Bernina quilt for all Sewing Machine Challenge 2025 - April

April's challenge consisted of 8 blocks.  The first block was a half square triangle.

Block 2 was made with strips of fabric and decorated with decorative stitching.

The third block was a free motion couching block and it was the first time in my life that I did couching with a sewing machine and wool.

Lady Reh (my Brother Luminaire XP3) use these attachments with the muvit foot (aka walking foot) to achieve it seamlessly.

Block 4 was also a couching block using various yarns.  Not my favorite block though.  This one might be a do over.

Block 5's instructions called for a 3D block with echo quilting.  As my previous flowers were stitched flat in the confetti block of March, I did some of the same flowers with faux leather and glitter foam in coordinating colors.  The flowers was attached to the background with gold metallic thread.

Echo quilting done.

The faux leather and glitter foam sheets used.

Block 6 called for a machine embroidered block and as I collected a few of Beyond the Frame's Jumpville residents, I decided to embroider Curly Sue, but with her hair in a French braid.  It is quite mesmerizing watching the machine stitch the 5 layers of hair.  The stuff creative people come up with is just mind-blowing. 

The first layer of her hair done.

All 5 layers completed.

Curly Sue all done.

Block 7 was another traditional patchwork block, the log cabin.  I used different shades of denim fabrics and quilted the block with variegated thread.

Block 8 concluded April's blocks with a 3D pinwheel which I also quilted with the same variegated thread.

I also embroidered a Curly Sue for a member of our quilting group who also partake in the Bernina challenge.

Curly Sue's curls in the making.

And doesn't she looks absolutely gorgeous!

If you are interested in joining the Jumpville crew, sign up on Beyond the frame's webpage to receive notifications of new releases.  The designs itself however, are sold on a completely different website, Embroidershoppe which I find difficult to navigate and yes, very confusing.  

It is so interesting to see all the participants blocks on the Facebook page with no 2 people's blocks the same and to see how differently people interpret the instructions and make innovative blocks by thinking out of the box and not just strictly following the example shown.

We just received May's challenge and it is another 8 blocks with yet again different techniques.  Another month done already with a quarter of 2025 done and dusted.  Time is flying by at lightning speed it seems.