Trailing Vines

I really need to get back to my applique project!  My poor trailing vines will never get done unless I put in some time.  I have three out of the five panels that I decided to make finished. Half down the fourth so it's time to give it some attention.  The original quilt is quite large and if I remember right it has thirteen panels of leaves.  I decided from the start that I wanted to make mine with the fabric panels and the appliqued panels the same width, more like a strippy quilt.

Yesterday morning the northern winds brought Texas some cold weather. The temps got down to 32F and we had a light frost. The lawn sprinkler ran at 5am and maybe that helped.  But those north winds get me thinking about my next hand quilting project.  I am thinking of quilting my star quilt but I want to use a wool batt and right now I don't have one. So I will have to see if I can get one locally or get one ordered.  Looks like I need to concentrate on my applique till then.  I know I may sound a bit hesitant and to be honest I am.  I love to hand applique but the prep work sometimes gets me down.  It makes such a mess and then cutting and pressing all the freezer paper templates and cutting out each leaf takes a tole on me.  But, I perservered thru Baltimore Garden so there is no reason I can't get this one done.  I find looking at a completed panel inspires me to move on. So I have hung them on the closet door for inspiration!  So today I will be stitching down some leaves as I watch the Cowboys play the Redskins.

Strings and other things!

I salvaged an old Singer Touch and Sew from the large trash pile a few blocks down one morning while I was taking my morning walk.  I just couldn't bear to think it was headed to a land fill.  So I picked it up dusted it off and gave it a good oiling and found that it seemed to work just fine.

So I thought I would set it up for a perfect 1/4 inch seam to sew some hour glass blocks.  Well, after changing out thread and adding a new needle it just didn't seem to want to sew right. Isn't that the way it always goes.  But, I was determined to figure out the problem.  After a few You Tube videos I learned to adjust the bobbin tensions and the bobbin case and still to no avail did it sew correctly.  So back to the internet and then I read that the spool of thread had to have some resistance on this machine so I place my hand over the thread on the top of the machine before it went into the tension regulator and low and behold it sewed perfectly.  I had scraped off some old foam pads on the thread holder as it seemed frail and never thought that it had a purpose.  So I decided to add some wool felt I had to replace the old foam.  It seemed to help but I still wasn't quite there. Then I found a piece of soft foam and cut out a piece to put on before the spool and wala my problem is cured.

So today, I am going to sit and stitch some string blocks. I started some of these a couple of years ago hoping to make up some baby quilts for future great grandchildren.  I know it wasn't that long ago I was waiting to have grandchildren. Ha Ha ! Nothing fancy but something they could be placed upon or use when they are sick and not feeling well. Kind of a utility baby quilt!

It's quite an adjustment stitching on this Singer Touch and Sew. I know it's not that old probably from the early 70s but I regularly sew on my Viking. Even though she's probably close to 15  years old she has an auto lift sensor system and auto needle down.  So adjusting to using that lever on the back of the machine had my mind boggled for a bit.  But, I am going to use the Singer to sew string blocks.  No need to worry about perfect 1/4 inch seams and whether she eats up the edge of the fabric when stitching as that will be trimmed off.  I am hoping that since the box of strings is next to the machine I might spend a few minutes here and there stitching some up.  It frees up my Viking for piecing blocks for my hour glass blocks. Just playing on her today makes me see why some like to sew on the vintage machines. 

A king size finish!

Well, I was able to finish stitching down the binding on my king size log cabin last Sunday.  It had been a while since I stitched down binding and it sure felt good.

With the fall like temps Saturday we headed to the state fair. The weather was perfect cloudy and cool.  We had a hard time staying away from all the vendors serving fried food.  We did have a Corny Dog and we shared a fried Texas sheet cake. It was very very good!!!!

My favorite part of the fair are the livestock barns.  It was nice seeing the hogs, sheep, cattle and chickens on display.  I guess you just can't take the country out of someone who was raised on a farm.

The fair reminds us that summer has ended and fall has arrived. We don't get the big display of fall color here, but I do enjoy the color in my big pot of coleus.  I really need to plant the pansies and ornamental kale that I purchased early this week but my heart has a hard time pulling up the coleus.  I have to remind myself it won't be long till a frost will kill them anyway.

Slow Stitching Binding

Well, I looked at the date of my last  blog post and it was Oct 30 of last year. Oh my how time flies!  For the last couple of months I have had the urge to continue my blog but I just haven't taken the time.  I can start by saying our move from Arkansas to Texas altered my routine and kept me pretty busy. But, I started my blog years ago to document all the quilts that I make and hopefully to inspire others to enjoy hand quilting. So, I really need to get it caught up and current.

While still in Arkansas, I made a log cabin quilt top.  It was such a joy to make. I love the simpicity of the pattern and there are so many way to lay out the blocks.  Well, I pulled it out in late spring in hopes of getting it hand quilted.  It has taken me all summer to get the quilting done.  The quilt measures 90X108 inches.  Today, I will work on stitching down the binding and I will be linking to Slow Stitching Sunday's.  I really miss following fellow bloggers and especially Kathy's Slow Stitching Sundays.  Her post this morning reminded me
not to worry about time but to enjoy the process.  In today's world its very easy to get caught up in the rat race.

I really missed the peaceful time behind the hoop. This last month I probably spent an hour a day. Oh that precious hour how I missed you!  It feels so good to enjoy that hour in my sewing room doing what makes me happy. So I hope if you have the need to be creative or just make something that you take a bit of time to do just that!