Monday, November 20, 2017

Sewing on

  One set of appointments done, 2 more this week....ugh!  But I am thankful they are just check ups and check ins.  Except for the mammogram this week, but we will not think of that yet.  I have some blocks to show that I have stitched a bit.

 
   The first four blocks are pressed, fused and appliqued down for the baby quilt...... and the remaining blocks are set to go under the needle.  I will be stealing time between the appointments and a little bit of baking this week to work on these during the day.  I am using a pale yellow Aurifil thread for the buttonhole stitch on them, so that means using the Janome for stitching.













  The 16 patch blocks......I am loving them and the entire process from the selecting fabrics, sewing stratas, sub-cuts, and sewing again.  If you need a good/excellent tutorial for a 16 patch block, I have just the place for you to learn.  At Exuberant Color, Wanda has put together a perfect tutorial on her technique....click here. 
   I was inspired by her garden series projects to try this.  So the only way to learn, for me is to do.  I did a few.    Here's the mix of what I have sewn so far using 2'' strips. 






  Here is the cropped version of what I think will be in the "shade garden"  quilt.    Or maybe a couple of them need to shift to the country garden one.  Time will tell.

  I have more strata strips sets sewn and I work on them in spare moments or while watching TV in the evenings.  The Featherweight is perfect for this project. 







  I took a couple of photos to share the fabric selection part of the process.  I thought I would see how a light version and a darker version worked on the same floral print.   The upper block has a medium to light mottled fabric verses the dark plum in the bottom.  Quite a difference....the top one is mellow--country garden, and the bottom has drama--shade garden-- and the green in the print pops more to me. 













  The floral in this print has a lot of value difference....dark areas and light areas.  The top photo it is paired with a batik and then with a deep plum fabric.  I think both will work in the shade garden version. 


  The selection of the pairs is an interesting exercise for figuring out contrasts.  The shade garden needs enough contrast to be seen, but not too strong overwhelm.  I need to dig deeper into the stash for the alternate fabric for pairing with the florals. 

  So that's the plan for the week.....stitch between appointments, bake a few things ahead for Christmas.  We aren't doing a turkey dinner for Thanksgiving.....crazy for the 2 of us.  It's eat out or have a steak in....lol.  We have a beautiful week of weather, I plan on stealing moments to enjoy it.
Happy stitching. 

11 comments:

Linda Swanekamp said...

Love the 16 patch. I snagged Wanda's tutorial. Our guild brought in Karen Kay Buckley last week and she showed how to machine applique without fusible (yay!) and I would be willing to try this on your orange peel idea. She is a very clear and thorough teacher even though I am not an applique fan. Hope all your checkups work fine and I am so thankful for you!

Cheryl's Teapots2Quilting said...

Happy Thanksgiving! We are having brisket this year. Just 3 of us.

Carole @ From My Carolina Home said...

Just 2 of us here too for the Thanksgiving holiday, but it wouldn't be complete without a turkey. So I got the smallest one I could, and will freeze some for later. Plus, the weekend has to have turkey and dumplings too, LOL!!

Mystic Quilter said...

Both Wanda and you have inspired me to think about a 16 patch, goodness knows I have enough florals to do one!
I like your idea of the shade garden!

Ray and Jeanne said...

Love your 16-patch blocks. Just two of us here for Thanksgiving on Thursday - we'll enjoy a turkey breast and some of the traditional sides. That way we'll have leftovers 😊. Hope your checkups go well and that you find lots of time for stitching. Happy Thanksgiving! ~Jeanne

Nicki said...

Happy Thanksgiving! There will be 4 of us so I found the smallest turkey I could find (14#) and we will have plenty to share with DD/DSIL to take home. I love leftovers, especially the dressing. :)
Love how your garden blocks are coming along. It's going to be a beauty when you finish.
Praying for good results on your appointments this week.

Gene Black said...

I hope that you have a delightful Thanksgiving. I am going to my aunt's this year. Her next to youngest daughter is coming to visit and I haven't seen her in about 30 years. I am taking a spiral ham and a peach pie. My aunt said she has "everything" (turkey, etc) but I saw this ham and couldn't resist. And I will use any excuse to do a little baking.

Quilting Babcia said...

Happy Thanksgiving! Steak at home sounds awfully good. We're heading up to one of the daughters and she generally invites at least 30 or 40 people over. Last year she cooked three turkeys, and probably will this year too. It'll be a madhouse, but lots of laughter, kids and dogs, and great food. It's nice to be able to just take a few items and not be responsible for the entire dinner at this point.

Barbara said...

Happy Thanksgiving. Hoping all your appointments go well, and that you continue improving with each passing day. The quilting projects are looking wonderful.

Karen - Quilts...etc. said...

it is just four of us this year and I found the smallest turkey 9.5 pounds there will be leftovers anyhow but that will make a good 2 extra meals and turkey soup broth also. Your sewing looks great, Wanda's advice on how to do something is usually right!

Mary said...

I thought our TG would just be the two of us until we received an unexpected invitation from two of my cousins. I love piecing on my Featherweight.

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