The Doodle-head:

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Friday, July 03, 2009

The Sun Sets... with seagulls and shells

My button order came in this week, so I've attached them now. Here's an updated picture!

Quilter's Palette - paper piecing

Fortunately while my primary sewing machine has been in for service, I've been working on some paper piecing, which just requires you to sew on the lines, no worry about quarter-inch seams (because my backup machine doesn't have anything closely resembling a quarter-inch foot).

I have to make 8 of these sunburst wedges (they'll get quarter-circles of a different fabric added late to finish them), so I've set up an assembly line to finish piecing the remaining 7, which are all about 2/3 complete.


I've also stitched the 4 pieces for the Thistle Flower block, which are all paper-pieced. Paper piecing does allow you to get these super-fine points, but it creates a lot of waste. I've also had trouble with getting the pieces with the correct sides together, and had to pick out way more times than you'd think, once the technique is learned. That's why I set up the assembly line for the wedges. I hate piecing something then having to unpick it. Especially the tiny stitches required for paper piecing, and having to be SO careful not to tear the paper out at the same time.

I do love the colors.


Not too much longer and I'll have the rest of my wedges pieced. And I was able to pick up my primary machine today! The timing was off and had to be reset. Looking forward to getting my baby set back up in the sewing room and getting to the next set of blocks!

Saturday, June 27, 2009

The Sun Sets Happy Dance

I have been working on The Sun Sets exclusively (as my cross stitch project anyway) since the last time I posted a progress picture, and now I can happily say that, except for the buttons, it is finished! I stopped by my LNS Friday and ordered the ones it calls for, so hopefully they'll come in pretty quickly so I can put this project in the "ready for framing" category.


I'm still working on my online class quilt blocks. My machine has started skipping stitches every so often, and I've tried all the usual fixes for that to no avail. I haven't had it serviced in over a year anyway, and the sewing machine store actually had a coupon for $49.99 service (normally either $80 or $90), so I'm taking advantage of that - dropped it off this afternoon.

Until then, I'm using my old machine, thank goodness I didn't get rid of it when I got the new one! It doesn't have all the features that my new one does, but it stitches a nice, straight stitch, so it will be just fine for the paper piecing that I'm working on right now. Gonna go do that while C watches the Busch and Indy Car races tonight.

Happy weekend!!!

Sunday, June 14, 2009

Appliqué

For this week's lesson in my online quilting class, we finally get to the appliqué part of the appliqué blocks!

First up, Dresden plate - stitched with monofilament (invisible) thread, using a blind hem stitch. The photos show the finished block and a closeup of it.


Next is the Honeybee block - stitched with a thread matching the bee body and wings fairly closely, using a blanket stitch.


Finally is the Crossed Roses block - also stitched with a thread matching the flowers and leaves fairly closely, and using a blanket stitch.


This weekend is also the Second Saturday block of the month, and here is the Wedding Ring.


And since I had the camera out, I finally took a picture of my progress on The Sun Sets. It's coming along quite nicely!


I may actually try to finish it up before getting back to the Grapes Pillow and finishing THAT up. Wouldn't that be cool, two finishes pretty closely in a row?

Tuesday, June 09, 2009

Online Quilting Class update

I've also got my Dresden plate prepared for appliqué. We are learning 3 different methods for machine appliqué in this class, one technique per block. This week we'll get to finish the appliqué blocks and then next week we tackle paper piecing!

In cross stitching, I set aside the grapes for a few days and tackled another "older" project - The Sun Sets. No photo yet, but I'm making some decent progress. It was a really good project to work on during the Moonlight Stitching at my LNS. The other thing I worked on was their make-it-and-take-it, a needle swatch adapted from a pattern by Nordic Needle. It's finished!

Thursday, May 28, 2009

A little cross stitching

Here is a new update on the grapes pillow, which I'd estimate is over ¾ done


I'm working on it again tonight. I've cut out my fabrics for the next two quilt class blocks, and my background fabric came in the mail, so I'm good to go for tomorrow night!