I've started a small embroidery project called Miss Jane's Best designed by Lori Smith. I bought the kit years ago at a AQS show in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Summer is a good time for small projects.
So far I've completed 3 of the blocks. They finish at 3".
I traced all of the blocks onto one piece of yardage. After they're traced, I sew a light weight fabric onto the back. This gives more stability to the fabric and prevents from seeing any tails showing through to the front. I used a Frixxon pen for tracing, the ink will disappear when pressed with a hot iron after completion.
I'm making slow progress hand quilting Weeds & Tweeds. I've completed the right 'window'.
A new hand quilting project is in the frame. Many years ago I purchased a panel called Weeds N Tweeds from a local fabric store. There was a pattern in a quilting magazine on how to finish the panel but I didn't think that was necessary.
I added simple straight borders to my panel. I wanted looking through the window to be the center of attention, not the borders.
For the quilting, I'm experimenting with using thicker thread in varying colors, mainly Sulky #12. I started quilting the first border in one color thread then switched to darker color. One really nice thing about using larger thread is that it is much easier to remove the quilting stitches.
The 2nd border looks like this. I've marked the borders with a white Sewline Fabric Pencil. After I'm completely finished with the quilting and binding, I'll mist water on what markings are still on the fabrics.
I'm going to free hand quilt the scene through the window using a variety of threads. I don't know if you can see but I did make black french knots on some of the flowers before quilting. This is going to be a very slow quilting project. I won't be quilting everyday like I did on the Pastor's Attic quilt. I have three main goals with this wallhanging: 1. To finish an old project. 2. Keep my fingertips in quilting shape. 3. See how I like working with thicker thread.
Two more flimsys are finished for the Hands 2 Help 2019 Challenge. They will be donated to the MCC Comforter Bash along with the other two I completed in April! They don't need to be quilted because they'll be knotted at the 'bash'.
The string stars that I started sewing together at retreat are finished and sewn into a 60" by 86" flimsy.
And a clothesline view.
The other flimsy is a log cabin. It measures 61" by 83". It's OK if they're a little larger than the required 60" by 80" they request. They just can't be smaller than that size.
In spite of what the "experts" say, this bleeding heart loves the full sun on the west side of our house. It's about 3 feet tall and has been in this spot for many years.
This bleeding heart on the east side of the house has quite a ways to grow. It's way behind the other one but when it starts blooming, it will bloom into July. It only gets direct light in the early morning.
These heifers are glad to be out on pasture. They love the fresh grass.
The bull is enjoying the grazing too. It's the middle of May and farming should be going full force now but northern Indiana has had so much rain that we can't get in the fields. Enforced patience isn't fun!
My Pastor's Attic quilt is completely finished, including the label.
The Pastor's Attic quilt is a Baltimore Album quilt replicated by Marsha D. Radke. Most Baltimore Album quilts are red/green/yellow but I couldn't bring myself to use those colors. When I saw these blacks, beiges and reds on display at the Pumpkinvine quilt shop, I knew I had found my colors.
I appliqued this first block in November 2015 and now 3-1/2 years later, the quilt is completely finished. You may read about the start of this quilt on my Word Press blog.
The entire quilt displayed on my clothesline. The quilting started on October 5, 2018 and took me 29 weeks and 885 yards of thread to quilt. If you count the weeks on a calendar you'll see it is 30 weeks but I'm not counting the week I took off to hand quilt the medallion on Wilfred & Cloves.
I made a few changes to the quilt blocks. There were 2 blocks which I didn't like so I didn't make them. This block was a substitute for one of them.
I appliqued a red block in this same design as the above black one.
I also changed the border. If you click on the link of the Pastor's Attic above, you'll see that the border is actually appliqued in a zig-zag setting. I didn't like that zig-zag. When I said I planned to change the border, I had some people commented they liked it the zig-zag way. Fine, put it on your own quilt, I don't care. But this is MY quilt so I set the borders MY way!
View of the border while laying on bed.
Another change I made was the corner of the border. I've used a block from the 1857 quilt from Sentimental Stitches. I decreased the size from the original pattern. Close ups of quilting stencils. The pictures all got run together but you can see the designs just fine.
Marsha included a design for the label. Her version has
I don't know about you but I have a list of quilts I want to make someday. One of the quilts on this list is a double wedding ring. This last winter Jo Kramer from Jo's Country Junction had a Double Wedding Ring Along. I thought about joining in but didn't, it just looked too time consuming so I went a different route.
When I was in Utah last summer, I purchased the Metro Rings pattern at one of the stores we visited. Metro Rings is a modern version of the double wedding ring. To make Metro Rings you do need the Quick Curve Ruler.
The fun quick method of this quilt is you sew strips together and then cut the curves with the ruler! I sewed the strips and cut all the curved sections before I went to the Jane Stickle retreat. I sewed the blocks and the body together at retreat! These went together so easily, a lot more easy than a traditional double wedding ring would have. Another quilter at my table was keeping tabs on my progress after I explained the process to her. Our retreat started on Wednesday afternoon. By Friday afternoon I had the center all sewn together. She was very impressed and purchased the pattern and ruler from me as I didn't have plans on making a second quilt. I added the borders on my own. My flimsy measures 70-1/2" by 89-1/2". Now I can check a double wedding ring quilt off the list! Linking to WIPs On Wednesday,Let's Bee Social, Needle & Thread Thursday, Peacock Party,Confessions of a Fabric Addict, TGIFF!, Brag About Your Beauties, Finished Or Not Friday
It didn't take me long to finish quilting the Pastor's Attic quilt once I got home from retreat. The crack in my thumb was completely healed so I got to quilting again. I don't have any lovely pictures taken outside. We've had a rainy week and the ground is too soggy to take this quilt outside. You'll have have to settle for indoor pictures.
The whole quilt.
Left bottom quarter
Right bottom quarter
Top left.
Top right.
Pictures of quilting motifs on the backing fabric. The designs are easier to see in person.
A total of 885 yards of thread were used in the hand quilting.
I'm getting back in to the swing of things here at home since the Jane Stickle retreat last weekend. I haven't touched my sewing machine since I've been home but I do have something to show.
My choice for strings has been to make log cabin blocks. For a change, I've been sewing string blocks. I used telephone book paper for backing. Never again! Next time I'll use thin fabric, too much time is wasted in removing the paper. And Yes! I did use a small stitch.
