She thinks...."I can do it!"

I recently found a real treasure while browsing the shelves in a Used Book Store. With real desires to learn the perfection of quilting by machine, I was excited to find this simply written book of instructions. Showing simple steps for understanding, practice and guidance, I saw possibilities for improving my quilting abilities!
Focusing on the sewing machine, Eva starts with the very basics of tension and stitch appearance. She also instructed me to check my machine for cleanliness, needle condition and size, and thread weight. The date of the last really good cleaning and tune-up assured me that a little check for dust would make my machine ready for practice! With a little brush, lint and dust disappeared from the little pockets of the bobbin case just under the cover plate.

Without much effort, I am learning little tidbits that improve the whole experience of machine quilting.

 Besides the instructions, there are little boxes to highlight suggestions and exercises to encourage practice on each instruction. There is a list of supplies for readiness, plus Eva's favorite products are suggested with tips for what she has found works for her. She encourages a readiness for practice sessions, with 4.5" squares drawn on 12" square sandwiches. I've made a special drawer for these close to my sewing machine hoping that if these squares are at my finger tips, I will be encouraged in many hours of practice before I attempt a large quilt.

Eva encourages drawing the intended designs several times before attempting to quilt them. I bought a graft-papered notebook and carry it around for my leisure moments of drawing and practicing all the designs she inserted in her wonderful book!

The most vital message I carry away each time I read or practice the exercises in this book is: "I can do it!" 
Eva takes every effort to show how easy beautiful quilting can be when the large project is measured in small increments of beautiful stitching within the control of 2 hands being very close to the needle.

My first attempts show a real need for practice. My goal is to give a practice hour each day of sewing with the goal toward the improvement my quilting and stitching by machine.

And I'm seeing ongoing progress and improvement, convincing me over and over again that...
         "I can do it!"
             maybe you can, too!