Sundays are my favorite!

Sunday is a day rest for many including  me,  a time to reflect and ponder. I also spend some time slow stitching. There is something special about the rhythmic stitching.   Since we had a very chilly week here, with a lot of clouds and some rain, I really made some progress on my project, the scrappy string star. 







 Are you a quilt maker that names your quilts?  So many do, something I have never done. I just never have been inspired to do so, and therefore I will admit, I am not very good at it. So if you have any ideas I would love to hear what you might name this one.






On Sundays I also enjoy linking up with Kathy's blog to see what others are stitching.  There is so much talent out there.  I love seeing what fellow quilters are doing.


Then of course, there isn’t a better way to end the evening, than watching a new episode of Downton Abby.  I am totally hooked and can’t wait for the next episode.  

Technorati Tags: Scrappy String Star Quilt

Another Slow Stitching Sunday

I guess it has now become a habit, to do some slow stitching on Sunday along with Kathy and the rest of the slow stitchers linked to her blog.  I have continued this week making progress on my Scrappy String Star quilt. All four of the feathered wreaths are completed and I have started on the one inch grid.  I am really looking forward to getting to the border. It is marked with a cable/feather that is so pretty.  The grid will be the background all the way out to the binding. 

Technorati Tags: Scrappy String Star Quilt,hand quilted string star,applique

 

I always seem to learn something with every quilt I make.  This quilt has taught me that using the white lead mechanical pencils is great for darker fabrics.  However, it tends to get rubbed off, so if your going to premark an entire top, it may not be the best choice.  I only used it on the four feathered wreaths, and I made sure that I got them stitched first. By the time I got to the fourth wreath I had to sit by the morning sun near  a window to see the marks.  I also learned that the hera marker is great for grid work.  I marking two to three blocks at a time, and have had no problem seeing the crease that the hera marker makes.  I won my  hera marker from Kathy last year,  so thank you again Kathy for holding the give a way.

New quilting tool for me!

Last year some time, I won this hera marker and some fat quarter’s from Kathy's Quilts.  I have been putting off using, it partly because marking a quilt top is not one of my favorite things to do. I guess, I just didn’t see how pressing a crease into fabric would last very long, and all my work would be in vain.   It works by running it across the fabric on a hard surface like a table.  A lot of the background of my scrappy star quilt is a bias grid.  The hera marker is perfect for this application, since you can run it next to a long quilting ruler and mark away.  It works wonderfully.  My only regret is that I waited this long to try it, the marks are easily seen and lasts even after hooping and rehooping.  It is not a very expensive notion, and it will definitely pay for itself when you  consider  what blue water soluble pens cost. 

Now I need to pull out those fat quarters and turn them into a mini quilt, my wall still has a lot of space on it.

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Let the quilting begin!

  I spent the week preparing my scrappy star quilt top for the quilting process.  My favorite, by far, part of making a  quilt.  I marked four feathered wreaths that have stars in the middle where the block corners come together. I also marked the border with a intertwining feather.  The quilting on the stars will be added with stencils as I go. The background will be a one inch diagonal grid.  I am going to use the hera marker to make these straight lines. I will try to post some pictures once I get to that point. I did a little test and I think I am really going to like using the hera marker, although I only seeing it working on straight lines.

The batting in this quilt is a cotton batt by mountain mist called cream rose.  So far, I  really like the way it easily lets the needle glide through.  There is nothing better than waking up to the sound of rain and  knowing that you have a quilt waiting to be stitched.   I also enjoy taking a break and joining Kathy at Kathy Quilts, to see what others are stitching on this  Slow Stitching Sunday.

Before Quilting

Years ago, when my children were young, During their nap times, it would be me time.  I would sew outfits for my kids and home dec items.  Later, a full time job and raising a family would be the end of me time.  So when my children went off to college, I could once again pull out the sewing machine.  I had always dreamed of making a quilt, so that is the path I chose.  Now some ten years later I am still enjoying that craft and still learning. It is nice to take time to remember the past and as they say the good old days.
So for Valentines day this year, I thought I would make my two youngest grandchildren a pillowcase for their pillow.  They are at the age when superheroes and Minnie Mouse are everything.  I sure hope they enjoy them.  They were so easy to make and I really enjoyed remembering what it is like to sew something besides a quilt.  I used a pattern from All People Quilt. It is very easy and your guaranteed to get great results.

Slow Stitching Klosjes

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Since I finished the peony quilt, I pulled out my klosjes project to join Kathy and other linked bloggers to do some slow stitching.  I am finding stitching these klosjes to the background fabric very relaxing.  The whole quilt be done in pinks browns and creams.  I am adding a photo below to give you a sneak preview of how they will be laid out in the quilt. A simple dark light layour.  While I stitch, I will trying to decided what kind of border to add.  I am not a fan of borders, but sometimes a quilt needs one and I think this one definitely needs a border.

 

First Finish of the Year!

I  put the final stitches into the binding of the peony quilt yesterday.  It then went straight to the washer and this is the results.  I love that I used a wool batting as this quilt was made as my cuddle quilt.

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So its new home is over the back of the sofa, ready to keep me warm and toasty.