Free Motion Quilting, Finished Supernova!

So I got to do something two weekends ago that I've wanted to do ever since I started quilting. I took a free-motion quilting class at Bernina Connection, one of Tallahassee's local quilt shops (in fact, I think it's our only one now... my Viking dealer does not sell fabric). I finally got the chance to take it--it was available on a Saturday, that I didn't have a math competition, so I jumped on it!
The class was taught by Gail Renna, who taught techniques she learned in workshops from Diane Gaudynski. The different techniques were fillers.
Here's the folded blankets pattern:

I don't remember what she called this one, but it's something like Christmas trees:

Here are some... scallops, maybe?

These are supposed to be bananas. This one was really, really hard for me to do.

There was one more that I didn't take a picture of, because I didn't have time to get much done of it. It looked like little overlapping circles.
I am REALLY glad I got the chance to take this class. It wasn't my first time trying FMQ, but I was able to gain a lot of confidence with it. Then I came home and did some more!

This one is Superstar, from the Free Motion Quilting project. I had a very hard time keeping the lines evenly spaced and straight. I'd like to try this one again.

This is the Loopy Flower from Oh, Fransson. I like this one a LOT and I'm going to use it for my Across the Sea quilt when that's ready (almost there!)

This one is Peppermint Candy, also from the Free Motion Quilting Project. I had pinned this one a while ago, planning to use it for the Christmas quilt for my mother-in-law. Practicing it confirmed that I do want to use it--I like it a lot!
I had issues with tension once I got home, until I stopped for the night and started preparing the machine for piecing instead of quilting. At that point I realized, hey, wait! I never put my feed dogs down! Oooops...
I'm still not sure what thread I want to use for FMQ. I've got some Aurifil that I bought for the Christmas quilt, and that's the red that I was using. The white is Mettler Silk-Finish Cotton. I do like the Aurifil a lot, but it's nearly ten dollars per spool! I can't really justify spending that much money for thread. I'm ordering some of the Connecting Threads cotton for my next quilt, and I'm going to try that out, but I'm worried that it's a little thick. The Mettler is also somewhat thick. But I'll keep trying to find a thread I like that isn't going to break the bank.
I also finally finished putting the binding on the Supernova quilt for my mom!

I bound it in a yellow print from Connecting Threads, one that was the same print as several of the green and orange fabrics in the quilt. I attached the binding with a blanket stitch with green thread. I wish I hadn't done that, because I don't think my binding skills are really up to snuff enough to use contrasting colors. The stitching turned out a little crooked.

Also, the backing ended up with some wrinkles in it. One tip that I learned in the FMQ class was to starch your quilt back before basting, and I'm definitely planning on doing that in the future.
Now all it needs is to be washed, and then I'll send it to my mom! She's looking forward to getting it. :)
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