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Friday, June 15, 2012

Another start

  Day 56 and  yesterday, for the first time in 8 weeks, I was allowed to raise and move  my arm away from my body with assistance!  That is a huge for me.  After PT,   I have a whole new set of exercises  to do and a few to help with the back and leg problems.  I have been able to do some  stitching by keeping the arm supported and using fingers mainly.....but now I can actually allow the arm to stretch out, still with support.  But movement is wonderful, and I was so ready.  So I celebrated last night with a new start.


     Another braid.....I have been playing around with this in my mind for a while, so I listened to Dana's suggestion ( Thank you for encouraging me!) and played with fabric strips and scraps during the last couple of weeks.  Last night I sewed a run to see how it worked.    I used all floral fabrics---told you I had a big stash---to construct a simple braid beginning with a medium light fabric to a very dark fabric.  I plan on joining the runs without a separator strip, so that the individual runs merge and blend together.
    Next to questions  I get about making about water color quilts, questions about making a braid come in second.   The technique is simple, and  the sewing is easy.  There will be some waste when the edges are cut and joined, but I would rather have the small waste than work with bias edges on this.

  Once the strips/scraps are laid out to achieve the blending of dark to light, they are stacked up in the order to be sewn.   I begin with a 2" square and add 2" strips to each side.    To the first side I add a strip that is 4" long, and then the second strip  of 6 "  is added to the other side.    Just keep adding the strips in order---first to one side and then the other---to get the length you want.  


   The next most common question is about blending the fabrics.  It takes time and patience to figure this out.  And a lot of variety of fabrics with different values in them.   This close up photo shows the blending from light on the left to the darker fabrics.  In a close up you can see the different prints, and how the background value goes from light or white to a little darker tan to a dark black.  The prints tend to merge and blend where they are joined.  Squint at it and see what I mean.
     Some day I may try this technique with just scraps and  put everything in....I have seen some wonderful scrap quilts made this way.  But this one will be done as a color wash with blending.   Hard to give up what I love so much.  Happy stitching.

11 comments:

  1. This is going to be so pretty, and I am so glad you are seeing real progress. Happy sewing!

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  2. I have never seen a braid done with 2 different lengths of pieces. That makes sense now that I see it. I'm with you, why not do colorwash/watercolor? I even lay newly purchased fabric out in a value run.

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  3. This is very pretty - great start to a new day.

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  4. So glad to hear you are progressing with the arm movement... you're gonna get better, you are!

    Love the color wash braid... gonna be gorgeous!

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  5. That braid quilt is going to be wonderfully beautiful. I love all the florals you use in your quilts.

    I'm so glad you are able to move your arm now. Baby steps get bigger each day!

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  6. Yea, you climbed over the wall, great news, just take care of the wing, I'm not sure you're ready to fly yet. That braid is going to beautiful, I can't wait to see this finish.

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  7. Good news on the movement front!

    That braid looks amazing - another technique that I must try at some point.

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  8. Hallelujah! I recall having a cast taken off my arm many years ago. It felt so good to wash my hand and hold it under running water that it was nearly orgasmic. I imagine moving your arm was a similar experience.

    The braid looks lovely.

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  9. I have changed the settings....no more anonymous comments allowed. Send an email instead!

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  10. I guess I have been slacking off ,I had no idea you hurt your arm! I can imagine trying to make things with it in a cast, what happened?
    I love the braid pattern , I have seen quite a few made up and have had plans to make one myself ,just not sure what type of fabric I want to use.
    Hope you heal quickly !!

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  11. Beautiful bands and I am so glad your shoulder is getting better!

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