tummy with dread - my two biggest tips would be
1) keep your speed down - I found a medium speed on my machine much easier to cope with and
2) what ever you do don't panic! (I think all that deep breathing I've been doing in prenatal yoga is beginning to have a positive affect me!)
I had a pretty tough day yesterday (translate to: I was an inconsolable hormonal grump) but as it turned out - I just really needed a long nap. By evening I was frustrated at having had such an unproductive day so I decided to do something thoroughly untaxing - but useful - I organized my material scrap box. When we moved I tried to be sensible about what crafting supplies to bring into the city. In particular I wanted to try and use up those little fabric remnants we crafters all end up with. I organized the scraps into colors and textures ... and found that I had a delightful little pile of pretty silk scraps left over from a very special Christmas Tree Skirt I had conjured up last year.
So I am happy to report that today has been more productive. I sewed all the silk scraps together ...
... layered the scraps with some batting and cotton ... and proceeded to attack the layers with my new found stippling skills.
I have had my beady bunnie eyes on just about every project in Sew Pretty Homestyle - but the project I have most wanted to make is the makeup case.
I've never made a little pouch with a zip before - and I can think of hundreds of uses, gift ideas, occasions when knowing how to make something like this would be perfect. 
I'm about as scared of zips as I am of free motion quilting but I rose to the challenge (I think) using my new calm yoga affected persona (ha! as if!)
