I did kit up some pieces parts for machine piecing, and I got to work on those at Charlotte's house over the weekend when I went to visit my son Jason and his sweetie Kim. Want to know what 800+ half square triangle units look like all chained together? Here you go!!
This is the whole pile...all in one long chain, on the ironing board!
Retreat type sewing, or at least sewing with a good friend is a great way to get the job done when it is a monotonous one, and you can talk and laugh and visit, and NOT be bored with repetition! These are all now pressed, de-dog-earred, and ready to move on to the next step. I know it doesn't look like much...but I spent Saturday Evening, Most of Sunday, and part of Monday morning on these guys. >_< There is something like 850 of them, all blue and neutrals. It would have killed me to have to do them all assembly line style at home with no one to talk to!
I decided that this was going to be a slow down week, and it is now cool enough in the mornings to not swelter and sweat underneath the weight of a heavy hand quilting project! I've pulled out my "In The Pink", the storm at sea variation that uses the Jane Stickle blocks in between the star point units.
I now remember why this got to be such a big UFO. That chocolate indigo fabric from South Africa? It's a HEAVY BEAST! And the hand quilting is just moving slow. It feels like I'm quilting through canvas...and though I love these indigos, I do NOT love the fabric they are printed on. So I want to make a note to myself to find a way to use up the rest of the blues and browns that I've got....and make it PLEASE be a machine quilting project so I can enjoy them without cursing them out!
Because the fabric is heavy...I'm shooting for EVEN stitches, not small ones. But it is still slow going. Here you can see the completed fans in the brown border. It wasn't easy to get the light right...but they are there.
Oh, and I hit the jackpot for the ziploc bags at the Dollar Tree. The Large size are 15X15 with built in handles, and they are 3 for $1.00. the Ex-Large size are 20.5" X 17" and there is 2 in a package for $1.00. I'm bound and determined to get better organized yet!
Bonnie did you prewash the brown indigo fabric? I have lots of the indigo and it is extremely stiff until washed then it really softens and almost feels like a totally different fabric.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on the importance of company for those dull sewing jobs. We call it 'stitch and bitch' - though it is more gossip and giggle to be fair! It's the old idea that a spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down!
ReplyDeleteI bet they will look great once you are done and I look forward to reading about it!
De-dog-eared....giggle! Love that pink and brown!
ReplyDeleteI just finished hand quilting a small project (thank goodness) and I used the wrong type of needle. I was using perl#8 with a not sharp needle so I sympathize with your project. Keep your hands healthy, we need them to last.
ReplyDeleteHi Bonnie, I think your hand stitching on the brown and pink quilt is lovely. It looks very tiny and even. I'm going to Dollar Tree today to look for those large ziplock bags. After I finish planting the raspberry bushes a friend gave me.
ReplyDeleteThe bags would be great for packing away summer clothes and unfortunately the time to do that isn't far off.
Gail :)
And here I thought you were already super organized. I've been working on 4-patches for Orange Crush. They've sort of been my Quilt Club project for meeting when we don't have other projects to work on. Slowly, but surely, it'll all get done & I know I'll love that quilt. The cooler, less humid weather has certainly made me feel more motivated. I LOVE Fall and I hope we have a nice long one. NO SNOW IN OCTOBER like last year!!!
ReplyDeleteIs the brown only in the border? Once that is done the rest will be a breeze.
ReplyDeleteI am almost done with my first quilt using your free hand Baptist Fan method. I LOVE it. And I am so close to being done. The more you go around the quilt the faster it goes as the distance decreases.
I bought some of the needles you use and they are very nice with the YLI thread. I am using a deep rust color.
Keep on quilting!
XOXOXOXO Subee
HA! word verification is restitch!
Hi bonnie, interesting you have the Indigo fabric as I have just bought some and I got a hand out about the history of this fabric and washing instructions.....I see another blogger above has said the same.I haven't washed mine yet, but was told when it is washed it will be lovely and soft, they recommended washing with some demin jeans for the antique look. I also love the label on the back of the fabric.
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