Weekend sewing

Before I show pictures of some sewing I did this weekend, I'd like to comment that my camera seems to  be not taking very good pictures! I've had this camera for years, and while I don't think its possible for a digital camera to "break", there definitely is something off with the colour and exposure of the pictures its taking.  So, a little tweaking in a photo program is needed, but I still think that I haven't got a very true picture!

On Friday, I was able to put together the third row of Jacqueline's Album.



Then I tackled the centre of my version of Stars and Sprigs.  Because of the lost applique blocks, and because mentally I had put block making for this quilt far behind me, I decided to make the quilt square.  This actually works out ok for me, as it was already getting very big...it will finish at about 90" square.  I have a good idea on a pieced border,  that will take a bit of time and a lot of math, so I'm not sure where it sits on "the list".  In the mean time, I know I have a centre pieced and the border fabrics saved.



 

I've been working way on the quilting of Daydream on the Farm.  All these pieced blocks gave me a challenge for how to quilt them.  I don't much like stitching in the ditch with a free motion foot, so I decided to highlight the piecing by connecting curved lines to various part of the block, as shown in the few blocks in the picture below.



 

This week I'd like to get the quilting finished for Daydream on the Farm, and I'm working on the third embroidery block for Snow Day!.

 

 

 

Stencils...finding my way!

I think I finally have a name for this quilt...Daydream on the Farm.  Blocks from the Farmer's Wife quilt by Laurie Hird, setting and centre applique from the pattern From the Heart by Lori Smith.

I picture the farmer's wife, as seen through the letters in Laurie's book, standing in her yard, or at her kitchen window, surrounded by all the chores of the day, but also surrounded by the completed work her and her family have done.  She also sees beauty and peace in the fields,  in the birds and trees, and the security of life on the farm.



This quilt has numerous plain setting squares...something I've been afraid to put into any of my quilts for many years!  I knew I would want to fill it with a stencil, but that was the problem.  Following a line while free motion quilting was one of the very last skills I accomplished...and I'm still not very good at it.  The usual method of using a stencil, by brushing or pouncing on white chalk, just didn't work for me.  Either the line was too thick to follow, or too thin to see.  And all those broken lines which are part of any stencil just confused me further.  I tried golden threads paper done in a stack, and sewn through the line to make numerous perforated patterns to follow.  That didn't work either, again I couldn't see the line!  Drawing the stencil line directly on to the quilt block doesn't work either, I'm too afraid of leaving a permanent mark (although the new Frixion pens might help here.)

So finally I decided to draw a stencil pattern for each block that needed it.  Yep, it took time, but it was well worth it, to me!  After drawing the stencil on the paper, I connected some lines to make it easier for me to follow.  In this example, while it is continuous line, there are 2 loops through the pattern, so I made circuit 1 a solid line and left the breaks on the lines for circuit 2.  I also marked the 1 and 2 points to make me stay on track!  I find that its best to make the paper bigger than necessary, to make sure I have enough to hold  the paper in place, and then only 2 pins are necessary.  The paper comes off easily if  I'm wearing my quilting gloves, as that gives a bit more grip for brushing away the paper bits.



 

I have stitched in the ditch in between all the blocks,outlined the applique, and have now have all the stencil blocks complete.  I think I'll do some piecing today while I percolate some ideas on how to quilt the pieced blocks.